Quinton Jackson vs. Muhammed Lawal 2 set for March 31 at Bellator 175

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Muhammed Lawal will get a second chance to prove he’s better than Quinton Jackson. And this time, he’ll do it at heavyweight.

During tonight’s Spike-televised main card for Bellator 170, the promotion announced Lawal vs. Jackson 2 to take place March 31 at Bellator 175.

Lawal (20-6 MMA, 9-4 BMMA) and Jackson (37-11 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) faced off for cameras at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., trading some perfunctory trash talk about the second go-around.

Lawal said it would be his chance to go up 2-0 against Jackson, who retorted, “What’s up with this man thinking he won that fight? How you think you win the fight by taking somebody down and humping their leg?”

“I’ve got respect for him, but don’t be saying you won that first fight,” said Jackson, who hasn’t fought since this past June.

“That’s why there was a rematch – because you lost,” Lawal replied.

A location for the fight is not yet confirmed, according to a press release issued by Bellator.

Lawal and Jackson first met three years ago at Bellator 120, squaring off in a light heavyweight bout under the Viacom-owned promotion’s previous regime led by Bjorn Rebney. Despite repeatedly getting taken down by Lawal, Jackson emerged with a unanimous decision.

Afterward, Lawal infamously went off on Rebney and Jackson during his post-fight interview. The verbal sparring continued to the press conference, and a rematch seemed to be on the horizon. Instead, the rivals went their separate ways.

The rematch brings them back together after both have tried their hand at heavyweight. Lawal was the first to move up, facing Jackson’s longtime training partner Chieck Kongo and winning a decision at Bellator 134 in 2015. Later that year, he entered and won a heavyweight grand prix promoted by Japanse upstart Rizin FF.

Jackson, meanwhile, officially made his debut in the big-man division this past June at Bellator 157, outpointing Satoshi Ishii.

For more on Bellator 175, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.