Quinton “Rampage” Jackson

MONTREAL – For ex-UFC champion Quinton Jackson, beating Fabio Maldonado, a man whose name he jokingly mispronounced at every chance, was an added bonus. Just making it to Montreal’s Bell Centre for UFC 186 was a victory.

“I’m going to tell you: This was the most stressful time in my whole career,” Jackson told MMAjunkie at the pay-per-view card’s post-event news conference. “I’ve been fighting for 15 years, and I never had to deal with what I dealt with just to get here, and I hope I never have to deal with that again.”

Jackson (36-11 MMA, 8-5 UFC) earned his fourth consecutive win by outpointing the hard-headed Maldonado (22-8 MMA, 5-5 UFC), who took his best punches and battered his midsection over three rounds. But he was sued the month prior to tonight’s pay-per-view card by Bellator MMA, which contends the 36-year-old fighter owes them three fights from a deal signed after defecting from the UFC in a huff of disappointment.

This past December, the UFC re-signed Jackson, who left on a three-fight skid before winning three under his new promoter. It wasn’t long before Bellator promised to defend its rights in court.

Jackson responded to Belltor’s lawsuit with his own argument that the Viacom-owned didn’t honor their contract. But Bellator ultimately convinced a New Jersey judge to prevent him from competing at UFC 186. As a result, the UFC removed Jackson from the card and installed former hockey enforcer Steve Bosse.

Then, just this week, Jackson got a break when an appellate judge reversed a portion of the ruling against him, and his fight with Maldonado was on. While Jackson technically remains enjoined from “fighting for any promoter,” he won the second round of his court battle.

There may be more rounds in the future, of course. But Jackson is grateful he was able to compete.

“I said before, I’m a fighter – I fight everything,” he said. “Every little thing. I don’t even know why half the stuff I fight. Ask my kids – I fight them all the time. I fight everything. I want to win, and I felt like I won just by making it here to Canada.

“I’m not worried about what (Bellator is) doing, because I want to give (UFC executives) Dana (White) and Lorenzo (Fertitta) big thanks in having my back. They helped me out, and I’m just going to say it right now – I was over there and Bellator can’t f-ck with the UFC, so I ain’t scared.”

For complete coverage of UFC 186, check out the UFC Events section of the site.