WWE fan Jason Jackson of Sanford MMA fighting a Gracie at Bellator 255 on Showtime

Jason “The Ass-Kicking Machine” Jackson (13-4) of Sanford MMA in Deerfield Beach has the biggest fight of his career against welterweight Neiman Gracie (10-1) in the co-main event of Bellator 255 on Friday, April 2 on Showtime.

This marks the biggest fight of Jackson’s MMA career.

In my audio interview with Jason Jackson, he discusses Bellator 255, Showtime, Neiman Gracie, Sanford MMA, Henri Hooft, WWE, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Kane, Jamaica, South Florida, Miramar and Norland high schools and more.

Originally from Spanish Town, Jamaica, Jackson settled in South Florida, attending Miramar and MIami Norland high schools. He is a big WWE fan, but he gravitated toward MMA for a creeer at age 19 and landed with Blackzilians in Boca Raton, which later became Combat Club in Boynton Beach and then Hard Knocks 365 in Fort Lauderdale.

Sanford MMA, a one-stop shop for fighters in accordance with Sanford Health and BARWIS, morphed from that Blackzilian tree now under the direction of outstanding coaches/leaders Henri Hooft and Greg Jones.

Jackson, 30, is 4-1 in Bellator, with his last fight a victory over well-known Benson Henderson via unanimous decision in November 2020. He’s won six of his last seven bouts and 10 of 12; two defeats (via split decision and ankle injury). He recorded wins over Dhiego Lima, Jordan Mein, and Kiichi Kunimoto.

His nickname “The Ass-Kicking Machine” is from a WWE angle he enjoyed with three legends The Rock, Hulk Hogan and The Big Red Machine Kane. He continues to watch WWE, and you never know, as Jackson elevates in Bellator, it could lead to a spot in that sports entertainment juggernaut.

Never say never.

Instagram @jacksonjason150

More about Jason Jackson

Training partners include fellow Bellator fighter Logan Storley, as well as the iconic Robbie Lawler.

Seven of his 13 career wins have come via knockout or submission, including four wins via first-round KO.

Former LFA welterweight champion, former Titan FC welterweight champion and former VFC (Victory Fighting Championships) welterweight champion.

Married to Yaniuska Jackson; father of two children and two stepchildren; son Jelani (6), daughter Jaylah (2), step-daughter Jasmine (11), step-son Joshua (10).

Bellator MMA 255

Friday, April 2

Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2 Main Card:

SHOWTIME

9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

Featherweight World Title/WGP Semifinal Bout: C-Patricio Pitbull (31-4) vs. #2-Emmanuel Sanchez (20-4)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: #3-Neiman Gracie (10-1) vs. #6-Jason Jackson (13-4)

Heavyweight Bout: #6-Tyrell Fortune (9-1, 1 NC) vs. Jack May (11-7, 1 NC)

Lightweight Bout: Usman Nurmagomedov (11-0) vs. Mike Hamel (7-4)

Flyweight Bout: #4-Alejandra Lara (9-3) vs. #5-Kana Watanabe (9-0-1)

Preliminary Card:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel

6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

Bantamweight Bout: #6-Magomed Magomedov (17-1) vs. Cee Jay Hamilton (15-7)

Welterweight Bout: Mukhamed Berkhamov (14-1) vs. Herman Terrado (15-5-1)

Lightweight Bout: Mandel Nallo (7-1, 1 NC) vs. Ricardo Seixas (9-2)

Middleweight Bout: Fabio Aguiar (17-1) vs. Khalid Murtazaliev (14-2)

160-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Roger Huerta (24-12-1, 1 NC) vs. Chris Gonzalez (5-0)

Light Heavyweight Bout: Jose Augusto (6-2, 1 NC) vs. Jonathan Wilson (9-3)

Welterweight Bout: Roman Faraldo (4-0) vs. Trevor Gudde (2-1)

Middleweight Bout: Jordan Newman (2-0) vs. Branko Busick (2-1, 1 NC)

*Card subject to change.

Visit Bellator.com for additional information.

https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3120931/jason-jackson

https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/gallery/jason-jackson-def-benson-henderson-at-bellator-253-best-photos

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This story was originally published April 1, 2021 at 1:18 PM.

Jim Varsallone

Miami Herald

305-376-3621

Jim Varsallone writes a high school sports column twice a week, featuring top performers in all varsity sports (boys and girls) in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. He also covers pro wrestling, something he’s done since his college days in the late 1980s. Now in his fifth decade of coverage, he currently follows WWE (Raw, SmackDown and NXT), AEW, Ring of Honor, TNA Impact Wrestling, MLW, WOW, NWA, and the South Florida indies, mainly CCW. He writes MMA, too -- mostly profile stories and video interviews with American Top Team and Sanford MMA fighters in South Florida. As for pro wrestling, he writes feature stories and profile pieces, updates upcoming show schedules in South Florida, photographs the action and interviews talent (audio and video) -- sharing the content here and via social media on his Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channel: jim varsallone (jimmyv3 channel). Support my work with a digital subscription