It came down to the wire, but Quinton Jackson found his way back into UFC 186's pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event after a New Jersey court lifted the ban it originally levied on "Rampage" thanks to Bellator MMA's injunction.
And while mixed martial arts (MMA) fans are delighted to see the return of the former Light Heavyweight champion, there is perhaps no one happier than UFC President Dana White.
White recently spoke with ESPN about the court's decision to allow Jackson to compete on Saturday (April 25, 2015) in Montreal Quebec, Canada.
His reaction:
"I'm obviously very happy about it. We planned for him to fight at this card and it wasn't looking good. Thank God, we're obviously very happy with what New Jersey did today. These things (lawsuits) happen sometimes in the business. But I am glad it got resolved. 'Rampage' is a unique individual to deal with. He felt that he wasn't happy here anymore and obviously we wouldn't ever be in a situation where a guy wasn't happy fighting here. Then he wasn't happy there (Bellator), he thought he was happier with us. So, you know, it wasn't like we wanted 'Rampage' to leave in the first place. He said he wasn't happy with us, and like I said, we won't hold nobody that isn't happy."
And the fight card needed a big name in a bad way, too, as one setback after another devastated what was originally set to be a solid event. But with "Rampage" back in the mix, UFC 186 can perhaps salvage a few more PPV buys and ticket sales, despite the fact that the promotion only has four days to promote Jackson's return to action.
At the end of the day, it seems all parties involved -- sans Bellator -- are satisfied with the end results as Maldonado gets his man, Jackson gets to come home and Bosse gets paid without having to step foot inside the Octagon.
Here's how it happened in a court of law:
For more on UFC 186 click here.
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