Former CM Punk opponent and journalist/part-time fighter Mike “The Truth” Jackson will return to the UFC octagon on January 20.
Per a report by MMA Fighting, Jackson, who is 1-1 as a pro, will face promotional newcomer Dean Barry.
Reaction to Jackson’s return to fighting for the first time since 2018 was mixed. And Jackson immediately took to social media to put critics on blast.
This is the dumbest fucking take you losers can come up with… Let me be upset about some shit I can't do, all while it has nothing to do with my life anyways… This is why you people with this logic are pathetic losers. https://t.co/Jl7ijoSODu
— Mike Jackson, Esq. (@TheTruthJackson) December 22, 2020
Jackson’s initial turn as a pro came in 2016, when he was steamrolled at UFC Fight Night 82 by Mickey Gall. Gall had essentially been brought in to be WWE star CM Punk’s initial UFC opponent, with Jackson serving as the warm-up fight.
With Gall also steamrolling Punk, the promotion eventually got around to booking Punk vs. Jackson at UFC 225 in Punk’s native Chicago. Jackson won a unanimous decision that was wildly derided by everyone from fans to journalists to UFC President Dana White. Too much showboating, and minimal attempts to finish a fight he was easily winning, made up the bulk of the criticism.
That bout, in 2018, sounded like the end of Jackson’s UFC tenure, but he’ll get a third chance on January 20 on Fight Island. Opposite him will be Dean Barry (3-1), who has won two straight, most recently at UAE Warriors 13.
The UFC’s January 20, 2021 card is expected to be headlined by Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev. Broadcast details have not been officially announced. UFC President White confirmed the organization’s plan to open 2021 in Abu Dhabi earlier today.
