MMA fans may never get to see “Liddell vs. Ortiz 3”, but they may, in fact, get the next best thing. And it, too, is a clash between Jackson and Wanderlei Silva.
Bellator MMA’s president Scott Coker told MMAFighting on Thursday that he is working on a historic fourth contest between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva.
“That’s something that we’re talking to ‘Rampage’ about and talking to Wanderlei about,” Coker said. “I would love to make that fight before the end of the year.”
The rivalry between Jackson and Silva started dated back in 2003 at the finals of the PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix when Silva earns a TKO win in the first round via knees. Silva knocked Jackson out in similar fashion one year later at PRIDE 28, however, “Rampage” finally got his revenge at UFC 92 and scored a knockout in the first round.
Silva showed interest that he would want his next fight to take place at Arena da Baixada in his hometown of Curitiba, Brazil. Both men are still under Bellator contract, and Coker said their fourth fight is still very much on the table.
“We are working on the possibility of executing that fight down there.”
Jackson told presser in February; he would love to take an opportunity to lock horns against “The Axe Murderer” if the right deal comes to fruition.
“I owe Wanderlei another ass whooping, I’ll tell you that,” Jackson said in February. “I know he’s not a heavyweight. The last time I fought him I knocked him out of the weight class. But he beat me twice. I only beat him once. I think I owe him another ass whooping.”
Wanderlei Silva hasn’t competed since picking a decision loss to a longtime rival, Chael Sonnen, at Bellator 180, back in June 2017 and fought most of his career under light heavyweight and middleweight division.
‘Rampage’ is coming off a loss to Chael Sonnen in the first round of the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix and mostly fought at 205 pounds.
If both legends lock horns for the fourth time, who do you think will comes out on top?