During Bellator’s live event Wednesday night, it was announced that Rampage Jackson would meet Tito Ortiz on Bellator’s first ever pay per view on November 2nd in Long Beach, California.
The announcement was somewhat of a surprise considering most had thought that Jackson would be boxing Roy Jones, Jr.
Via Bellator press release:
“To have two of the biggest names in MMA headline our first PPV is awesome,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “Rampage vs. Tito is a fight I’ve wanted to see for years and to have it as our Main Event on our first Pay-Per-View is a spectacular next step in Bellator’s evolution. They’re both re-energized, excited and ready for a war. This will be a great fight.”
“Honestly, I feel like I’ve been re-born.,” Jackson said. “My excitement, energy and aggression, it’s all back and bigger than ever. I feel like a kid again. The Rampage you’ll see Nov. 2ndwill be better than any Rampage you’ve ever seen. Everybody knows Tito and I have a very long history. He’s a former teammate and friend, and it’s one of the reasons I stayed away from the UFC as long as I did. But, I want to be very clear; any sort of friendship we once had doesn’t exist when that cage door shuts. I’ve got a ton to prove on November 2nd, and unfortunately for Tito he’s the guy I have to make an example of. He’s in my house now and Saturday, November 2nd on PPV, it’s going to be a horrible night for Tito Ortiz.”
“I’m back,” Ortiz stated. “Over the last few years, my passion for MMA was completely killed, dealing with UFC politics and with Dana. I didn’t have that drive to compete, my heart wasn’t in it. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I’m free. Bjorn and Bellator put together an opportunity that made me part of the promotion, part of the family. I feel like I can breathe again and my old friend is going to be on the receiving end of all that happiness turned into an old school Tito Ortiz ground and pound beating. I’ve fought and beaten the very best in MMA history and on Nov. 2nd, Rampage will be the next huge win on my record. This is a new era for the People’s Champion.”
Payout Perspective:
Having Roy Jones, Jr. at ringside for the announcement added to the “swerve” that was announced. Ortiz had taken pictures that he had gone to the Bellator headquarters in Newport Beach, California so the possibility of a comeback in Bellator was plausible. Although both may be past their prime, the fight is a legitimate MMA fight and not a sideshow boxing match. Certainly something that Bellator/Viacom took into consideration. There was also the issue of the possibility that Jones KOs Rampage. What would Bellator/TNA do with Rampage then?
But for Bellator, this is as good a play as it can do to promote its PPV. It needed two big names in the world of MMA to market it. At this point, Askren, Lawal and Chandler are not known commodities outside of Bellator. But, we should expect all 3 (and my prediction Eddie Alvarez will be back to fight Chandler) to be on the PPV card. The hope will be that the 3 will be able to make name for themselves for future PPVs.
Disaster! 2 guys who haven’t won a fight or been meaningful in years and they are going to charge people to see it. lol
Im never one to call fix on legit MMA promotions unless that have a history. But I wouldn’t be surprised here. These guys have trained together for years and are friends. The announcement was very WWE like. Both are greedy attention whores who want to fit in. Bellator is tied to TNA through Viacom. I believe it is already in Jacksons contract to wrestler at some point. Who knows what Tito is up to. I don’t think this will be a worked fight. But there is enough signs to keep your eyes open.
But what I do predict is the fight will suck balls. It always does when two friends fight. Both guys are comfortable and there is no killer instinct. It always looks like a sparring match. Neither guys is in great shape and are old. Both will be tired by round 2. Ever the opportunist. I think Tito cherry picked this fight knowing Rampage isn’t what he used to be and im sure Tito will be in shape even is he is old. Rampage has to be in the best shape in years to win imo.
Regardless who wins. Im waiting for those famous words that fans and Bellator are sure to use……He’s Back!!!!! Because we all know the winner between two homeless guys is all of a sudden a badass!
This has mainstream appeal written all over it. its starting to look like alvarez should have stayed with bellator rather than try to jump ship to the ufc.
It is better than anything they could have done with Roy Jones Jr. This will just lose them lots of money. Jones would have lost them money and killed their reputation beyond repair.
Viacom has money to spare. the ufc lost money for years and is still up to its eyeballs in debt.
Good for Bellator….good for its fighters…
Dana white:
The Tyson Fury thing, I believe everybody needs to earn their shot. You don’t just come in from another sport and get an automatic championship fight. He needs to work his way up. If he comes in and even fights somebody with no name, he’s gonna get beaten up. I welcome the challenge of him to come in and work his way up. It’s not gonna be pretty but he can do it.”
Tyson fury purse 7.5M
Cain purse 450k base purse
Yes fury really needs to work his way up to fight Cain…..lol….
That’s not Tyson Fury’s normal fight purse, not even anywhere close, he is getting paid big money because the fight will do big business in the UK and then he will be irrelevant in Boxing because Haye will destroy him.
So what is his regular purse? Because “not anywhere close” still sounds like more than cains.
This fight will definitely draw attention to Bellator. Good move by them even if it’s a break even game. Puts their brand on the map on-par with the UFC.
Yes Sampson this def puts their brand on par with the UFC.
Hey Jason Cruz, what do you think about that? You think this puts the Bellator brand on par with the UFC now? Or is that just too stupid of a comment for you to reply?
$100 one of them injure themselves in training and will have to either pull out or wont be 100% then what happens to the PPV it will be interesting to see the numbers. This in no way puts Bellator on par with the UFC if they do 200,000 buys I will be extremely surprised.
You ladies vastly under estimate the inherent promotion that the cable/satellite distributors will undertake to push this event and subsequently the Bellator brand.
But I expect that from simple minded pets. Dana has trained you well!
Unless one of them breaks something or blows their knee oit they will fight. these two have taken fights injured plenty of time
“And then he will be irrelevant in boxing because haye will destroy him”….haha…what were talking about is his pay….Not a prediction of the outcome of the fight or what his pay would be after the said outcome……fact is he would be getting 7.5 M dollars…and would not climb up to a “lower pay” ….
His point was the bum has never paid close to that before and if he loses never will see close to that ever again.
You want to compare Tyson to Cain. Cain has 13 fights. What was Tyson making in his fight back then in his 13th fight? Cain has a loss. What will Tyson make after he gets beat? The answer to both of those is not as much as Cain is making.
Cain is the UFC heavyweight champion….the money division in combat sport…..the main man…the baddest man etc…etc… From the so called ultimate proving ground…and he gets chump change compared to Tyson fury who is not a heavyweight champion in boxing…..
Your arguments are funny as hell…now it’s the number of fights not the belts they are holding…..Weidman 10 fights 48k…..Werdum 23 fights…100k vs Nelson……
You are the one who wanted to compare apples to oranges. Don’t cry when it is turned against you.
Hahaha….nah it’s not apples and oranges…it’s a sport that pays big money vs a sport who pays low money….so Dana should not make statements that one fighter from a high paying sport should work his way up a sport that pays much much less….
Dana wants…Kennedy vs Belfort…then Belfort vs rashad…..
Belfort dosent want Kennedy
Rashad won’t fight Belfort
Kennedy wants silva….
The Dana dictatorship is now being challenged hahaha…
In two months fighters speak out on low pay now this…good for fighters!! They should apply the muhamad Ali act for MMA…
White will fight tooth and nail to keep fighters as independent contractors because he is a scumbag who wants to micromanage every aspect of mma and do it as cheap as possible; fighter wellbeing be damned. White claims to care about making the sport of MMA big, but all he really cares about is Zuffas bottom line. Everytime he has a press conference or sends out a tweet it reminds me of the speakers in all of the houses of north korea that spew propaganda.
That’s what promoters are supposed to do stupid ass! LoL
All promoters are suppposed to be scumbags? The ifl promoters weren’t scumbags. They actually employed the fighters rather than contracting with them. they just made a bad tv deal.
I’m not surprised you are dumb enough to admit white is a scumbag. Dumbass! Roffle lmao!!1!
Hahahahaha…b.s. dosent think before he posts comments… .. he admits that Dana is a scumbag…great!
Bs has aspergers. Good news bs, the definition has changed and you aren’t considered retarded anymore.
Tops of,
You said Fury gets 7.5 million, what is your source? I did a quick look online and most of what I saw was under one million.
I don’t know how anyone can think this is a good move. Tito is 1-7-1 and Rampage is on a three fight losing skid sounds like a great PPV main event to me. Bellator TV ratings are in the toilet the Fight Master show will most likely be cancelled. Bellator is grasping at straws IMO.
They have been hit with so much bad PR and it is catching up to them. This PPV will flop and Bellator is going to have to really do some soul searching if they want to build.
I believe the moves they have done to move away from what made them unique is hurting them ie not signing UFC castoffs. I don’t see how they make this work I have no interest in this fight and truth be told I doubt I’m alone.