Bellator 110 features 'Rampage' vs. M'Pumbu, 'King Mo' vs. Zayats in 205 tourney on Feb. 28
Bellator MMA had made five announcements of upcoming cards for its 10th season, but had left off one date – until now.
The promotion will open its season with Bellator 110 on Spike TV at Mohegan Sun in Uncassville, Conn., on Feb. 28 with a four-man light-heavyweight tournament featuring Quinton Jackson (33-11 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) vs. Christian M’Pumbu (18-5-1 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) and Muhammed Lawal (11-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) vs. Mikhail Zayats (22-7 MMA, 3-1 BMMA). The card also will feature the opening round of the Season 10 featherweight tournament.
“We’ve got an incredible season coming up, and in my mind it’s our best season by far,†Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said on a Monday call with media members. “We’re locked and loaded and could not be more excited with what we’re doing with Spike TV. Our (season) premiere on Spike will be the most competitive light heavyweight tournament we’ve ever done. It’s the deepest and most competitive tournament we’ve ever done.â€
“Rampage†Jackson, who picked up his first win in Bellator in November by stopping Joey Beltran, said he plans to win his first Bellator tournament. He’s familiar with the tournament format after years fighting in PRIDE.
“I’m very excited to do my first tournament in years,†Jackson said. “Bellator has the toughest tournament on the planet, and that’s how you know you’re really the champion. I’m here to show the world I’m back, healthy and motivated. It’s very bad for everybody at 205 in this tournament. I’m going to win this tournament by everybody going to sleep.â€
M’Pumbu, a former Bellator 205-pound champion, will return for the first time since losing his title to Attila Vegh in February 2013. The former champ andHe’s on a two-fight skid after starting his Bellator career 3-0.
“King Mo†Lawal will get back to tournament work after losing a fight for Bellator’s interim light heavyweight title in November to Emanuel Newton. It was Lawal’s second loss to Newton, who knocked him out in February 2013 in the Season 8 tourney semifinals. Lawal rebounded to win the 2013 “Summer Series,†but then lost to Newton again.
Zayats got back on track in October with a submission win over UFC veteran Aaron Rosa in just 47 seconds. That was his first fight after dropping the Season 8 light heavyweight tournament final to Newton, who went on to win the title this past November.
Rebney told MMAjunkie that the promotion decided to go with a four-man tournament for light heavyweight rather than the normal eight-man, but wasn’t ready to say four-man tourneys will be the standard going forward. It still will be a case-by-case basis.
“The timing for this worked out great – a former champion, two former tournament finalists, Zayats is an unknown jewel, and Rampage is healthy and ready to go,†Rebney told MMAjunkie. “It made a lot of sense to go with a four-man where any guy can win it.â€
