Let’s be blunt: Mike Jackson was by no means actually purported to be within the UFC.
An element-time fighter who has labored as a journalist, in addition to for UFC matchmaker Mitch Maynard in his Legacy FC days, Jackson was introduced into the corporate as a foil for Mickey Gall in 2016, and later CM Punk.
In some way, “The Fact” managed to parlay that right into a six 12 months run with the corporate, that noticed Jackson compete 4 occasions — posting, formally, a 1-2, 1NC document. His stint with the UFC has come to an finish, nevertheless.
On Monday, UFC Roster Watch, an automatic Twitter-based service that displays the UFC’s fighter database, famous that Jackson had been faraway from the energetic roster.
Jackson’s remaining struggle got here towards Pete Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 62. It wasn’t fairly, with Jackson happening through TKO.
The transfer to launch Mike Jackson comes following a extremely controversial encounter with former UFC title challenger Jake Shields on the UFC Efficiency Institute in Las Vegas. After butting heads on social media — Jackson has taken to calling Shields a “Nazi” for his right-wing political leanings, whereas Shields has referred to as Jackson a “racist” for, amongst different issues, being a self-proclaimed “snow roach exterminator” — the dangerous blood spilled over into actual life, resulting in Shields taking down and mounting Jackson earlier than the pair had been separated.
With Shields allegedly banned from the UFC PI, it felt as if Jackson’s time within the promotion would quickly be nigh, given neither man got here off significantly properly within the feud. To be honest to Jackson, had been it not for a failed drug take a look at (THC), his document with the promotion could be 2-2 — although one win got here through DQ towards Dean Barry, whereas the opposite was a lackluster exhibiting towards former WWE and AEW star CM Punk.
Jackson, who has claimed that resulting from jaw surgical procedure, he couldn’t defend himself in the course of the Shields incident, confirmed his launch and now says he’s centered on boxing his rival in a rematch within the gymnasium.
“My mindset wasn’t to beat the f*ck out of Jake Shields — it was to not get punched within the face,” Jackson mentioned in an announcement to MMA Preventing. “So he’s in my DMs, speaking a bunch of sh*t, however then his tune modified, and he was like, ‘Would you like me to return to Houston to field? I’ll come field you.’ I haven’t responded but, however that’s my new factor. He’s going to return to Houston, or we’re going to seek out someplace to satisfy, and I’ll beat the f*ck out of him for the sh*t that he did.”
That, fairly frankly, seems like a missed alternative, as TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter later identified.
With all the wacky boxing bookings, there isn’t any cause to do that in a gymnasium.
You are telling me one among these Triller or Misfits Boxing promotions would not pay these dudes to field on one among their occasions? https://t.co/9pULNFljiq
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) January 10, 2023
