Exclusive: Bellator's Jason Jackson finds PFL merger a "great move" despite complaints from multiple veterans
Reigning Bellator welterweight (170-pound) champion Jason Jackson has addressed the PFL-Bellator merger and the reported pay disputes the PFL is facing after the merger. 'The A**-Kicking Machine' apparently believes that the PFL-Bellator merger was a great decision and would benefit the PFL organization and the PFL-owned Bellator as well.
The PFL acquired Bellator MMA in late 2023. Top execs such as PFL Founder Donn Davis and CEO Peter Murray hailed it as the beginning of a new era in MMA. The PFL implied that it was aiming high and would look to surpass the world's premier MMA organization, UFC.
Nevertheless, the PFL has been called out by multiple big-name Bellator fighters after the PFL-Bellator merger. In March 2024, MMA legend and longtime Bellator women's featherweight champion Cris Cyborg suggested that the PFL was purportedly preventing her from returning to the cage and competing.
Davis later appeared on The MMA Hour and spoke to Ariel Helwani, claiming that the PFL's relationship with Cyborg was fine. Cyborg took to X and shot down Davis' claims, then demanded an in-person meeting with Davis and Murray.
Moreover, former Pride and UFC fighter and ex-Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi also jibed at the PFL. 'The Dreamcatcher' seemingly alleged that the PFL was attempting to coerce him to compete for lower pay than what was entailed in his Bellator contract. Mousasi speculated that the PFL wasn't generating adequate money to pay. He was subsequently released from the PFL.
Apart from Cyborg and Mousasi, former Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima also indicated that the PFL was trying to get Bellator fighters to fight for lower payouts than their contracts stipulated. Lima insinuated that if the fighters refused to take pay cuts, the PFL wouldn't book them in fights.
Donn Davis subsequently appeared on the Weighing In podcast and underscored that the PFL is "direct, fair, and reasonable" in its dealings with the fighters under their purview. Davis appeared to shut down the allegations coming from the aforementioned Bellator stars.
In an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Jackson now seems to have expressed his support for the PFL. Jackson notably stated:
"It's better because now there are way more fighters, war more fights that's happening... I think it's a great move. I can think of nothing better."
Jason Jackson's win at PFL vs. Bellator and his next fight
Jason Jackson's most recent matchup witnessed him defeat the 2019 and 2021 PFL welterweight tournament winner Ray Cooper III via second-round TKO in a 182-pound catchweight bout at the PFL vs. Bellator: Champs event in Feb. 2024. 'The A**-Kicking Machine' thereby captured the 'PFL Champion vs. Bellator Champion' Super Belt.
The PFL operates the Bellator brand separately, barring cross-promotional cards, as the Bellator Champions Series. Presently, Bellator welterweight kingpin Jason Jackson is scheduled to defend his Bellator 170-pound belt against Ramazan Kuramagomedov in the main event of Bellator Champions Series 3 at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, on June 22, 2024.