Jason Jackson finds himself in the main event this Friday night at Bellator 283.
It’s not a spot that was planned; Jackson vs. former champ Douglas Lima was originally the card’s co-feature. But with Patricky Pitbull withdrawing from a title fight with Sidney Outlaw, the welterweight duo were bumped up — and now have a five-round fight on their hands.
Lima is the biggest name yet for Jackson (15-4), who has won five straight. Speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press during Wednesday’s Bellator 283 media day, “The Ass-Kicking Machine” — a nickname derived from pro wrestling stars Kane, a.k.a. “The Big Red Machine,” and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — suggested a win over Lima would prove his worth.
“Douglas Lima is like a gatekeeper,” said Jackson. “So if you can beat a guy like that, it shows your worth.”
Jackson, who has picked up wins over Paul Daley and Benson Henderson, appears eager to show what he’s learned after spending a year on the sidelines (an earlier date with Lima, in May, had to be postponed).
“There’s a new king here to take over, his name is Jason Jackson. And I’m going to surprise the world, because I’ve trained. It’s been a year, I’ve just been training, non-stop. I can’t wait to prove to myself and the world that I’ve improved and I have growth as a person outside and inside of the cage.”
A win over Lima would seemingly position Jackson for a title fight whenever Yaroslav Amosov vs. Logan Storley gets sorted out. That’s certainly what Jackson is looking for, though he left the door open for one other match-up.
“Nothing makes sense unless MVP [Michael “Venom” Page], comes back from bare-knuckle. Then that would make sense,” Jackson told Cageside Press. “Everything ahead, that’s what makes sense to me. Nothing behind. I’m not looking behind. So title fight, yes that’s what’s on the horizon. That’s what I’m looking forward to.”
Page is currently set for a one-off fight under the BKFC banner in London next month, where he’ll take on UFC veteran Mike Perry. After that, he would remain the biggest fish in Bellator’s welterweight pond outside of the champ and interim champ.
When it comes to his expectations for the Lima fight, “getting my hand raised” is what he foresees. He’s not picking a method, but “one thing I can tell you, I’m gonna win. Because everything in my bones, win, win, no matter what. If it’s one eye, one leg, whatever it is, winning.”
Watch the full Bellator 283 media day appearance from Jason Jackson above. Jackson faces Douglas Lima in the main event this Friday, July 22, 2022 in Tacoma, Washington.
