Rampage vs. M’Pumbu, King Mo vs. Zayats to kick off Bellator Season 10

When Bellator returns for its 10 season on February 28th it’ll be all about the light heavyweights. The promotion made things official earlier today from their home offices in Newport Beach, California:

Bellator MMA returns to Spike TV with a bang as the promotion kicks off its tenth season Friday, February 28 at 9pm ET/PT. The star-studded card includes the tournament debut of MMA superstar Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Emanating from Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun, the night features Rampage in a Light Heavyweight opening round battle with former Champion Christian M’Pumbu, while King Mo Lawal returns to face Russian submission ace Mikhail Zayats. The night will also feature the start of the Season 10 Featherweight Tournament.

Putting Rampage and King Mo on opposite sides of the bracket is a genius move, and a move that Bellator has tried before, but never really works, when making these tournaments. The last time we saw Rampage in action he emerged from the Bellator cage victorious following a vicious buzzer beating KO of Joey Beltran.

King Mo on the other hand will come into this tourney off the heels of a another disappointing loss to Emanuel Newton, a fighter who appears to have Lawal’s number. That fight for was the interim light heavyweight strap. Newton square off against Bellator LHW champion Attila Vegh in the main event of Bellator 113 on March 21st to unify the titles that one of these four men will be competing for down the line.

Zayats’ record in Bellator currently stands at 3-1 with 3 finishes. His only loss came via ‘The Hardcore Kid’ himself, Emanuel Newton. M’Pumbu has dropped his last two fights under the Bellator banner since winning his first three contests en route to becoming the promotions first light heavyweight champion. He’ll have to pull of the upset of the year to get a chance at another fight for the belt he once held for 650 days.