New Jersey judge explains ruling against 'Rampage' Jackson

Already crumbling under the weight of a failed drug test and a cancelled title fight, UFC 186 received another blow Tuesday when Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was ruled ineligible for the card.

Originally scheduled to face Fabio Maldonado on April 25, Jackson lost a preliminary injunction filed by former (or current, depending on who you ask) employer Bellator MMA and will no longer be able to compete at UFC 186 in Montreal.

"The court finds that the equities weigh in favor of plantiff (Bellator)," superior court judge Karen L. Suter wrote in her ruling obtained by MMAJunkie.com. “Allowing defendant (Jackson) to participate in the UFC match will deprive plaintiff of having a well-known and successful fighter in its league, a benefit for which it was entitled … and confer this benefit upon its primary competitor.”

When Jackson signed a contract to return to the UFC back in December, Bellator president Scott Coker quickly issued a statement regarding Rampage's exclusive contract with the promotion. According to Coker, Jackson still had multiple fights remaining on his deal, while Jackson claimed breaches in his pact allowed him to void the deal and defect to the UFC.

"While the court is not unmindful of defendant's concerns, defendant has not disputed plaintiff's contention he was aware of the extent and duration of the exclusivity provisions of the agreement," Suter wrote. "Further, defendant's argument cannot be the sole basis for denying injunctive relief, as it would likely be true for any athlete breaching an exclusive services agreement. In any event, plaintiff has represented a willingness to arrange further fights for defendant consistent with the agreement. This factor favors plaintiff.

"Given these findings, the court therefore will enter injunctive relief in favor of plaintiff, and enjoin defendant from participating in the upcoming non-Bellator (UFC) match."

At this point, Jackson plans on launching an emergency appeal, and the UFC hasn't officially removed Jackson versus Maldonado as the card's co-main event.