By Josh Sanchez

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will participate in Bellator’s eight-man tournament to crown the promotion’s new heavyweight champion.

Along with Jackson, the Grand Prix's field includes Fedor Emelianenko, Chael Sonnen, Frank Mir, Roy Nelson, Matt Mitrione, Ryan Bader and "King Mo" Lawal. The tournament is scheduled to take place throughout 2018, with Jackson's opening bout expected to take place Jan. 20 in Inglewood, CA.

While Jackson is unsure of who his opponent will be, he does not want it to be Sonnen. 

“I told my manager that I’m not looking forward to fighting Chael Sonnen,” Jackson said on this week’s episode of The MMA Hour. “I just fought a leg-humping wrestler. Why would I want to fight another fighter who is strictly known for wrestling?

“Why would Bellator want to me against another wrestler right off the bat? Honestly, I would say that wouldn’t be a matchup I’d be looking forward to, and I would be upset coming into the Bellator contract fresh off the bat and them giving me a wrestler to be honest. Who wants to see me fight another wrestler? Why wouldn’t a promoter have a guy like me who loves to stand and bang and have exciting fights? Why would a promoter constantly want to keep putting me with wrestlers?”

Jackson’s last outing came in the Bellator cage in March, when he lost a unanimous decision to King Mo. 

Prior to the loss, “Rampage” had put together a five-fight winning streak. His last knockout victory came over Christian M'Pumbu in February 2014. 

His opponent for the Bellator heavyweight tournament is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The only reported matchup to date has been Emelianenko vs. Mir, which Mir announced on his podcast. 

That leaves Sonnen, Nelson, Mitrione, Bader, or a trilogy fight with King Mo as Jackson’s potential opponents.

Considering his comments, it looks like Jackson is hoping to draw Nelson or Mitrione.