Rivalries: Jason Jackson

Jason Jackson will enter his 2023 campaign on a short list of potential challengers for the Bellator MMA welterweight crown.

The Sanford MMA representative has rattled off six consecutive victories, all of them via unanimous decision, during his rise to the No. 3 ranking at 170 pounds. Jackson, 32, last appeared at Bellator 283, where he outpointed former champion Douglas Lima across five rounds in their July 22 main event. He figures to have a vested interest in the forthcoming unification bout between undisputed welterweight titleholder Yaroslav Amosov and interim champion Logan Storley in February.

As Jackson awaits word on his next target from Bellator matchmakers, a look at a few of the rivalries that have helped shape his career to this point:

Hayder Hassan

The American Top Team export locked horns with Jackson under the Championship Fighting Alliance banner and dismissed him with third-round punches as part of the CFA 12 undercard on Oct. 12, 2013 at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Florida. Hassan drew the curtain 2:32 into Round 3. He countered Jackson’s looping punches to great effect throughout the match. Hassan decked the Jamaican prospect midway through the third round, pursued him with punches and did enough damage with his follow-up assault to warrant intervention from referee Jorge Ortiz. It remains the only legitimate stoppage loss on Jackson’s ledger.

Victor Moreno

Jackson laid claim to the vacant Victory Fighting Championship welterweight crown when he put away the respected journeyman with punches in the first round of their VFC 48 headliner on Feb. 19, 2016 at Buccaneer Arena in Urbandale, Iowa. Moreno bowed out 1:55 into Round 1. In just his seventh assignment as a pro, Jackson had a plan and stuck to it. He marched forward with winging power punches and dazed Moreno with one of his initial flurries, establishing his superiority right out of the gate. Jackson later dumped “Superman” to the mat, set up shop in an advantageous position and cut loose with ground-and-pound until referee Rob Hinds had seen enough.

Dhiego Lima

Stock in Jackson continued to soar, as he took out the American Top Team rep with punches and captured the Titan Fighting Championship welterweight crown in the first round of their Titan 42 main event on Dec. 2, 2016 at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. Lima met his end 2:10 into Round 1. Jackson floored the Atlanta-based Brazilian with a sizzling combination to the head, then gave chase with punches. While many of his follow-up shots appeared to either get blocked or miss their target completely, the referee rushed in to save Lima from further damage. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 19 finalist immediately objected to the stoppage, but those protests fell on deaf ears.

Ed Ruth

The three-time NCAA wrestling champion weathered significant adversity, leaned on relentless forward pressure and eked out a contentious split decision over Jackson in their Bellator 231 welterweight showcase on Oct. 25, 2019 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. All three cageside judges struck 29-28 scorecards: Douglas Crosby and Dave Tirelli for Ruth, Ben Cartlidge for Jackson. While Ruth walked away with his hand raised, the memorable moments all belonged to his opponent. Jackson staggered him twice in the opening round, first with a head kick and later with a right uppercut. Ruth switched gears in the middle stanza, where he marched forward and drove the Jamaican out of his comfort zone. Jackson floored his favored counterpart with an overhand right in Round 3, only to have the resilient Ruth spring back to his feet and control the rest of the round with his wrestling.

Benson Henderson

Jackson quieted any doubters who remained when he nailed down a unanimous decision over the former World Extreme Cagefighting and Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder in their Bellator 253 co-feature on Nov. 19, 2020 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 30-27 for Jackson. Henderson struggled with the size disparity for much of the encounter. Jackson turned away the MMA Lab star’s bid for takedowns, forced him into an extended standup battle and proceeded to outstrike him from range for three rounds. The decisive victory moved “The Ass-Kicking Machine” to 4-1 in Bellator, exposed his talents to a wider audience and set the stage for his push toward the top of the 170-pound weight class.