PFL welterweight champion Magomed Magomedkerimov has withdrawn from his fight against Bellator champion Jason Jackson for undisclosed reasons, and will be replaced by former PFL champion Ray Cooper III in the match scheduled for Feb. 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Well, folks, there’s been a shakeup. The much-anticipated PFL vs. Bellator card? Yeah, it’s taken a hit.
Magomed Magomedkerimov, the current PFL welterweight champ, is out. Can’t fight Bellator champ Jason Jackson. The reasons? They’re keeping that under wraps.
So, who’s stepping in? None other than Ray Cooper III, a former PFL champ. He’s squaring off against Jackson on Feb. 24. And where’s this showdown happening? Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, of all places.
The fight’s expected to be a 182-pound catchweight. Heard it from multiple folks in the know. MMA Fighting confirmed it on Monday, following an initial scoop from MMA Junkie.
Cooper’s not new to this. He’s a two-time PFL champ, bagged the welterweight gold in 2019 and 2021. He’s had a bit of a history with Magomedkerimov. Lost to him once, then scored a brutal knockout in a rematch two years later.
His latest fight? Didn’t go so well. Lost a unanimous decision to UFC veteran Derek Brunson at the 2023 PFL Championship card last November. But hey, he’s 3-2 in his last five fights. Beat Brett Cooper and Rory MacDonald, so he’s got that going for him.
Jackson? He’s fresh off a shocking upset. Took down former Bellator champ Yaroslav Amosov last November. Ended Amosov’s undefeated streak with a third-round knockout. It was his first championship since joining Bellator in 2019.
Jackson’s on a roll, folks. Seven wins in a row. He’s aiming to make it eight against Cooper in the PFL vs. Bellator card in February. Let’s see how that pans out.