With a perfect record of 27-0, welterweight champ Yaroslav Amosov was the man to close out Bellator 301 against Jason Jackson — the final Bellator event of 2023, and with the promotion’s future up in the air, perhaps the final event of the promotion as we know it.
Amosov had a game challenger in Jackson at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois on Friday night, with plenty of chances presenting themselves for both men early. Jackson spent much of the round walking the champ down, keeping him circling on the outside. Despite a couple of clinches, the bout played out on the feet in the opening round, with Jackson fighting off a couple of takedown attempts.
Early in the second, Jason Jackson shrugged off another takedown attempt, fired a knee, and had to deal with a kick in response. 90 seconds in, the champ looked for a high-crotch single leg takedown attempt only for Jackson to easily break free. Each and every takedown stuffed was no doubt a shot in the arm of confidence for challenger Jackson; near the midway mark, Jackson cracked the Ukrainian standout with a perfectly placed uppercut.
The back half of the second round saw another uppercut land for Jackson, as did at least one sharp calf kick. Amosov finally managed to clamp on a body lock, but try as he might, he could not get Jason Jackson to the mat. Amosov finished the round with a high kick, but the second belonged to Jackson.
In the opening minute of the third, Jackson again cracked Yaroslav Amosov with a nasty uppercut. If nothing else the champ had a chin, but those were going to add up regardless. Moments later, Jackson dropped Amosov with a right hand! That put him to a knee, an uppercut sent him the rest of the way to the mat! The champ dove in on a leg, but Jackson took the opportunity to put the fight away with a few extra strikes! A huge upset win by Jason Jackson, who becomes the first man to defeat Yaroslav Amosov, claiming the Bellator MMA welterweight championship in the process!
Official Result: Jason Jackson def. Yaroslav Amosov by KO, Round 3, 2:08
