Sherdog.com’s 2014 Robbery of the Year

3. Quinton Jackson-Muhammed Lawal
Bellator 120
May 17 | Southaven, Miss.

Practically anytime you see Lawal doing an interview nowadays, he is reminding those watching that nobody -- outside of judges Todd Anderson, Rob Hinds and Kelly Leo -- who saw his Bellator 120 bout against Jackson thought he lost.

The fight was unquestionably close, with “King Mo” utilizing his superior wrestling skills to ground the well-known striking attacks of “Rampage.” Yet, it did not exactly make for compelling television. That was a bummer for those watching and Bellator MMA, as it served as the main event for the promotion’s first -- and still only -- foray into the pay-per-view market.

After Lawal controlled the opening period with his superior grappling, Jackson went to work with his striking in round two, bludgeoning the former Strikeforce champion with several clean shots that caused Lawal’s left eye to swell significantly. Lawal mustered another takedown in the third period, putting Jackson on the mat and controlling him, but he failed to inflict significant damage from top position. “Rampage” worked his way back upright, but he, too, was unable to land cleanly with the boxing that had clearly won him the second round.

As is usually the case when it comes to judging in mixed martial arts, nothing is a sure thing. Jackson received a unanimous 29-28 decision on the scorecards. The result pleasantly surprised those in attendance at the Landers Center, but it led “Rampage” to immediately ask for a rematch with the man he had just defeated. It was not exactly the response one would expect from someone confident in the performance he had just given.

“I’m down for a rematch. I wanted to knock him out, but this was the best Mo I’ve seen in a long time,” Jackson said. “You wanted to wrestle. You wanted to hump. Look at your face. I think the last round was really close, but look at your face. You didn’t beat nothing.”

Since the fight, Lawal has repeatedly called into question the decision and gone about his work, competing twice more in 2014. On the other side, Jackson never laced up the gloves again for Bellator, choosing instead to re-sign with the UFC in December.

Continue Reading » Romero vs. Kennedy