Jason Jackson vs Ramazan Kuramagomedov Preview
Jason Jackson will make his first Bellator welterweight title defence against Ramazan Kuramagomedov on June 22 at Bellator Champions Series Dublin. The main card should start at 12:00 pm this Saturday.
Jackson has not lost a fight in nearly five years with an 11-1 record in Bellator. He faces a tough first defence against Kuramagomedov. The Russian fighter has an undefeated record with 12 wins, including a submission in his last fight. This will be the Jamacian’s second fight this year and Kuramagomedov’s first since November 2023.
Jason Jackson vs Ramazan Kuramagomedov Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Both fighters stand at 6’1” but Jackson has the reach advantage at 78” to Kuramagomedov’s 73”. Jackson has a reputation for strong striking, particularly with devastating leg kicks. He is also adept at wrestling, especially when defending, sprawling, and scrambling.
Kuamagomedov also has strong striking but can smother opponents on the ground. Training out of the tough Dagestani wrestling gyms, he looks to carve out a legacy similar to his fellow countryman Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The Ass-Kicking Machine has a 22-4 record with six knockouts and three submissions. He trains with the Kill Cliff FC team alongside superstars such as Kamaru Usman, Robbie Lawler, and Michael Chandler. Former UFC lightweight champion Lawler is often in his corner during fights.
Jason Jackson went on a tear during his ascendency to the Bellator welterweight title. The Ass-Kicking Machine made his debut in the promotion in 2018, defeating Jordan Larson by TKO. He has lost just one fight since then, a split decision to Ed Ruth in October 2018.
He boasts wins over former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson, former Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima, and ex-UFC man Paul Daley. That winning spree put him in the running for a title shot, and he was awarded one in November 2023.
The challenger entered the fight as a hefty underdog against the then-champ Yaroslav Amosov. He defeated Douglas Lima for the title in June 2021 before unifying the belt in his win over Logan Storley in February 2023. The Ukranian was unbeaten in his career with a 27-0 record, the best-undefeated mark in major MMA. A sambo-style fighter, he had multiple tools to finish fights having recorded ten submissions and nine knockouts. This seemed more of a keep-busy fight for the champ, with most expecting him to breeze past Jackson.
Amosov’s wrestling is the most devastating weapon in his arsenal. However, Jackson had an answer for him at every turn in this title fight. He stayed off his back and punished Amosov with counters. The challenger stuffed takedowns and established range from the opening bell. His leg kicks cut down the Ukrainian to keep him at bay.
The Champion looked a beaten man by the third round, breathing heavily and attempting laboured takedowns. Jackson smelled blood. Amosov made a mistake and jumped in with a strike, with his chin up. Jackson landed a perfect three-punch combination counter, flooring the champ with a straight. Amosov was out on his feet. He desperately tried to hold on to Jackson’s legs, but there was no way back. The referee called the fight to hand Jackson the TKO victory and the Bellator welterweight title in the third round.
Jackson’s patented leg kicks found success once again in his fight on the PFL vs Bellator supercard. He chopped down PFL’s Ray Cooper III before finishing him with punches to earn the TKO victory in round two.
Ramazan Kuramagomedov had a quick ascendency to the main event scene in Bellator. The 27-year-old has had just two fights in the promotion, debuting in June 2023. However, he has impressed in his early stint at welterweight. Kuramagomedov has two finishes in two, the most recent coming against Randall Wallace last November. He dominated the first round on his feet before smothering his opponent in the second, taking his back and sinking in a rear naked choke for the submission victory.
The Russian fighter out of Dagestan has also fought in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC promotion and PFL. We know little about the up-and-comer away from his fights in Bellator, but he comes with a ton of potential.
Jason Jackson vs Ramazan Kuramagomedov Prediction
Fight Prediction: Jason Jackson by Decision
Jason Jackson has proven his power throughout his MMA career. He was a big underdog in his title fight and made short work of Amosov. The Bellator odds are not underestimating him anymore, and neither are we. Our MMA prediction is for Jackson to win by decision.
Kuramagomedov has shown in his young career he has a ton of potential. He has power, strong grappling skills, and a perfect build for the division. However, what he does lack is experience. Jackson has ten more pro fights and has fought stronger fighters. The title holder has wins over former champions in Bellator and took out one of the best fighters in the world to claim the welterweight title. That experience will help him over the line on Saturday.
The champ won the title against arguably the best grappler in Bellator. Amosov has consistently pulled his opponents down to the mat and smothered them with his strength. Jackson blocked every one of Amosov’s takedown attempts. Kuramagomedov boasts great wrestling, especially having trained in the same setting as the likes of Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. However, he does not have the wrestling acumen or experience that Amosov has. He will struggle against Jackson’s superb takedown defence.
Jackson found his range immediately in his title fight. He has the range on his opponent once again here and will settle in quickly. That will allow him to set the pace, keep Nurmagomedov at range and reduce the Russian’s openings for takedowns. Jackson will force the challenger into exchanges and put on another great counter-punching display.
We do not believe this fight will end with a finish. Although Jackson’s last two fights have ended with KO/TKO victories, his previous eight went to decisions. He is less of a power puncher, instead picking his opponents apart with smartly timed strikes. Kuramagomedov has not been tested by fighters with the same skill set as Jackson, but he is yet to get knocked down. If any fighter was to finish the other, it would be Jackson, but we predict this fight to finish all five rounds.
Jason Jackson vs Ramazan Kuramagomedov Betting Picks
A bet on Jackson to win is worth 1/2. You can extend those odds at our online sportsbook when you choose a method of victory. Kuramagomedov is a strong grappler and Jackson will avoid tussling with him on the mat. This rules out a submission. Nine of his 18 victories have come via decision. We like a bet on this fight to go to the scorecards once again in favour of the champ.
Kuramagomedov has never had his chin tested in a high-profile fight like this. While Jackson may not switch his lights off, there are other ways that the champion can punish the Russian. His vicious leg kicks can keep his opponent at bay and reduce their movement. In Jackson’s last fight, he won by TKO with his leg kicks, playing a part in the referee waving it off. Live betting could be important here. Watch for how Jackson’s leg kicks are affecting Kuramagomedov. If they take a lot of damage early on, Jackson’s chances of a finish increase drastically, and we recommend an in-play bet on a TKO/KO victory.
#BellatorDublin Official Weigh In Result ⚖️
Jason Jackson – 169.9lbs ✅
Ramazan Kuramagomedov – 169.8lbs ✅Presented by @ThatPrizeGuy 🤝#BellatorDublin | TOMORROW
Live on MAX | 12P ET pic.twitter.com/M9gUD5dQcv— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) June 21, 2024
Looking at the over/under market, we would bet on over 3.5 rounds in this fight. While a KO seems unlikely, it is far more likely to happen at the end if the Russian gets desperate. Jackson will be more than happy to let this fight go the distance, doing enough each round to win by decision. The pressure will be on Kuramagomedov to do something special.
New customers can sign up and wager using our welcome bonus. We will match your first deposit in bonus funds up to $500. You can then wager with reduced risk when using our online sportsbook.
Jason Jackson vs Ramazan Kuramagomedov Full Fight Card
Main Card
- Jason Jackson vs. Ramazan Kurmagomedov; Welterweight title.
- Paul Hughes vs. Bobby King; Lightweight.
- Sinead Kavanagh vs. Arlene Blencowe; Women’s featherweight.
- Norbert Novenyi Jr. vs. Dalton Rosta; Middleweight.
- Darragh Kelly vs. Mathias Poiron; Lightweight.
- Kasum Kasumov vs. Matheus Mattos; Bantamweight.
Prelims
- Khasan Magomedsharipov vs. Tyler Mathison; Featherweight.
- Simeon Powell vs. Abdellah Er-Ramy; Light heavyweight.
- Sarvarjon Khamidov vs. Marcirley Alves; Bantamweight.
- Shinobu Ota vs. Roger Blanque; Bantamweight.
- Olena Kolesnyk vs. Sara Collins; Women’s featherweight.
- Nathan Kelly vs. Jose Sanchez; Featherweight.
- Michelle Montague vs. Karolina Sobek; Women’s featherweight.
- Nate Kelly vs. Paul Nolan; Flyweight.
