Articles tagged as evan
'Bones' coach: Rashad Evans came 'within inches' of knocking out Jon Jones at UFC 145
After the dust settled in the main event between current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former training partner turned bitter rival, Rashad Evans, at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, "Bones" had proved his dominance yet again, earning a unanimous decision victory over "Suga."
The win marked his seventh straight and third consecutive title defense since earning the 205-pound title in March 2011.
Though Evans undoubtedly gave the young star his toughest test to date, taking him to the unchartered waters of going a deep 25 minutes, the bout, for the most part, was a one-side affair. Jones used his reach to keep his foe at bay and fended off any offensive attacks from the former light heavyweight kingpin, never coming close to any danger.
At least, that's the way what it appeared to the untrained eye of the spectator.
According to Jones' striking coach, Mike Winkeljohn over at Jackson-Winkeljohn Mixed martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., Evans came "within inches" of turning his star pupil's lights out. He would know, after all, Winkeljohn did serve as Evans' striking coach during his rise to glory whilst he was a student of his down in the 505.
Make the jump to hear from "Wink" himself via Prickley Pair Studios:
"Jon stood to still too much and got hit by it (overhand right). Close to finishing the fight. It could have been, within inches, a little more snap of the hips to snap the chin down and cause that much more pain that would have put Jon out. So we got away with that one. And same thing with the head kick. The Sean Salmon head kick that I worked with Rashad on so much. Jon got right in that space, leaned in and Rashad kicked him in the head. Other than those two moments Jon pretty much owned the fight, and so I was really happy with that."
Winkeljohn also says that he had some nice words with his former student, Evans, after the bout, but things would not be the way they used to be, seeing that the competitor in Rashad is certain he will get another crack at dethroning Jones down the road.
Meanwhile, "Bones" will next face former PRIDE FC Middleweight and Welterweight champion and former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion, Dan Henderson, later this year as he attempts to defends his title for the fourth time.
What say you, if Rashad nearly cleaned Jones' clock, what will a perfectly-placed "H-Bomb" from "Hendo" do to the young champ? Can Jones prove his resolve once again and show that he can eat a few shots from one of the most powerful punchers in the game today?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: jon, jone, light, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Entire Jon Jones-Rashad Evans Ordeal Has Left Greg Jackson Upset
Trainer-to-the-champions Greg Jackson has plenty of feelings still for Rashad Evans. After seeing his star pupil, Jon Jones, defeat Evans and retain the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 145, Jackson talked with Sherdog’s “Savage Dog Show” about everything that went down between the two former teammates. “It was a bittersweet night. I’m glad Jon [...]
Posted in: jon, jackson, rashad evans, greg jackson, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertKenny Florian Dissects Jon Jones-Rashad Evans From UFC 145
On the most recent edition of “UFC Tonight,” former UFC No. 1 contender Kenny Florian broke down the most recent title-fight between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. Jones used his height advantage to keep “Suga” at bay, delivering a few sharply-thrown elbows that eventually swelled up the right eye of Evans. [...]
Posted in: ufc, evan, kenny florian, right eye, sharplythrown elbows
Read the full article at MMA Convert
Great snapshot from Jones vs Evans this past Saturday..
submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [8 comments]
Posted in: jone, tekprodfx, vs, evan, snapshot
Read the full article at RedditUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones' UFC 145 victory was bittersweet for Greg Jackson
"It was a bittersweet night. I'm glad Jon won, but I'm just sad about the whole situation. It's nice to just kind of move on and be done with the whole thing. .... I went up after the fight and shook [Rashad Evans'] hand, and we kind of patted each other on the shoulder. That's kind of where we're at right now. There's no animosity or hard feelings on my end at all. We'll see where it goes from here."
-- There's two sides to every story. Obviously, elite coach and trainer Greg Jackson was happy for his top student, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who was victorious at UFC 145 this past Saturday night (April 21, 2012), although the victory came with a cost, as "Bones" defeated one of Jackson's original team members and old friend "Suga" Rashad Evans. Evans' high profile victories over Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin in 2008 really put Team Jackson on the map, allowing the Albuquerque gym to become one of MMA's top training destinations today. Speaking with Sherdog's Savage Dog Show, Jackson discussed his feelings about the fight and where he currently stands with Evans now that it's all over. Do you Maniacs sympathize with Jackson at all?
Posted in: ufc, jon, jackson, chuck liddell, evan
Read the full article at MMA Mania
UFC 145 Salaries: Jones, Evans, Rothwell Top List
The UFC 145 salaries finally came out today, courtesy of the Georgia State Athletic and Entertainment Commission. It's not really surprising that the two main event fighters, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (400k) and Rashad Evans (300k), made the most coin. It's a little surprising to see who came in third - Ben Rothwell (104k). And it's even more surprising to see a co-main eventer making just $8,000 for a night's work (Che Mills). Total payroll was $1,231,000. You can catch the full list of salaries below the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Jon Jones: $400,000 (no win bonus)Rashad Evans: $300,000Rory MacDonald: $36,000 ($18,000 win bonus)Che Mills: $8,000Ben Rothwell: $104,000 ($52,000 win bonus)Brendan Schaub: $14,000Michael McDonald: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus)Miguel Torres: $32,000Eddie Yagin: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)Mark Hominick: $17,000Mark Bocek: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)John Alessio: $10,000Travis Browne: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)Chad Griggs: $27,000Matt Brown: $36,000 ($18,000 win bonus)Stephen Thompson: $8,000Anthony Njokuani: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)John Makdessi: $12,000Mac Danzig: $54,000 ($27,000 win bonus)Efrain Escudero: $10,000Chris Clements: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)Keith Wisniewski: $10,000Marcus Brimage: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus)Maximo Blanco: $13,000
Posted in: ufc, jone, rothwell, evan, entertainment commission
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 payouts and salaries: Jon Jones leads with event-high $400,000 payday
UFC 145 fighter payouts for those who competed at the "Jones vs. Evans" pay-per-view (PPV) event this past Saturday night (April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, were released earlier today by the Georgia State Athletic and Entertainment Commission.
As expected, headlining fighters Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans were the top earners of the night. "Bones" is now depositing $400,000 for taking home a unanimous decision victory over "Suga," who will be cashing his sweet check for $300,000 later this week.
Ben Rothwell had a "Big" payday for knocking out Brendan Schaub ($14,000) while Mac Danzig banked $56,000 by turning away Efrain Escudero. Mark Bocek was not far behind with $46,000, which he earned for getting rid of John Alessio ($10,000).
But that's not all.
The complete list of UFC 145 payouts and salaries (via MMA Weekly) after the jump.
Jon Jones: $400,000 (no win bonus)Rashad Evans: $300,000Jones def. Evans via unanimous decision
Rory MacDonald: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)Che Mills: $8,000MacDonald def. Mills via technical knockout
Ben Rothwell: $104,000 (includes $52,000 win bonus)Brendan Schaub: $14,000Rothwell def. Schaub via knockout
Michael McDonald: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)Miguel Torres: $32,000McDonald def. Torres via knockout
Eddie Yagin: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)Mark Hominick: $17,000Yagin def. Hominick via split decision
Mark Bocek: $46,000 (includes $23,000 win bonus)John Alessio: $10,000Bocek def. Alessio via unanimous decision
Travis Browne: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)Chad Griggs: $27,000Brown def. Griggs via submission
Matt Brown: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)Stephen Thompson: $8,000Brown def. Thompson via unanimous decision
Anthony Njokuani: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)John Makdessi: $12,000Njokuani def. Makdessi via unanimous decision
Mac Danzig: $54,000 (includes $27,000 win bonus)Efrain Escudero: $10,000Danzig def. Escudero via unanimous decision
Chris Clements: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)Keith Wisniewski: $10,000Clements def. Wisniewski via split decision
Marcus Brimage: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)Maximo Blanco: $13,000Brimage def. Blanco via split decision
The total disclosed payroll for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" was $1,241,000.
Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments such as PPV bonuses, among others. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc.
For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for UFC 145 click here.
For complete UFC 145 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.
Posted in: ufc, night, jone, decision, evan
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Jones earns $400K for UFC 145 win over Evans
Jon Jones earned $400,000 with no win bonus for his UFC 145 victory over Rashad Evans Saturday in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jone, saturday, evan, bonus
Read the full article at sportsnet.ca
UFC 145 Salaries: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Top Payroll
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defended his title and made $400,000 doing so Saturday at UFC 145 in Atlanta. His opponent, former champ Rashad Evans, earned $300,000 in the loss.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAVideo: UFC's George St. Pierre, Rashad Evans, Rory MacDonald and more interviewed by 'Creative Loafing'
Creative Loafing: "What's the worst part about being a fighter?"Matt Brown: "Right now? Cuttin' weight and talkin' to all you fuckers."
Comment of the day from "Immortal" one, who tries to fend off media members prior to the UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" pay-per-view (PPV) event, which went down last Saturday night (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Leading the charge and following in the footsteps of such esteemed celebrity interviewers like Stuttering John Melendez is Creative Loafing's Joeff Davis, who has a fuzzy microphone and the kind of hairdo that only the Night Slasher would admire.
But he does ask some pretty good questions.
His victims include the aforementioned Brown, UFC welterweight Rory MacDonald, light heavyweight Rashad Evans, bantamweights Miguel Torres and Michael McDonald and of course, Georges St. Pierre, who finally admits to eating sausage.
If you missed any or all of the UFC 145 action click here.
Posted in: ufc, evan, atlanta georgia, philips arena, loafing
Read the full article at MMA Mania
UFC 145 Salaries: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Top Payroll
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones hauled in a card-leading $400,000 on Saturday for his title defense win over Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta. Evans earned $300,000 in the five-round unanimous decision loss.
Posted in: ufc, title defense, rashad evans, evan, atlanta evans
Read the full article at Low Kick
You might not know that Rashad Evans said he's open to middleweight fights
I'm open to the idea of being flown around the world in a private jet with 25 year old Macallan practically on tap to cover MMA, if the opportunity happens. Who wouldn't be? Wine snobs for one. Just because I'm sitting here drinking a tasty red doesn't mean I don't hate wine snobs. They never want to try anything new and laugh at the idea of something like a craft ale having as complex a palette as wine. It isn't like alcoholic beverages are hierarchical and wine is sitting right at the top, just like in MMA where being a heavyweight fighter means you are automatically a better fighter than someone who is middleweight. That idea is absurd. There seems to be an acohol theme running through here which was completely accidental. What I really wanted to say was that Rashad Evans has stated that he would be open to fights at 185lbs, a story which seems to have gone under the radar a little bit. As Rashad said at the UFC 145 post-fight press conference:
"I’m a 205-pounder," Evans said. "I’ve only lost twice and I lost to a good competitor … But if an opportunity happens at 185, I'll take it. But I like 205, I'll just have to work my way back up and get back to a title shot."
When you consider his only two losses are to two former champions, one of which being the most dominant champion since Chuck Liddell then you can forgive him for being open to further challenges. This of course sets up a rematch with Michael Bisping, who he beat at light heavyweight way back at UFC 78 in 2007 if Dana decides to match Rashad up at middleweight.
Posted in: rashad, rashad evans, evan, wine, wine snobs
Read the full article at Middle Easy
The Forward Roll: UFC 145 Edition
In beating Rashad Evans at UFC 145, Jon Jones vanquished his fifth top 10 opponent since Feb. 2011. A summertime matchup with Dan Henderson could make it six within 18 months, a blistering pace of historic proportions. The bout with Henderson is confirmed, though a date likely won't be cemented for at least a few weeks.A good sign? Jones has experienced many of the best qualities exhibited by Henderson. Quinton Jackson represents danger in both hands, Mauricio Rua shows the same fearless aggression, Rashad Evans boasts quality MMA wrestling. None of it has been especially problematic for Jones, who has had barely a moment of trouble along the way.
Henderson will face many of the same problems as the rest of Jones' opponents. He's sized similarly as Evans, just 5-foot-11 with a 74-inch reach (Evans has a 75-inch reach). He's also nearing 42 years old (on August 24). No one discounts Henderson's chances of winning, but given Jones' ability to get opponents to play his game, it will be an uphill task. Jones has also shown a durable chin; against Evans, he ate a head kick with barely a stumble. That's a trait that will serve him well against the iron-fisted Hendo. At least we know what direction the top of the light-heavyweight division is headed. Now let's take a look at what might be next for some of the rest of UFC 145's participants.Rashad EvansEvans would be wise to consider a move to middleweight. Not because he can't hack it at 205; he's been criminally underrated there. But if his goal is to be No. 1, it's an easier road to a title shot at middleweight, where the top-line talent pool is a bit more shallow. That said, he seemed to indicate a preference to stay at light-heavyweight. That's his prerogative. His hand speed will continue to serve him well if he stays within the division, as I suspect he will.Prediction: He faces Shogun RuaRory MacDonaldThe UFC's matchmaking philosophy with MacDonald has been a bit unusual. After beating vet Mike Guymon his first fight, he got Carlos Condit. He nearly won that, but lost late in the third. Since then, his matchups went from the always tough Nate Diaz, who was then miscast as a lightweight, to durable journeyman Mike Pyle to little-known Che Mills. At 13-1, MacDonald is ready for the jump. He deserves a top 10 opponent, now. Prediction: He faces the winner of May 5's Johny Hendricks vs. Josh Koscheck fightMichael McDonaldMcDonald just turned 21 three months ago, and he's already closing in on the bantamweight top five after his crushing knockout of Miguel Torres. With the rapid ascension, Jones' record as youngest-ever UFC champion (23 years, 243 days) is also in danger. Now 4-0 in the octagon, McDonald is knocking on the door of a title shot. He'll still need at least 1-2 more wins though.Prediction: He faces Brian BowlesBen RothwellOver the weekend, I wrote that featherweight Eddie Yagin was the feel-good story of UFC 145 for his huge upset of Mark Hominick, but Rothwell deserves honorable mention for picking up his first win in nearly two years with a KO of Brendan Schaub. I would have liked to see Rothwell get offered a chance to fill in at UFC 146 against Roy Nelson, but that slot went to Gabriel Gonzaga. Let's not let time get in the way of it.Prediction: He faces the Nelson-Gonzaga winnerTravis BrowneAn athletic 6-foot-7 heavyweight with power, a chin, and he trains regularly with Jon Jones? This dude is getting downright scary. Given his skill set and durability, he is going to be a tough out going forward. He's definitely got the finisher's mentality, too. Nine career first-round stoppages, including seven that took less than 2:30 following his submission win over Chad Griggs. Prediction: If Mark Hunt beats Stefan Struve in May, Browne faces Hunt. If not, he welcomes Shane Carwin back to action in the late summer.Brendan SchaubAfter a four-fight win streak, Schaub has now lost two in a row, with both losses coming via knockout. Afterward, Schaub was introspective, saying in a FUEL post-fight interview that he might consider a move down to light-heavyweight. Considering he weighed in at 237 for UFC 145, it won't be an easy cut for him. But it is a doable cut. In an attempt to jumpstart his career, it might be worth the effort. His speed and quickness will follow him there, and he won't be facing the monsters he often saw at heavyweight (in KO losses to Rothwell and Nelson, he was out-weighed by more than 20 pounds).Prediction: Schaub tries out 205. The UFC should give him some time to make it there, so we'll project him for a fall return, say against the winner of July's Brandon Vera vs. James Te Huna matchup.
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL Fanhouse10 Awesome Action Photos from UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Take a look back at some of the best shots of the night from HeavyMMA shooter James Law, who was cageside for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, action photos
Read the full article at Heavy MMAThe 6 Best Photos From UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans (EPIC)
submitted by BreakfastGuru [link] [2 comments]
Posted in: ufc, vs, photo, evan, breakfastguru
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Photo: Rashad Evans' Swollen Eye After Jon Jones Battering
UFC Light Heavyweight Rashad Evans became the first man to go five full rounds against champ Jon Jones on Saturday at UFC 145 but it came at a cost: an ugly swollen right eye. Jones repeatedly landed smashing standing left elbows on Evans and the damage is very easy to see a couple of days later.
Evans tweeted the photo to his fans along with a series of comments on the fight. Here's the one that came with the pic:
@SugaRashadEvansRashad Evans I went 2 UFC 145 in Atlanta and I had the best seat in the house & all I came back with was this fat eye! Wt http://t.co/YsE6L4Cj Apr 23 via Instagram Favorite Retweet Reply
More tweets from Evans after the jump...SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
SugaRashadEvans Rashad Evans
Thanks 2 everybody who supported me! I fought as hard as I could last night but I didn't work! I'm gonna come back even stronger!
Apr 22 Favorite Retweet Reply
MarioSperry MARIO SPERRY
@SugaRashadEvans Next time, you have to get in the fight. No worries. Remember: you are a champ!!! You are a better fighter TODAY!
Apr 22 Favorite Retweet Reply
in reply to @MarioSperry↑
@SugaRashadEvansRashad Evans @MarioSperry indeed coach! I will train very hard 2 get better! I'm grateful I had the opportunity 2 fight last night! Apr 22 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply
Posted in: ufc, evan, reply, retweet, apr
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans' Face Today
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [10 comments]
Posted in: face, rashad, today, evan, mattyblayze
Read the full article at RedditRashad Evans shows off the nice souvenir Jon Jones left for him after UFC 145
Now you're going to spend the rest of the day wondering what is hidden behind the massive growth that now appears behind Rashad Evans' eye after UFC 145. It looks just about the right size to store exactly two baby carrots for late-night consumption. Rashad Evans' right eye looks like it could even save one of those screwed up NES passwords that we all spent nearly a half-hour writing down only to find out we screwed up moments later. Whatever is behind that lump of meat, Rashad Evans took this picture just a couple hours ago in order to show the world what Jon Jones left him after his UFC 145 title fight this past weekend.
Posted in: ufc, rashad, evan, right size, couple hours
Read the full article at Middle EasyLight Heavyweight Is Where Rashad Evans Plans To Stay
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans failed in his quest to take the title from Jon Jones Saturday night in the main event of UFC 145 from Atlanta. Following the decision loss – just the second defeat of his MMA career – “Suga” was asked about a possible drop to the middleweight ranks. You [...]
Posted in: ufc, heavyweight, light heavyweight, evan, middleweight ranks
Read the full article at MMA Convert
Reaction from the Action: “UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans”
Now what?
That has become the question following Jon Jones and his performances inside the Octagon. First it was the beatdown of “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 last March. Even though he was fighting for the UFC light heavyweight title just six weeks after defeating Ryan Bader, Jones fought the Pride veteran, and dismantled him. Then it was “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135. Even though the fight went into the fourth round, Jones was rarely challenged by Jackson. Then came the third consecutive former champion in Lyoto Machida. This was supposed to be the test for Jones, as Machida brings a distinct style that fighters rarely see in mixed martial arts. Despite that, along with a solid first round from Machida, Jones was able mount a charge and choked “The Dragon” out in the next round.
Then came Saturday and the highly anticipated fight against former training partner Rashad Evans. The matchup was long expected, as Evans was the man the UFC brought into the cage following Jones’ last two wins. But due to injury and other circumstances, the grudge match took nearly a year to come to fruition.
Evans was expected to test Jones. The physical challenges were there, with Evans’ premier speed and wrestling; but Evans also brought the mental challenge, as the two trained together at Jackson’s MMA in New Mexico. That was evident in the matchup between the two, as they clearly respected each other throughout the 25 minutes spent inside the Octagon. But Jones still showed off many of the reasons why he is considered one of the greatest fighters in the world. Evan at 24-years old, Jones shows off more maturity and patience than he did a year ago. Match that with his length and versatility, it has come to the stage of wondering just how great he can become, and if anyone can challenge him in his current division.
Yes, Jones went to a decision for the first time since defeating Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 in January 2009. But Evans did not test Jones for an extended amount of time. He landed a decent head kick in the first round, and clipped Jones with an overhand right in the third, but Jones was able to recover both times. Jones still landed the most effective strikes, and did so repeatedly. His forward elbows that he landed on Evans were clearly impacting him, and Jones was wise to continue using them throughout the match. Evans was able to survive those elbows and other strikes, but that should discount Jones’ performance.
That now transitions us to Jones’ next scheduled opponent, Dan Henderson. “Hendo” was named the next challenger at the press conference on Saturday by UFC President Dana White. Many fans and pundits have already stated that Henderson will present Jones his toughest challenge, but that is just continuing the pattern that has come to be after every one of Jones’ performances. Will Henderson actually prove those experts correct? That is to be determined, along with just how long Jones will remain at light heavyweight, given his first year as champion.
Biggest winner: Michael McDonald
After two solid performances in his first two UFC matches, the 21-year old from Washington has been one of the most impressive fighters in the entire organization in his last two matches. Coming into the matchup with Miguel Torres, McDonald was telling everyone that would listen just how confident he was going into the biggest matchup of his career. He put that confidence on display, knocking out the former WEC bantamweight champion in the first round. “Mayday” very well could be fighting for the title before he turns 23.
Biggest loser: Brendan Schaub
Losing to a former champion in his hometown is nothing to be ashamed of. That is something Schaub endured in losing to “Minotauro” Nogueira at UFC 134 in Brazil. Now eight months later, Schaub finds himself struggling to remain relevant thanks to the loss to Ben Rothwell on Saturday. Once considered a top prospect in the ever-changing heavyweight division, Schaub’s future has changed 180 degrees from just a year ago.
Also: Stephen Thompson
The touted Karate expert came into UFC 145 with a ton of hype, as he was touted as the best striker in the division, according to the division’s champion Georges St. Pierre. Unfortunately for Thompson, that all blew over thanks to Matt Brown. Speaking of which, it seemed Thompson and his takedown defense was that weak, as he looked like he fell down every time like he was blown over by the wind. That will have to be addressed for Thompson to hope to remain relevant in the UFC.
Biggest question: How soon will Rory MacDonald be fighting for the welterweight title?
Coming into the match, many fans were wondering “who is Che Mills?”. That question received the answer “oh, that guy that Rory MacDonald demolished” on Saturday. The training partner of Georges St. Pierre could find himself in the category of his teammate very soon, as the 22-year old has put on an impressive arsenal every time he has stepped in the cage. If he does, MacDonald has stated that he would rather move to middleweight before fighting his teammate. But MacDonald will be fighting for the title very soon, regardless of his friendship and partnership with St. Pierre.
Future matchups to make:
Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson: This matchup was announced on Saturday by Dana White, and will happen in late-summer or early-fall.
Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida: The last two victims to Jones, Evans and Machida nearly rematched at UFC 133 in August. But that is when Machida infamously asked for “Anderson Silva money”. Now the two are both coming off of a loss, and will hope to remain in the upper echelon in their second matchup.
Rory MacDonald vs. Johny Hendricks/Josh Koscheck winner: Hendricks and Koscheck will square off in two weeks at UFC on Fox 3, and the winner of that matchup would be an excellent candidate to take on MacDonald. With Martin Kampmann vs. Jake Ellenberger touted as a number one contender’s bout, MacDonald and Hendricks/Koscheck will be fighting at least twice more before challenging for the title.
Ben Rothwell vs. Pat Barry/Lavar Johnson winner: Rothwell came back from being clipped by Brendan Schaub in the first round to knock out “The Hybrid”. Many pundits have discussed Rothwell replacing Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva against Roy Nelson next month, but Rothwell would be better served taking on the Barry/Johnson winner because…
Travis Browne vs. Roy Nelson: “Hapa” is closer to title relevancy than Rothwell is. If he is able to defeat Nelson, it would push Browne into the upper echelon of the heavyweight division. He mentioned that his extended training camp for Chad Griggs was grueling, so a four-week training camp will not be as much of a prolonged issue for him.
Michael McDonald vs. Brad Pickett: Both are coming off terrific wins over the last week, as Pickett defeated Damacio Page last week in Sweden. I mentioned Pickett as a good opponent for Brian Bowles, but this matchup works out even better, as the winner of this one could be a title contender by the end of 2012.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, matchup
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Highlights Video
Take a look back at some of the highlights from Saturday's UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans pay-per-view at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at Heavy MMA
UFC 145 by the numbers and inside the box score
-The win for Jones was his 10th in the UFC. Jones moves to 10-1 in the UFC overall-Jones has now defended his UFC light heavyweight belt three times. The record for light heavyweight title defenses is give held by Tito Ortiz.-The fight with Evans broke an eight streak of Jones bouts that did not go to a judge's decision-Jones last four wins have all come versus former UFC light heavyweight champions-Jones last decision came versus Stephan Bonner at UFC 94 in January 2009-Jones has won seven straight fights-it was the first decision loss of Evans seven year career-With two losses in his career Evans has only lost to former UFC champions-In 19 career mma fights Evans has gone the distance 10 times-Evans has been in the main event in his last nine UFC fights dating back to UFC 78 in November 2007-Rory MacDonald now has 13 career MMA wins. 12 of those have come via stoppage or submission.-MacDonald is 4-1 in the UFC-MacDonald, now 22, was a MMA pro when he was 16 and signed by the UFC when he was 20 years old.-The loss for Che Mills snapped a five fight winning streak-Mills now has five career defeats, four by submission or decision. The loss to MacDonald was his first by ( T) KO- Per Compustrike Jones outlanded Evans 112-56 in total strikes, 52-12 in power strikes-FightMetric scored the Jones-Evans fight as a blowout. Jones was given a 400-134 FightMetric effectiveness score over Evans and a 50-44 ten point must system edge per the UFC's official stats. -Per Compustrike MacDonald outlanded Mills 58-12 in total strikes, 38-5 in power strikes.-Betting favorites went a mere 7-5 at UFC 145. The biggest upset of night came off Eddie Yagin's split decision over Mark Hominick. Yagin was a big underdog at +550-The UFC returned to Atlanta, Georgia and the Philips Arena with UFC 145. The promotion last held a show in downtown Atlanta in September 2008 with UFC 88. A main event of Rashad Evans versus Chuck Liddell headlined UFC 88. Below is a live gate and attendance comparsion between the two events. UFC 88Gate: 2.6 millionAttendance: 14,736 UFC 145Gate: 2.3 millionAttendance: 15,545
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, loss, evan
Read the full article at UltMMARashad Evans: I hurt my foot in the second round, but my performance sucked
Rashad Evans elaborates on an injury he sustained during the second round of his championship bout versus Jon Jones on Saturday. He praised Jones for being difficult to take down, and thought he could have pressed the action a bit more. Evans vows to learn from this experiece and come back stronger, looking to face Jones for the title again someday. - courtesy of: fueltv.com:
Further Reading: UFC 145: Jon Jones reatians title with a dominant Unanimous Decision
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, face jones, championship bout
Read the full article at Low KickFight Day: UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Post-fight Press Conference Highlights
Highlights from the post-fight press conference at Philips Arena in Atlanta after the conclusion of Saturday's UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans pay-per-view.
Posted in: ufc, conference, vs, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 results recap: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans event wrap up from Atlanta
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to pay-per-view this past Saturday night (April 21, 2012) with UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," featuring the continued dominance of Jon Jones as he skillfully maneuvered his way past his former teammate Rashad Evans.
Book closed.
Rory MacDonald impressed once again, giving fight fans a taste of what the future at welterweight looks like when he mauled Che Mills en route to a second round technical knockout stoppage victory.
And what's there to say about Ben Rothwell and his knockout of Brendan Schaub? Or Michael McDonald and his destruction of Miguel Torres?
In cased you missed any or all of it -- or just want to keep the discussion alive -- below are links to all the major storylines borne from Saturday night's event in Atlanta.
In we go.
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans"
Results and live fight coverage
Recap and morning after discussion
Post-fight press conference video
Bonuses and awards
Event photos gallery
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight metric report
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight video highlights
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills fight video highlights
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub fight video highlights
"Prelims" results and recap
Fight recap: Mark Bocek outworks John Alessio for decision win
Fight recap: Eddie Yagin takes split decision over Mark Hominick
Fight recap: Michael McDonald crushes Miguel Torres
Fight recap: Ben Rothwell knocks Brendan Schaub out
Fight recap: Rory MacDonald stops Che Mills in the second round
Fight recap: Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans to retain light heavyweight title
Fight review and analysis: Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Fight review and analysis: Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Fight review and analysis: Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres
Fight review and analysis: Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
Fight review and analysis: Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Fight review and analysis: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
UFC 145 post-fight fallout
Big winners and lowly losers
Event report card
MMA Mania Matchmaker
What's next for Jon Jones? (Hint: His name starts with a "D" and ends with "an."
UFC 145 results paved the way to give the UFC 146 main card a face lift
Did UFC 145 show that the light heavyweight division has become stagnant?
Rashad Evans still doesn't like Jon Jones, thinks he'll fight him again
Confirmed: Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson is next
Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson is the intersection of the UFC's Route 205
Jon Jones has Dan Henderson in his sights after dominating Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans isn't moving to middleweight just yet but he's keeping his options open
Rashad Evans failed against Jon Jones with a wacky game plan
Meditations on Relative Importance Disparity
Travis Browne gets back on the heavyweight track with submission of Chad Griggs
Matt Brown proved that heart and experience still count for quite a bit after defeating upstart Stephen Thompson
That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What gets your vote for the biggest story coming out of UFC 144?
Sound off, Maniacs.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans in pictures
submitted by easternamigo [link] [2 comments]
Posted in: jone, vs, picture, evan, easternamigo
Read the full article at RedditGreg Jackson reflects on Jon Jones' victory over Rashad Evans
Jon Jones' coach Greg Jackson looks back on his prized pupil's unanimous decision victory over former student Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on Saturday night.
Posted in: jackson, greg jackson, evan, decision victory, greg
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Results Recap: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
In the main event at UFC 145, Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones successfully defended his title against former champion Rashad Evans. Jones took the fight via unanimous decision, with scores of 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46. This was the 3rd successful title defense for Jones and brought his record up to 16-1 overall. Evans loses for just the 2nd time in his career here, dropping to 17-2-1.
After all the pre-fight hype, there was a definite danger of this fight disappointing, and to many fans, that's exactly what happened. Rather than engage in a fast-paced shootout, both Jones and Evans approached the fight from a very strategic standpoint. While Evans had some success standing, Jones was able to use his jab and elbows to pick him apart over 5 rounds. It may not have been the flashiest version of Jon Jones, but it was one of the most dominant performances we've seen from the young champion.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Those elbows Jones used in round 2 were brutal. I loved his technique of using Rashad's hands to gauge distance and create openings. High-level stuff there.
Where do these guys go from here?
For Jones, the next fight is set - he'll face former Pride and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson in his next title defense. That will be an interesting test as Jones faces Henderson's veteran smarts, and his bomb of a KO punch.
For Evans, it's harder to say. He's been chasing Jones for so long that it feels weird to think about him doing much else. I'd say he has two options - test up and comers, or face other highly ranked fighters in superfights. For the first option, I'd pair him with Ryan Bader, for the second, Mauricio Rua. I'd rather see the Shogun fight myself.
Watch it now, later or never?
Now. Setting aside the expectations, this was a great technical battle that showed Jones's continued evolution. He's a must watch fighter, and this was no exception.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in the full entry.
UFC 145 Results: Is Jon Jones The Greatest Light Heavyweight Ever? - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Matt Brown Derails The Stephen Thompson Hype Train - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Njokuani Makes Emphatic Case For Muay Thai Over Taekwondo - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results - Best Photos Of The Night - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Results: Sunday Morning Perspective - T.P. Grant
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Full Fight Video Highlights
UFC 145 Results: How Jon Jones Outstruck Rashad Evans - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Results: Winners And Losers - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson - Brent Brookhouse
Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Post-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 157: UFC 145 Results Review - Matt Bishop
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, result, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: 'Jones vs Evans' video highlights for April 21 pay-per-view event
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" finally hit pay-per-view (PPV) airwaves this past Sat., April 21, 2012, from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and featured UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones cruising past Rashad Evans to retain his 205-pound strap.
Those bragging rights must feel so good, too.
But they weren't the only two in action on the night's main card. Rory MacDonald earned yet another victory on his way to a welterweight title shot, overwhelming Che Mills en route to a second round technical knockout stoppage.
Ben Rothwell got back on track with a big knockout victory over Brendan Schaub in the first round of their heavyweight contest. Miguel Torres failed in his return to the Octagon, getting knocked clean out by Michael McDonald while Mark Hominick dropped his third in a row by losing a split decision to Eddie Yagin.
And don't forget Mark Bocek's gritty unanimous decision win over John Alessio.
You can catch highlights from all of the above after the jump. And for complete UFC 145 results, including round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action, click here and here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, brendan schaub, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Rashad Evans expects eventual chance at redemption against Jon Jones
Last night former UFC champion Rashad Evans became the latest high-level fighter to fail at solving the puzzle current title-holder Jon Jones presents inside the Octagon. Evans, who landed a few solid shots, absorbed a good deal of damage throughout the five-round affair including some of the stiffest standing elbows ever witnessed in the sport.
After having a chance to freshen up Evans addressed the bout in an interview with Fuel TV on the post-fight show, saying his overall performance at UFC 145 “sucked” and he was disappointed he hadn’t followed the gameplan his camp had put in place.
On the bright side, Evans is confident he’ll have an opportunity to avenge the loss at some point in the future.
“I still don’t like him,” Evans said with a smile when asked if their match-up had resolved any lingering personal issues between the two rivals. “He fought a good fight and I’ve gotta respect him as a fighter, and I had respect for him as a fighter before but…I still don’t…I’ll tell you what, we gonna fight again.”
Evans Not Planning on Move to Middleweight
The loss dropped Evans’ overall record to 17-2-1, snapping a streak of four consecutive victories in the process as well.
Check out the full interview with Evans below where he also mentions suffering a minor foot injury that limited his movement in the cage:
Tweet
Posted in: fighter, ’t, i ’ve, evan, ” evans
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 145 results: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans event photos gallery from Atlanta
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" took place last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, featuring Jon Jones successfully defending his light heavyweight championship with a five-round unanimous decision victory over former teammate Rashad Evans.
And that chapter is finally closed.
Rory MacDonald continued his assault on the 170-pound weight class, turning in yet another solid performance in the co-main event of the evening. "Ares" earned a second round stoppage of Che Mills after wiping the mat with the British brawler's "beautiful" face.
Other action on the card saw Ben Rothwell send Brendan Schaub to Never Never Land, Mark Bocek grappled his way past John Alessio, Michael McDonald murdered Miguel Torres, and Eddie Yagin earned a hard-fought split decision over Mark Hominick.
A photo gallery is available for your viewing pleasure after the jump. For complete results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here and here.
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs
Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson
John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani
Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero
Keith Wisniewski vs. Chris Clements
Marcus Brimage vs. Maximo Blanco
Posted in: mark, jone, vs, rory macdonald, evan
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Rashad Evans says his performance “sucked” against Jon Jones
Rashad Evans was a guest on the post-fight show on Fuel TV following Saturday’s loss to Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145 where he evaluated his output in the Octagon. Evans was handed just his second career loss in the bout with “Bones” defending his light heavyweight title by securing a decision victory. The stumble snapped a four-fight winning streak for Evans.
“It sucked,” said Evans of his performance. “I didn’t get the job done, but it’s a lesson and you lean. It’s the fight business and this is what happens sometimes. I just have to do what I do, to come back stronger and keep my head up.”
“Suga” and Jones were former teammates, and you could see the tension between the two before they locked up inside the Octagon. However, following a few tough elbows to the face, Evans never seemed the same with the change also influenced by a potential injury he said he suffered in the second also hampering his abilities.
“I hurt my foot in the second round, so that messed up my mobility a little bit,” explained Evans, saying he also made a mistake by allowing Jones’ “range and stuff like that” to throw him off. The injury occurred when Jones checked a leg kick and Evans’ foot smacked into the champ’s knee.
Check out the full interview below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, evan, career loss, face evans, octagon evans
Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain
UFC 145: Payout Perspective
Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective! This time the UFC hit Atlanta for UFC 145 where the much anticipated fight between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones took place.
Jones outclasses Evans
Did the fight live up to its expectations? Despite the hype, the outcome was never in doubt. Jon Jones dominated Rashad Evans to win via decision. Jones’ ability to utilize his reach and unique strikes did in Evans.
Both fighters received their share of boos from the crowd. It’s interesting to witness that folks hate Jones. Is it due to the perceived arrogance?
It appears that Jones is heading for a clash with Dan Henderson in a fight where most fans will be behind Henderson.
Next big thing?
Rory MacDonald may be the next dominant fighter in the sport. He dominated Che Mills to continue his ascent up the welterweight ladder. He is adamant that he’d never fight GSP if it came down to it. But, that scenario is down the line. We will definitely see more of him and he’s still very young.
Rothwell ends Schaub quickly
Honestly, I went out of the room during introductions and I came back and this fight was over. This was the second straight fight in which Schaub was knocked out. A good win for Rothwell who looked like he was in much better shape than his last fight against Mark Hunt.
Attendance and Gate
The UFC announced on Friday that 145 had sold out the Philips Arena. We’ll update the numbers once we recieve them.
Sponsorships
- The big news for UFC 145 was that headliner Jon Jones would sport UFC branded gear. As we noted, it appears that this will be a trend for the future. Frank Mir, who will take Alistair Overeem’s place at UFC 146, will be the next fighter to wear UFC gear.
As it turns out, MicroTech and Xyience were secondary logos on Jones’ UFC gear. Xyience had prominent space on the back side of Jones. In the end, is this new trend a conflict of interest?
Evans was sponsored by MMA clothing manufacturer Jaco. But, he also was sponsored by Bony Acai, MusclePharm and Corn Nuts. Three UFC Official Sponsors. Coincidentally, MusclePharm was a prime sponsor of the main event.
Frankly, we do not know the relationship between Official UFC Sponsors and what opportunities each gets in terms of signage/visibility at each event. So, it’s possible that the UFC placing its official sponsors on UFC branded fighters is a complementary piece to its existing partnership. It could also charge its official sponsors for being secondary marks on the UFC branded fighters. The UFC has indicated that branding fighters is a sign of the future. As we hypothesized, the UFC could be inching out other MMA sponsors from the fighters in the Octagon. As a result, there might be a time the UFC could entice more sponsors to become official UFC sponsors so that it could be on fight shorts or walkout shirts.
- Metro PCS, Dodge, RYU, US Marines and Corn Nuts all sponsored different portions of the night. Metro PCS sponsored the weigh-ins on Friday. MusclePharm sponsored the main event.
- Some new fight sponsors I noticed last night:
Kalapaki Joe’s – Its is a sports bar in Hawaii. Interesting that a sports bar with locations in the islands decided to sponsor UFC fighters. The good news is that one of its sponsored fighters was Rory MacDonald.
Square – Full disclosure. I actually use this device. It allows businesses to swipe credit cards remotely.
Majors Pharmacy – Mark Bocek’s sponsor on the back of his trunks. It was easy to see and it helped that Bocek had top position most of the fight.
Husky – Rashad Evans was sponsored by this company although after an internet search I could not find them. Always have your website with your logo folks. I seem to think that this is an industrial-type company but if any reader can help, I’d appreciate it.
- The UFC didn’t have its usual walkouts as the main and co-main events were the only walkouts shown. This is a new trend that may hurt sponsors in the end. As it turned out, with the KOs, there was some filler time between fights which could have been done with walkouts.
Bonuses
MMA Junkie reports that the bonuses for the night were $65,000 each.
Submission of the Night: Great ji-jitsu by Travis Browne to submit Chad Griggs.
KO of the Night: As I stated earlier, I missed the Rothwell-Schaub fight because it was so quick. But after rewinding, it was an impressive KO.
Fight of the Night: Eddie Yagin and Mark Hominick – Hominick included his customary pushups after the final bell rang. In return, Yagin did some situps. It was like they were completing a workout or something.
Pre-Fight Hype
The UFC Primetimes were pretty interesting but were hidden away on Friday night and with TUF Live as a lead-in. For all the efforts in promoting the fight, there were not enough opportunities to see a pretty good Primetime lead-in for the fight.
UFC Primetime Episode 1: 462,000 viewers
UFC Primetime Episode 2: 573,000 viewers
There was a lot of mainstream promotion for Jones-Evans. The two traded verbal jabs on ESPN, UFC 145 sponsored a segment of Sportscenter (and I thought Dana White said the network hated MMA and the UFC?), they made an appearance on the NBA on TNT’s post-game show featuring Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal and Jones was featured in the Wall Street Journal. The TNT appearance probably was due to the fact that the event was in Atlanta where TNT studios are located.
Mashable also had an article which featured the UFC’s social media strategy. In the article, it reports the UFC purchasing Promoted Tweets for UFC 145 which should increase trending visibility for the event. Despite paying for tweets, many UFC Fighters were trending topics last night on twitter organically.
The UFC is also starting to use Pinterest – which I still am not clear on how it works.
A criticism about the promotion of this card is the fact that not enough was done to promote the undercard. There was little time spent on MacDonald-Mills, Rothwell-Schaub or any of the other fights.
Post-UFC 145 Headline
- Henderson next for Jones: The only one real headline after the PPV. The young lion versus the old vet. Will Henderson have a chance against Jones? Can he pull a Randy Couture? Henderson packs more of a punch than Evans but will face the same reach disadvantages as Evans. Also, Jones’ conditioning is phenomenal and one need only look to the Rua slugfest at 139 to see that Henderson may be in trouble.
Odds and Ends
- If the UFC is coaching certain fighters in interviews, it must have talked to Michael McDonald when he said he was going to party after his fight, “But not with alcohol, with the sweets.” Ben Rothwell is another for thanking strangers, who he revealed were the fans of the UFC. Of course, I am joking about this. I was chastised on twitter about making light of McDonald. Now I know how Cage Potato feels.
- Che Mills had the best walkout music of the night. Too bad he faced Rory MacDonald.
- I had hoped that Rashad Evans would have come out with his Bill Gates Mug Shot T-Shirt (FighterXFashion has the backstory). The same one he wore after his knockout of Chuck Liddell at UFC 86 in Atlanta. Evans did walkout to the same music at 86.
- Anyone else think that the “Jones vs. Evans” lettering on the poster for UFC 145 was an odd choice?
Conclusion
In the end, the success of this PPV will hinge on the main event as the UFC put all of its marketing and promotional force behind the one fight. It received some good mainstream acknowledgment which should help. Also, Jones and Evans are great ambassadors for the sport. This was the first PPV in which you could see some tweeks which could be influenced by Fox. This included the elimination of walkout entrances of most fights except the main and co-main events. Venturing a guess as to the PPV buys, I would speculate we see somewhere in the 500K neighborhood.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, sponsor, evan
Read the full article at MMA PayoutHighlights from “UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans”(Video)
It may not have lived up to the hype (let’s be honest, could it have?), but the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans fight card still delivered several intriguing fights and exciting finishes. Check out some highlights from the fight card below (from the UFC’s post-fight show on Fuel TV).
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Jon Jones retained his UFC light heavyweight championship over a five-rounder with rival Rashad Evans, defeating his former training partner via unanimous decision. Far from the epic barnburner many expected, this bout played out more like a chess match, with each man showing the other a ton of respect.
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Though he should have been fighting a more highly-ranked and well known opponent, rising Canadian welterweight Rory MacDonald once again proved he’s a force to be reckoned with by systematically dismantling the formidable Che Mills en route to a second-round TKO.
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
A svelte Ben Rothwell likely saved his job last night, rebounding from a stinker of a loss to Mark Hunt with a first round knockout over younger prospect Brendan Schaub. The win also earned Big Ben a Knockout of the Night bonus.
UFC 145 went down from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145 Results: Rashad Evans Isn't Planning Move To Middleweight, But He Should
Rashad Evans has nothing to be ashamed of after his UFC 145 loss to Jon Jones. Jones has proven to be a wrecking ball while ascending to the pinnacle of the sport and, despite continued nonsense about Evans having a "weak chin," Jones was unable to put Evans away despite landing solid shots throughout five rounds.
Evans has made his mark at 205 over his time in the UFC, regardless of the losses to Lyoto Machida and Jones, Evans has proven to be one of the better light heavyweights the sport has ever seen. I don't imaging any future fight between Jones and Evans is going to play out much differently than what we witnessed last night.
Last night, Evans was asked about the loss and if it would push him out of the 205 pound division:
"I'm a 205-pounder," Evans said. "I've only lost twice and I lost to a good competitor ... But if an opportunity happens at 185, I'll take it. But I like 205, I'll just have to work my way back up and get back to a title shot."
I really hope someone can convince Evans that the move is the right thing to do at this point in his career.
Despite winning the Ultimate Fighter as a heavyweight, Evans is a small light heavyweight. While how something looks and how something actually is are often different, it doesn't look like cutting to middleweight would be that difficult for Rashad.
And, in an era where we're looking for championship level fighters (which Rashad is, mind you, just in a division with a freak of nature on top) to change divisions and fight each other, Rashad Evans moving to 185 and fighting Anderson Silva is a fight that seems all too possible.
Silva going to 205 to fight the huge Jones is asking an awful lot, same with Georges St. Pierre jumping to 185 to fight Silva. But Evans, a small 205'er, cutting to 185 and fighting Silva, a fairly big 185'er who has had success at 205, seems like it's a fight that would be contested on a pretty level playing field.
Evans' striking and wrestling presents a deeply intriguing challenge to Silva, while Silva's pinpoint striking accuracy, relationship with Machida and jiu-jitsu game off his back represent an equally interesting puzzle for Rashad. It's actually close to a perfect fight on paper.
And beyond the obvious fight with Silva, who wouldn't want to see Evans take on Mark Munoz, Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Tim Boetsch and even a rematch with Michael Bisping now that both are completely different fighters from their first meeting?
Evans also represents a high level superstar that middleweight needs with Silva's retirement looming. Aside from Sonnen, there's no one really at 185 right now who has a superstar "aura." Evans is someone who can carry the division for years after Silva hangs up his gloves.
While I think directly after a fight is a hard time for a fighter to make big decisions about his future, here's hoping someone gets in Rashad's ear and convinces him that his brightest future is at 185 pounds.
Posted in: fight, jone, silva, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC champion Jon Jones sees win over Rashad Evans as learning experience
Last night Jon Jones went into the deepest waters of his career and stayed afloat, picking apart opponent Rashad Evans with slick striking and avoiding any takedown attempts thrown his way. However, as good as Jones looked in the main event at UFC 145, the 24-year old would be the first to tell you his performance was far from perfect.
Literally minutes removed from his decision win Jones was already analyzing the match-up and what he’d learned from the experience.
“I definitely answered a lot of questions in my own game. It was my first five-round fight and it felt like my cardio wasn’t an issue. Maybe it was an issue, I don’t know,” said Jones backstage in an interview with the UFC’s cameras.
“He caught me a few good times,” the 205-pound champion continued, pointing out an area he feels he has to improve in. “The guy hits hard, so can’t be doing that. I try not to get hit in practice at all and I definitely don’t want to be taking big hits like that. Those things will slow your career down and I’m very young, I have a long time to go, so I’m not happy that I got hit so hard. But it was a learning experience for sure.”
A Round-by-Round Look at Jones vs. Evans
Check out the full interview below where Jones also explains why beating a “lion” like Evans is a “major confidence booster”:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, i ’m, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comClosing the Book on UFC 145
ATLANTA -- The Jackson family civil war is over for now. Longtime pupil Rashad Evans won't be heading back to Albuquerque anytime soon, but there are signs that healing between the two sides has already begun.After ripping his former coach Greg Jackson in public for the decision to accept Jon Jones on his team -- a decision that ultimately led to Evans leaving the team -- Evans lost to Jon Jones at UFC 145. But among the first to console him for the defeat was Jackson.The two shared a moment after the fight which was not caught on camera, with Jackson walking over and whispering something in his former champion's ear, and Evans' seemingly accepting the peace offering.
More Coverage: UFC 145 Results | UFC News
The third member of the messy situation, Jones, more publicly offered an olive branch to Evans both before and after the fight. Less than an hour after it finished, he said that he hopes to regain Evans' friendship after over a year as bitter enemies."I still have a lot of thinking to do with the whole situation, but one thing I do want to get out of this is to rekindle a respect level and some type of communication with Rashad," he said. "Hopefully we can do that in private and work on that in the future. I do have tons of respect for Rashad, and I know he does respect me to some degree. There's a lot of emotion between us that can lead to a friendship."Evans didn't shut the door on it, saying he would need a while to let the whole situation sink in."I don't know," he said. "It takes some time for the lessons you learn in the situation to kick in. But like Jon was saying, you never know what happens in future. We were friends before, so you never know what could happen. We got some cool experiences we shared together. We'll see. We'll probably compete again one of these days, so we’ll keep it on a level where we can say 'What's up’ but beat the hell out of each other when we have to."MMA doesn't necessarily need sentimental endings to rivalries, but it's nice to hear the bad blood may be a thing of the past.
Other UFC 145 thoughts…- Jones often gets accused of arrogance, but he showed some candid vulnerability in the moments after the fight when he admitted that he had some actual fear about engaging Evans, which led to uncertainty about his approach to fight."I think i was a little intimidated at some points to just believe in my ability, speed and coordination. As a result, I didn't fight as clean as I would have liked to."- Travis Browne is becoming quite a beast. The 6-foot-7, 255-pounder smashed Chad Griggs before submitting him. It was an impressive performance, even in a fight he was supposed to win. Browne has showed an ability to integrate his impressive athleticism to go with his big power, and he's going to be a tough out as he continues to ascend up the UFC's heavyweight ladder.Maybe he'll get a chance to impress in the near future. UFC 146 has an empty slot for a heavyweight, and when asked if he'd be willing to fill it on short notice, he didn't hesitate."I'm ready," he said.- With his back against the wall, Ben Rothwell delivered. After losing two of his last three, Rothwell probably had his UFC career on the line against Brendan Schaub. In fact, he might have had his entire career on the line, as he said he might have retired with a loss. Instead, he came into the fight in the best physical condition he's been in years, withstood an early barrage, and finished Schaub early."It was all or nothing," he said. "I said it before the fight, that my first three performance in UFC -- one of them being a win -- were all very disappointing. I knew that I had so much more to show. I'm just very thankful that Dana White and Joe Silva were patient with me. [Saturday], they got to see why they brought me to the UFC."It may be hard to believe, but at 30 years old, Rothwell is only a year older than Schaub.- UFC 146 was a youth movement. Aside from 24-year-old Jones winning, 22-year-old Rory MacDonald and 21-year old Michael McDonald smashed their way to impressive victories over Che Mills and Miguel Torres, respectively.Rory is certainly a contender to watch at 170 while Michael could just be a win or so away from getting a bantamweight title shot.
- It appears Torres' run as one of the bantamweight division's best may have hit its end. He was violently knocked out, and couldn't walk out of the octagon on his own, requiring his cornermen to walk back to the locker room. The 31-year-old is just 3-3 in his last six fights, and he's been KO'd twice. It would be a long climb back to the top for him.
- UFC 145's feel-good story has to go to Eddie Yagin. The 33-year-old has been fairly unheralded throughout his career, but earned the biggest win of his life in a split-decision over former featherweight top contender Hominick. Yagin dropped Hominick twice during the fight, nearly finishing him before settling for a decision. He may be nowhere near the top 10, but he certainly created a moment he could savor no matter what his future holds.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, year, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Draws 15,545 to Philips Arena for $2.2 Million Gate
UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans drew 15,545 fans to Philips Arena in Atlanta for a reported gate in excess of $2.2 million on Saturday.
Posted in: ufc, vs, arena, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at Heavy MMAVideo: Rashad Evans still doesn't like Jon Jones after UFC 145 loss, says 'we're going to fight again'
"[My performance] sucked. I didn't get the job done…. I allowed his range to kind of throw me off a little bit. I hurt my foot in the second round, so it kind of messed up my mobility a little bit…. It's something I've got to go back and work on…. I thought I could catch him off [grabbing the hands]. I couldn't and I should have stopped reaching for his hands. His elbows [laughs]. He kept catching me with those elbows. It's a lesson learned…. I still don't like him. He fought a good fight, I have respect for him as a fighter. I had respect for him as a fighter before, but I still … nah. I'll tell you what: We're going to fight again."
-- Rematch, anyone? Rashad Evans, who dropped a lopsided five-round unanimous decision to Jon Jones last night (April 21, 2012) in the UFC 145 main event from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., vows that he and "Bones" will run it back at some point in the future. "Suga" -- who claimed to have the winning Jones formula -- didn't do anything new when he finally got the opportunity to teach his former training partner, and current arch nemesis, a real-life lesson inside the Octagon. On the contrary, Jones did what he always does, setting the pace, keeping his distance and unleashing dynamic strikes. Especially the "Patty Cake" elbows in the second round, which -- along with an apparent foot injury in the same frame -- appeared to signal the beginning of the end for Evans. He did manage to last the full 25 minutes, which these days is an accomplishment, but doesn't take away anything positive from it. Evans is eager to work his way back up to a rematch, but does anyone think Evans -- who was the much smaller man in comparison -- have the size, skills and strategy to ensure a different result if he get another opportunity? To check out full Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight video highlights click here. And for all the latest news and notes on their Light Heavyweight showdown check out our complete fight archive right here.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans Breaks Down His Performance Vs. Jon Jones By Saying “It Sucked”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans talked with the post-fight UFC on FUEL TV crew following his loss to Jon Jones Saturday night at UFC 145. Evans was handed just his second loss in his career, as “Bones” used his elbows and height to keep “Suga” at bay. It sucked, I didn’t get the [...]
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, evan, postfight ufc
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results - 10 Best Photos Of The Night
UFC 145 is in the rear view mirror now, and while we're trying to figure out what it all means, we can look back on the great photos from the night's action. MMA Fighting's Esther Lin was in the arena doing her usual great work and captured some stunning images. The full gallery can be seen over at MMA Fighting.
Here are the ten best shots from the night's action.
Eddie Yagin's face seems to explode as he gets hit by Mark Hominick:
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Rashad Evans sliding into the cage before his fight with Jon Jones:
Rashad Evans connects with a punch on Jon Jones:
Jon Jones working ground and pound on Rashad Evans:
Rory MacDonald on the back of Che Mills:
Ben Rothwell KO's Brendan Schaub:
Travis Browne celebrates after submitting Chad Griggs:
Anthony Njokuani lands a kick to the head of John Makdessi:
Matt Brown pounds away on Stephen Thompson as Thopson is trapped in a mounted triangle:
Michael McDonald knocks out Miguel Torres:
Posted in: night, jone, rashad, evan, view mirror
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Won't Rule Out Move to Middleweight, But Likely to Stay at 205
ATLANTA -- Rashad Evans has long been considered a small light-heavyweight, but even after suffering his second career loss, he plans to stay there.That said, during the UFC 145 post-fight press conference, he opened the door a crack for a possible move to middleweight following his defeat at the hands of Jon Jones.
"I’m a 205-pounder," Evans said. "I’ve only lost twice and I lost to a good competitor … But if an opportunity happens at 185, I'll take it. But I like 205, I'll just have to work my way back up and get back to a title shot."Evans road back to a championship opportunity would figure to be shorter at middleweight, where he would be starting with a clean slate. In addition, due to division champion Anderson Silva's long reign, there is always a need for new contenders. Right now, while Chael Sonnen is on deck to face Silva, there's no clear-cut next challenger after him.In the light-heavyweight division, besides top contender Dan Henderson, there's veterans like Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Lyoto Machida, and rising younger fighters like Alexander Gustafsson and Ryan Bader trying to make the leap. It is simply a more crowded field.When asked about it the possibility of offering Evans a middleweight, UFC president Dana White said he had never considered the possibility."I honestly have never thought about it," he said. "We'll see what happens."White also might have offered Evans enough hope to stay at his longtime home as well, saying an eventual rematch between him and Jones could never be ruled out."Anything's possible," he said. "If they keep winning, absolutely."Evans' two career losses have both come in title fights. Besides losing to Jones, his other defeat was his championship loss to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 in May 2009.
Posted in: ufc, jone, loss, middleweight, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 post-fight press conference full video for 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., is officially in the books after a solid night (April 21, 2012) of major mixed martial arts (MMA) fights.
In the UFC 145 main event of the evening, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, was perhaps the most anticipated showdown of 2012. And after five rounds of actions, their personal score was ultimately settled by the ringside judges, who awarded "Bones" with a well-deserved unanimous decision.
As usual, the stars of the show came to dish the dirt on the event immediately afterward, including Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, Ben Rothwell, Michael McDonald, Travis Browne and Rory MacDonald, among others. Naturally, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White emceed the post-fight event wrap up show.
For complete UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here. To check out a complete UFC 145 results recap of the pay-per-view (PPV) main card click here. And for all the latest UFC 145 news and notes you can handle check out our complete event archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, event, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Fight Night Photo Gallery
Go along for the ride as HeavyMMA shooter James Las takes you through his best shots from UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, which took place Saturday in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, place saturday, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Results: How Jon Jones Outstruck Rashad Evans
UFC 145 is behind us and Jon Jones is still the UFC Light Heavyweight champion, having defeated Rashad Evans with relative ease. And he did so entirely on the strength of his stand-up. What we saw from Jon Jones Saturday night was a masterful performance of offensive striking. That offense came from his ability to both use sound fundamentals and creativity. Here's a quick look at just two of the best tools he used to outstrike Evans.
First up, Jones focused on fundamentals with his jab. Not since Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck have we seen such an effective use of the jab in a fight. Jones has always been a fan of the jab (a wise choice as it accentuates his reach advantage), but against Evans he used it even more that in previous bouts. Jones was constantly bringing that jab out, and not just pawing with it, but snapping it for power. He also brought his hand back to position quickly after each jab instead of leaving it out of position - a bad habit that I noted in my breakdown of his striking, but one that he has obviously worked to improve. Behind that jab, Jones was able to land on Rashad, while keeping Evans uncomfortably outside of range.
To add to this jab, Jones used a bit of the creativity he is known for. No where was that more evident than in his use of traditional Muay Thai elbows in the 2nd round. Jones staggered Evans with an elbow early that round, then kept the focus on his elbows for the duration of the round. But instead of just throwing elbows, he used the Muay Thai technique of grabbing his opponent's hands and pushing them aside. This created openings and gave him the perfect range to sneak those elbows in. It's a beautiful technique that Jones imported perfectly from Muay Thai, and one we'll be discussing more later this week.
Related: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145 | UFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson | UFC 145 Results: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones Cruises To Decision Win Over Rashad Evans |UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones?
With this combination of new strikes and the basic jab, Jones took apart Rashad Evans, one of the best Light Heavyweight fighters in the world. The question now is, can any Light Heavyweight fighters defeat Jones on the feet? Given what we saw last night, I'm not sure they can.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, evan, jab
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 results recap from last night for 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta on April 21
You can hate me now, but I won't stop now ... Cause I can't stop now, you can hate me now....
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) staged perhaps the most anticipated main event fight in recent memory last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans ripped the script from "Rocky 5," with "Suga" playing the role of veteran Rocky Balboa and "Bones" serving as the modern-day, real-life upstart Tommy Gunn, who sauntered onto the Jackson Winkeljohn MMA scene with all the best intentions, but "business" soon got in the way and the pair became enemies quicker than they forged a friendship.
The only thing missing in this real-life saga was the dramatic Hollywood ending.
As expected, at least as far as the oddsmakers are concerned, Jones retained his 205-pound title; however, he had to go the full 25-minute distance for the first time ever in his mixed martial arts (MMA) career to get it done. But, he didn't really have to put in too much of an effort because Evans, for the most part, let him play his dominant game.
That's right, Evans opted to keep the fight standing, which is where he had one Hail Mary right hand opportunity to win. He didn't close the distance, shoot for takedowns our beat up "Bones" along the cage with dirty boxing. On the contrary, he circled for essentially the entire fight, trying to avoid the Matrix-esque attack of his former training partner, while hoping to connect with one big, fight-ending shot.
Wing and a prayer, Maniacs. Unsurprisingly, it never came. And neither did the decisive finish, or back-and-forth emotional battle, which most fans had hoped would ensue heading into the showdown. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a snoozefest or a complete dud. It was just puzzling to see Evans -- who claimed he knew "Bones" inside-out -- implement a tired gameplan that we all know won't work.
Perhaps Dan Henderson can show Evans, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Mauricio Rua and the rest of the division how to solve the Jones enigma. He's fighting him next apparenty. And it will go a long way toward determining if Jones is really just so good that he makes great fighters look bad, or if he truly does have a weakness.
If he does, I have yet to see it. Swagga ...
Rory MacDonald, the heir apparent to 170-pound champion Georges St. Pierre, was featured in the co main event opposite Che Mills, a guy who could not advance beyond the elimination round in a recent season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). Mills ultimately lost to that season's winner James Wilks, and even went on to win his next five MMA bouts, but he had no business being locked inside a cage with "Ares."
Mills cames out strong and actually landed a nice clean shot along the cage; however, all it did was piss off MacDonald and make him realize that he was in a fight. And fight he did. MacDonald smashed Mills for the remaining 1.5 rounds, getting him in crucifix, taking his back, boxing his ears, threatening with submissions and basically doing whatever the hell he wanted.
In the end, Mills was far from "Beautiful."
Even though it was dreadful to hear ringside announcers Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg sing MacDonald's praises all night, the 22-year-old has unquestionable talent and skill. He's also got a violent mean streak, unleashing strikes with bad intentions that look (and sound) like they hurt.
A lot.
The only problem with last night's fight is that MacDonald proved he should only be involved in fights with other top contenders in the division. To be perfectly honest, his next fight should be a rematch against interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit, regardless of whether or not "The Natural Born Killer" wants to wait until the end of the year to fight "Rush."
It's a fight the fans will want to see, even if it sets up a Georges St. Pierre vs. Rory MacDonald nightmare scenario. That's good for business -- just ask Jones and Evans.
In the only Heavyweight bout on the pay-per-view (PPV) main card, Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell, was a showdown that most didn't expect to go the distance. Both men are big stand up fighters who prefer to sling leather until someone falls down.
And that's exactly what they did.
However, few likely expected it to last just 70 seconds, which was the official time once "Big Ben" connected with a powerful punch while in close. Schaub actually landed a nice spinning elbow that stunned Rothwell, but in his zeal to poor it on thick, he got clipped bad.
So bad, in fact, that he was soon on his back, knocked silly with his arms involuntarily clawing toward the rafters. It was a sad sight for a fighter who was once considered among the brightest prospects in the division. With two straight knockout losses, however, he'll have to get in the very back of the line.
In such an unforgiving sport, the smallest mistakes can have such massive repercussions.
Miguel Torres knows all about that.
Once regarded as perhaps the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world not too long ago, Torres was trying to climb back up to the top of the Bantamweight ladder when he took on Michael McDonald, who is 10 years his junior. He was the wiser, more experienced former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion who was relying on a new training team, as well as fight approach, to earn him another opportunity to contend for a world title.
Not gonna happen. Not after last night, anyway.
"Mayday," who called Torres' new, more cautious approach to fighting as "horrible," connected with a powerful uppercut in the first round that had him out cold before the back of his head hit the canvas. Just in case that wasn't enough, McDonald was able to land two more unobstructed clean shots to the unconscious "Angel" before the referee could stop him.
McDonald was overjoyed with the sensational finish, as he should be, because Torres -- based on he previous track record and recent success -- was knocking on the door of a title shot. Now with four consecutive victories of his own inside the Octagon, don't be surprised to see McDonald next in another high-profile, meaningful fight.
He's earned it.
In other action, former number one Featherweight contender Mark Hominick attempted to steer himself out of a two-fight losing skid against Eddie Yagin, who was in search of his first UFC win ever. It was the boxer taking on the brawler, which, if nothing else, is a fun fight to watch.
Hominick, who was looking to rebound from a freak seven-second knockout loss to Chan-Sung Jung his last time out, did what he normally does, dancing, darting and dishing out tight strikes. Yagin, meanwhile, responded with looping, loud and large bombs that you could see coming from a mile away.
Well, all but two of them apparently.
Yagin dropped Hominick twice with two huge shots in separate rounds, hurting the resilient Canadian, but not enough to seal the deal. On the contrary, each time Hominick rose back to his feet and eventually picked up right where he left off with his robotic-like attack.
In the end, both fighters looked like hell. Hominick's eyes were swollen shut and Yagin's nose was busted bad. Blood coated them, as well as the canvas, after their 15-minute brawl expired. And because it was just that, a brawl, the judges sided with Yagin, awarding him the split decision.
Fair or foul? I say fun.
It's been nearly 12 years since John Alessio made his Octagon debut against Pat Miletich in a losing effort (submission) at the turn of the century. The Canadian has had two other opportunities to pick up a win inside the eight-walled cage since that time, but has come up short each time out.
Tonight, against fellow countryman Mark Bocek, "The Natural" -- who filled in for the injured Matt Wiman on short notice -- had yet another opportunity to crack into the UFC win column.
Didn't happen.
Bocek, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace, controlled a majority of the fight once he was able to get it to the ground, which was more often than not. Alessio attempted to keep the fight standing, where his best chance to win existed, but it just wasn't enough. Bocek would eat a few good shots and then eventually get a takedown, threaten with submissions and coast to a unanimous decision win on the judge scorecards.
It certainly wasn't the prettiest fight, but it was certainly an effective strategy. A strategy that has earned him back-to-back wins and three victories in his last four appearances. His lone loss during that span? None other than division champion Ben Henderson.
Not too shabby.
That's enough from us. Now it's your turn to discuss UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" in the comments section below.
What was Evans thinking? Is Henderson the man to defeat Jones? If not Condit, who should MacDonald fight next? Impressed by the new and improved Rothwell? How about those two first round knockouts!?!? Let's hear it, Maniacs.
Be sure to also check out our complete UFC 145 blow-by-blow coverage of the entire "Jones vs. Evans" event right here. Last, and certainly not least, check out our complete UFC 145 results recap of the Facebook/FX "Prelims" right here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, macdonald, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 results recap: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans fight review and analysis
The score was finally settled between former friends and teammates Jon Jones and Rashad Evans last night (April 21, 2012) with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight title on the line in the main event of UFC 145 from Atlanta, Georgia.
Evans was hoping his prior experience working with Jones would give him an advantage, and perhaps his familiarity helped "Suga" take Jones the full five round for the first time in his UFC career.
Jones entered the bout riding a tremendous wave of hype, being hailed as the next big thing and even being sponsored by the UFC clothing brand.
So did he live up to expectations last night in victory? And what happens next to both elite light heavyweights?Follow me after the jump for our Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans UFC 145 post-fight review and analysis. To watch Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans full fight video highlights from UFC 145 right now click here:
Jones was the aggressor, stalking Evans from the cage center throughout the fight while "Suga" was forced to play the outside game, constantly in danger of being backed into the fence. Despite Evans being in rough positions at times, he kept Jones at bay with his big right hand and some effective (although sloppy) leg kicks.
Evans even landed a pretty solid head kick in the first round, but the tide began to turn after that. Jones went to work, more effectively utilizing his range and unpredictability in the second, actually hurting "Suga" with a beautiful standing elbow which caught him completely off guard.
Jones' elbows were probably his most effective weapon throughout the fight and he didn't even have to spin to connect solidly with them. All he had to do was get relatively close and his lanky arms and technique did the rest.
After the third round, although he wasn't completely gassed, Evans was definitely tired. He had to gut check himself to make it to the end of the fight but in both the fourth and fifth rounds, he was pretty much no threat at all to the champion, Jones, who remained very fresh all the way to the final bell.
The champ was just too big, too strong and too long for Evans, despite the now-Imperial Athletics fighter's best efforts. In the end, Jones would win a unanimous decision taking four rounds on two judges' scorecards and five rounds on the other.
For Rashad Evans, he actually did several things very well. He landed some nice punches whenever Jones got too close on the inside to keep "Bones" at bay and he was pretty effective with his leg kicks whenever he threw them with power. I really liked that he brought back the head kicks for this fight as he actually found a home for them a few times and may have caught Jones off guard a bit. I would have liked to see him commit to his takedown attempts more in the fight, however. I know it would probably have been even more exhausting to attempt them, but it would have been worth it if he could have put Jones on his back or at least made him think a little bit more about what he could do.
Evans gave Jones his toughest test to date so he's not going to be dropping any spots in the rankings in my book. As long as he's still at light heavyweight, I want to see him against the best of the best. I'd love to see Evans face Mauricio Rua next if possible. If not, other options include Antonio Rogerio Nogueira or maybe even a rematch against Machida.
For Jon Jones, this fight further cemented the gap between him and the rest of the light heavyweights in the world. I still believe Evans is the second best at 205 pounds but Jones is just on another planet. He fought conservatively at times, but that's not the end of the world. Do I wish he would have taken a few more risks to try and finish the fight? Of course I do, but that doesn't mean it was the right decision to make. Jones had a ton of respect for Evans' power and he wasn't willing to drop his guard in an attempt to finish the fight. We saw what can happen if you do that twice this weekend with Brendan Schaub and Brian Rogers.
It's already been confirmed that he'll face Dan Henderson next, hoping to defend his title against one of the last legends remaining in the division. Jones was hit a few times pretty solidly by Rashad last night. It'll be interesting to see if he can survive if he eats the dreaded "H-Bomb."
For complete UFC 145 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.
So what did you think, Maniacs?
Did the fight live up to the hype in the end? Could Jon Jones have done more here to get the finish? Is there anyone at 205 who can beat "Bones?"
Sound off!
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, round, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaAt 24, Jon Jones Moves Into G.O.A.T. Consideration
ATLANTA -- In debating the greatest fighter in MMA history, there is a very short list of candidates. Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Fedor Emelianenko, Randy Couture, Dan Henderson and Chuck Liddell comprise the most cited names.After Saturday night, you can add a new one to the list: Jon Jones.I'm not saying he's the best ever, not quite yet, but he's now in the conversation. He has to be, after vanquishing rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145. That's admittedly an absurd notion when you take into consideration the fact that he's just 24 years old and barely four years into his professional career, but the facts are the facts. In the last 13 months, he's beaten four straight former champions, four straight possible Hall of Famers in Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and now, Evans.
Throw in his February 2011 win over Ryan Bader and he's beaten five top 10 opponents in the span of 14 months, an accomplishment likely unmatched not only in MMA, but in the history of combat sports. If he beats his next scheduled opponent Henderson -- another future Hall of Famer -- he will only be extending the most amazing run this sport has ever seen. Evans had walked into the main event with the feeling that he could capitalize on his pre-existing knowledge of Jones' game from their time together at Team Jackson-Winkeljohn. Known for being a slow starter, he actually came out with a strong first round, but it didn't last. By the time it was over, he admitted that Jones had stymied and confused him, just as he seems to do to everyone else. The way he put it, he was "out-slicked.""Jones definitely has a talent that is different than anybody else's," said Evans.Jones is also becoming the rarest of the rare when it comes to MMA: a crossover star. Before the fight, he got tweets of support from superstars like LeBron James and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Round-by-round updates from his fight aired live on ESPN's SportsCenter, in a first for the sport. Despite the mounting pressure, he delivered when it mattered, making his third consecutive title defense in a unanimous decision. While it wasn't his most dominant performance -- Evans became the first man to take him to a decision in his last nine fights -- it was still lopsided, as Evans only managed to take a single round on two judges' scorecards. According to stats provider FightMetric, Jones out-struck Evans by a count of 116-49, adding to the lopsided numbers seen in his other fights against top opposition. Against Machida, there was a count of 26-13. Against Jackson, it was 74-24, while against Rua, he out-struck him 102-11 in a performance that was MMA's equivalent of baseball's perfect game.Facing Evans, the big challenge was to shut down his vaunted wrestling attack. Evans had managed to take down every opponent he'd ever faced in fights he attempted takedowns, but against Jones, he put up a goose egg. Jones also authored all of the fight's biggest moments, particularly a crushing left elbow that staggered Evans along the cage. By the end, Jones' face was completely unmarked as if he hadn't even fought at all.Evans, meanwhile, had bruises and swelling on his face, and said his legs were hurting."I still got to go home and cry a little bit," Evans said.This is what Jones is reducing his opponents to. Rua battered, Jackson admitting he can't imagine anyone beating him, Machida choked unconscious. And now, Evans crying. He probably wasn't the first, and likely won't be the last.Jones still has work to do, though. He's young and adjusting. He's making improvements to his striking technique, he's learning to generate more power, and he's still growing his confidence. Amazingly, despite all his success, he admitted to being a little unsure of his approach to Evans. But with every success, there are lessons to be learned. Jones is a voracious viewer of fight video, and he dissects tape to make refinements in an attempt to reach his full potential. As long as he continues his work ethic and preparation, he just may chase down the "greatest" tag, which most believe belongs to his contemporary, Silva."It's tough to put anybody in the No. 1 spot as long as Anderson Silva is still undefeated, in my opinion," UFC president Dana White said.But Silva's pedestal is isn't out of Jones' acclaimed reach. Henderson is the only great active light-heavyweight Jones has yet to beat. If he gets by him, perhaps he makes the move to heavyweight, where he can cement his claim. Even if he doesn't, there's no doubt of where he is right now. He is the greatest phenomenon the UFC has seen since B.J. Penn, and no one has shown any inkling of how to solve his puzzle. Someday, someone might, but there's no denying what he's done so far. He's off to a historic start, one that puts him in conversation as the best ever. Whatever your view on Jones the person, Jones the fighter deserves his due as a singular talent, and so far, one of the best the sport has ever produced.
Posted in: fight, jone, sport, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC Quick Quote: Rashad Evans staying at 205-pounds after Jon Jones loss but would entertain moving to middleweight
"No, I'm a 205-pounder. I've only lost twice and I lost to some good competitors. I mean, it would be nice if I won all my fights but it don't happen like that sometimes. If an opportunity happens at 185-pounds then I'll take it. But I like 205-pounds. I feel like I can work my way back up and get back to another title shot."
-- Rashad Evans came up short in his bid to dethrone Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145 last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and because of that, he was quickly faced with questions at the post-fight press conference regarding his future in the 205-pound division. Like whether or not he has a future there at all. "Suga" was quick to dismiss the idea of a permanent move down to middleweight though he wouldn't rule it out altogether. After all, he's always been a bit undersized for a light heavyweight and with the champion of the weight class owning a dominant win over him, it would seem to make sense for "Suga" to drop 20 pounds and try his luck there. Anyone think Evans should stay where he is and try to work his way back to a rematch against Jones? Or should he drop down to middleweight and try to make a splash there? For a more detailed look at "Jones vs. Evans" click here. To watch the highlights of the bout click here. And for complete UFC 145 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: ufc, pound, jone, click, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 results: 'Report Card' for 'Jones vs Evans' PPV event in Atlanta
With a one-sided decision win over challenger Rashad Evans, Jon Jones definitely settled the question of who the better fighter was Saturday night (April 21, 2012) in the UFC 145 main event from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. And with a steady if unspectacular showing, "Bones" reinforced the perception that he's one of the most difficult match ups in mixed martial arts (MMA).
With ever-more tools at his disposal, Jones' dizzying mix of punches, elbows and variations on technique left Evans largely in defensive mode for the five-round affair, though the challenger did connect on two occasions -- once with a solid right hand, the other with a flush kick to the head -- that seemed to get the champ's respect. But aside from those few bright spots, the bout resembled every other Jones fight since he stormed into the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 3.5 years and 11 fights ago.
It was total domination, albeit without a signature Jones finish.
In the co-main, Rory MacDonald steamrolled a game, but outmatched Che Mills en route to a second-round technical knockout. And in a Heavyweight upset, a renewed Ben Rothwell dispatched the favored Brendan Schaub with a rousing rally via knockout.
Here's a closer look at UFC 145 and report card for last night's competitors. Grades are given relative to prefight expectations, and how the performance affected their immediate career prospects:
Rory MacDonald: AMacDonald looked like every bit explosive, well-rounded machine that generated considerable hype in 2011 with impressive wins over Nate Diaz and Mike Pyle. After an iffy start, where Mills -- clearly looking to engage -- drilled him with a couple of clean shots, MacDonald immediately adjusted and took it to the mat, where his suffocating top control and pressure wore down "Beautiful."
In the second, MacDonald took down Mills again, delivering a punishing barrage of strikes en route to a lengthy beating and the stoppage. MacDonald, just 22, is a training partner and friend to champ Georges St. Pierre. When I interviewed him and trainer Firas Zahabi (who also trains GSP) last year, they both stated unequivocally that he would never fight St. Pierre. And the UFC has put MacDonald on something of a parallel track to similar rising contenders, such as Johny Hendricks and Jake Ellenberger, who got Jon Fitch and Jake Shields to test themselves against. After tonight, it's obvious that MacDonald needs someone who's a legit top ten Welterweight as his next opponent to really test him. Maybe even top five. It's crowded at 170 pounds, which might be an advantage in developing the talented Canadian, who turns a mere 23 in July. But, given St. Pierre's dominant run as champ, and MacDonald's inevitability, it's hard to see how these two won't meet in the coming year or two.
MacDonald's still filling out - he was a lightweight when he turned pro - and it's impressive how he can control and smash people. He has exceptionally heavy hands given the slightest openings on a grounded opponents, and his athleticism and seamless transitions are huge assets, as well.
So what's next?
Out of all available opponents, Diego Sanchez would be a logical next opponent. Sanchez has never been stopped at welterweight, and gave a credible effort in losing to contender Jake Ellenberger in February. It would also be interesting to see MacDonald pitted against someone like Diego, who'd push the pace and try and take the initiative - and it would be smart matchmaking, because win or lose, Sanchez is almost always in exciting fights.
Ben Rothwell: A-The journeyman heavyweight was truly on the bubble after his dreadful decision loss against Mark Hunt, which dropped him to 1-2 in the UFC. But with one left hook, "Big Ben" showed why heavyweights only need one shot, as he dropped the pouncing Schaub, who was moving in for the kill after apparently stunning Rothwell.
The win was the biggest of Ben's career, and his firmed-up physique showed he clearly put in serious work in the gym, transforming his frame. Rothwell is still something of crude heavy with his limited technique and athleticism, but experience goes a long way in working out of bad situations, and tonight was a perfect example of how a guy that's more of a fighter than an athlete beats an opponent who's the opposite.
Michael McDonald: AThe rising bantamweight product was brilliantly on point in a showdown against former WEC champ Miguel Torres, and showed stunning power in a nasty right uppercut that set up the wicked finish. Now 15-1, and 5-0 in the WEC and UFC, McDonald's a rising bantamweight contender in a division badly in need of fresh faces. After the Dominick Cruz-Urijah Faber rubber match, the UFC will need marketable contenders to usher in the next wave of challengers. Alongside uber-talented Renan Barao, aggressive sluggers like McDonald are the crest of that wave. Under-155ers often have bouts that resemble pillow fights, but a heavy-handed little guy is exceptionally viable in building a fan base. Mcdonald can bang and showed some real stones in standing with Torres, exploiting the opening perfectly, to boot.
Eddie Yagin: B+Gritty, gutty and persistent, Yagin pulled out a split decision over former title challenger Mark Hominick in a career-defining performance. Bloodied and swollen after Hominick lit him up in a rollicking second round, Yagin finished the show by taking the third round and winning a razor-thin split duke, 29-28 on all cards. An impressive showing for Yagin, who at 135 seems undersized and a tad too hittable, but he's exciting, and he had enough tonight to score an upset win.
Jon Jones: BEverybody's human, even Jones, whose 2011 was the most impressive calendar-year run in the history of the sport (just edging out Shogun Rua's tear through Pride in 2005). Somewhat restrained in his approach, Jones picked his spots and demonstrated an ever-evolving technical standup game, with added confidence in his hands, as he shot out punches, even turning jabs into punishing elbows on the largely-flummoxed Evans, who did land the occasional shot.
The bout going the distance was probably the product of two things: Evans' thumping right hand which got Jones' respect midway through the bout, and Jones' never going five rounds, which is now something he's got under his belt. It will serve him the next time he has to go deep. Going against him tonight, however, was his seeming disinterest in takedowns until late in the bout, where he basically arm-blasted Evans to the mat with a big-brotheresque shove. At times, Jones seems to technically superior to opponents that you'd think he's in a sparring session trying out new things, instead of defending his title. A finish would have been feasible if he'd taken Evans down earlier and punished him, but Jones was never in serious trouble, and his evolving game only spells bad news for future light-heavyweight challengers. After Dan Henderson, there's nobody that's world-class that Jones hasn't already stomped.
Mark Bocek: BThe reliable lightweight plugger scored a workmanlike decision win over John Alessio, using his quick transitions and takedowns to grind out a clear-cut victory on the cards. Bocek dominated throughout and secured his short-term future, at least, as a reliable measuring stick too good for lower-level 155ers, and a credible test for those looking to break into the top fifteen. It wasn't spectacular, but it wasn't boring, either.
Rashad Evans: C+To his credit, Evans went where no one has gone since Stephan Bonnar, making Jones work to a decision, and over five rounds, to boot. He took a steady, sustained pounding, but never mailed it in and gave up. He kept firing. But the problem was that his opportunities were few and far between, which is always a hassle with fighting Jones, whose reach and range skew every tactical option hopelessly against opponents. Evans did something that few light heavies will ever do - be standing at the end of the fight against Jones - and he showed some serious pluck and heart in a fight that never really got out of third gear. It's a tough loss for "Suga," but he did so much better than most of Bones' recent challengers that in a relative sense, Evans really doesn't drop too far in the ranks. Unless you're a completely biased Alexander Gustaffson fan.
Che Mills: C+Tough Brit took a terrible thumping against Rory MacDonald, but only after absorbing serious punishment in a brutal display of ground and pound from the dangerous "Ares." There aren't a lot of welterweights that can stand up to MacDonald's attack, and Mills lasted longer than most would have. However, his toughness and heart shown tonight outweigh the loss - the UFC will definitely keep him around for a while, either against midlevel competition to rebuild him or as a measuring stick against rising prospects.
Mark Hominick: DSince his epic stand in a five-round brawl with champ Jose Aldo, Hominick may be showing the signs of a long career. Coming into the bout after his stunning, eight-second KO loss to Chang Sung Jung, "The Machine" looked flat tonight, sucked into a life-or-death struggle to a split decision loss against the game but limited Eddie Yagin. Hominick couldn't sustain the breakneck pace that usually makes his standup up game one of the best in the featherweight division, and the accumulated punishment he's taken seems to have added up.
John Alessio: DDropping down to 155, Alessio's size and decent standup helped him give Bocek a few brief moments of trouble prior to his getting completely outworked on the ground. Alessio, who challenged Pat Miletich for the welterweight title in 2000, was a substitute for Matt Wiman and did his best, but age and the weight cut clearly left him outgunned against the quicker, wily Bocek.
Miguel Torres: FSlugging it out and firing back when hurt has created some of the most exciting moments in Torres' career, and some of his worst, as well. After getting cut and then reinstated by the UFC last year for inappropriate comments on his Twitter feed, the former WEC boss had a good matchup tonight. Vexed by wrestlers at times, Torres had a standup opponent who landed first and exploited the holes in his defense for a punishing first-round stoppage.
Brendan Schaub: FTonight was a disaster for Schaub, who slugged with an opponent whose sole chance to win was exactly that - a slugfest. After his crushing knockout loss against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, the once-surging Schaub was seen as a heavyweight prospect on the cusp of being a legit contender. Two knockout losses later, it's apparent that he's got some real adjustments to make. After stunning Rothwell, Schaub moved in for the finish, only to get finished himself by a glancing left hook that turned an imminent win (and a well-matched comeback opponent, at that, in Rothwell) into sudden defeat. It was no accident that the UFC picked Rothwell, an eminently hittable guy with limited wrestling, for Schaub's much-needed comeback win. After this loss, Schaub not only is in a must-win position, he'll be fighting heavyweights with the perception that he can't take a punch, which always bolsters the other guy's confidence, no matter how badly he's losing.
For complete UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, opponent, macdonald, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans says he will rematch Jon Jones in the future
Former UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Rashad Evans, looked back at his performance against Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia. Evans spoke about his mistakes during the fight, revealing that he hurt his leg in Round 2. When answering on a question about his animosity towards Jones, Evans admitted it's still there, claiming that he knows there will be a rematch in the future.
Further Reading: Full UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans FULL Fight Video Highlights
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have finally met inside the UFC Octagon. Reigning UFC Light Heavyweight champ demonstrated his superiority in every aspect of the game and during all five rounds, walking away with a clean Unanimous Decision victory. Rashad Evans now goes back to the drawing board, but promises - "I will fight Jon Jones again".
Further Reading: Full UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, ufc octagon, evan
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145: Recap, results, and awards
UFC 145 Main Card results and recap:The grudge match between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones may have finally come to an end this evening as Jones handily defeated his arch-rival in a long and technically-fought bout. Both fighters seemed very confident in their timing early on, as Evans scored a few good punches and Jones threw his usual myriad of unpredictable kicks. While Evans did register a headkick of his own, he was wobbled repeatedly during the fight due to Jones' superior reach and striking
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, card results, technicallyfought bout
Read the full article at Low Kick
Rashad Evans on Failed UFC 145 Title Bid: ‘I Got Out-Slicked’ by Jon Jones
Rashad Evans just couldn’t get it done Saturday night.
Posted in: rashad, rashad evans, evan, couldn ’t, outslicked ’
Read the full article at SherdogJon Jones vs Rashad Evans fight metric report from UFC 145 shows 'Bones' dominance
Not that you need any further proof of Jon Jones dominance over Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, but here's the numerical evidence.
According to FightMetric.com, the official statistics provider of the UFC, Jones landed 116 total strikes (105 significant) to just 49 total (45 significant) from Evans. The more telling number, however, is the fact that of Rashad's 49 strikes landed, just 18 went to the head.
That distance is hard to close, especially now that "Bones" has become so proficient at using his considerable reach advantage.
The grappling game was nearly nonexistent. It's only notable for the fact that "Suga" failed to take his former teammate down, going 0-for-4 in takedown attempts throughout the five-round, 25-minute fight.
By the time all was said and done, Fight Metric had Jones winning by a score of 50-44 with an effectiveness score of 400 to Evans' 134. For a detailed explanation of Fight Metric's scoring methods click here.
More after the jump.
To read the full report from Fight Metric (and you should) click here.
For a more detailed breakdown of "Jones vs. Evans" click here. To watch highlights of the fight click here. And for complete UFC 145 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, click, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Dominates Rashad Evans, Retains Title at UFC 145
Jon Jones couldn't stop Rashad Evans the way he has past opponents, but he still dominated for five rounds for a unanimous decision win at UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Post Fight Interview – Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans reflects on his UFC 145 loss to light heavyweight kingpin and longtime rival Jon Jones.
Posted in: ufc, jone, loss, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Video Highlights
Video: Highlights: Evans – Jones Video highlights of the UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans via Fox Sports.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, video, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA Convert
UFC 145 draws a reported 15,545 attendance for $2.2 million live gate
ATLANTA - Saturday's "UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans" event drew a reported
15,545 attendees to Atlanta's Philips Arena and generated a live gate of
$2.2 million.
UFC president Dana White revealed the figures at the evening's
post-event press conference, which MMAjunkie.com
attended.
Featuring a light heavyweight title contest between current champion Jon
Jones and former titleholder Rashad Evans, UFC 145 marked the company's
first trip to Georgia since UFC 88 in September 2008.
Posted in: ufc, gate, jone, evan, atlanta
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJones vs. Evans Fight Highlights
If you missed out on the year's biggest UFC grudge match, check out Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight highlights, via ESPN.
UFC 145 took place April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (16-1) defended his title against former training partner Rashad Evans (17-2-1) in the night's long-awaited main event. Catch the video highlights below.
For more on Bones' dominant victory, check out the play-by-play from MMA Fighting's own Shaun Al-Shatti.
Round 1: The Atlanta crowd is absolutely raucous right now. Herb Dean is the man overseeing tonight's championship fight. Jones avoids Evans' eyes in the staredown. It's on. Evans circles and Jones leaps in with a left to the body. Head kick nearly finds its mark for the champion. Evans pumps his jab but nothing lands clean. Jones lunges forward with a jumping side kick to the knee. Another head kick nearly lands for Jones. Evans backs away and regroups. Jones stalks into the pocket and wings a whizzes a wild left hand past his rival, followed by a missed superman punch and a pair of body kicks. Evans backs Jones up with a huge head kick. Jones may be hurt. Rashad storms forward but the champ regains his footing as the horn sounds. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.
Round 2: Evans squatting low in his stance to open the second frame. Jones briefly engages the clinch and wings a left hook on the way out. Jones slips a wild right hand and counters with a front kick. Evans circles out of a flurry and taunts the champ as he walks away. Hard body shot from Rashad. Evans starting to open up with his strikes now. Jones senses it and closes the distance with a pair of hard standing elbows. Evans is dazed but Jones fails to follow up. Jones lands another massive elbow. He's starting to feel it now. Jones storms forward with a flying knee, left hook combo as the round comes to close. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.
Round 3: Evans opens on the outside, looking to regroup. Big right hand lands clean for Evans. Jones retreats and gathers himself, pumping out his jab to maintain distance. Whenever Rashad presses forward he's doing well, but if he sits back Jones can pick him apart. Jones switches his stance and tosses out another jab. The champ is being the aggressor, flying in with a powerful elbow and just missing with a hard knee. Jones is stalking Evans now, and Evans seems to be unsure of himself. The champ engages the clinch but nothing comes out of it. Jones misses a switch kick at horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.
Round 4: Rashad is on the defense now. Jones is fighting his fight, keeping the action at a distance and picking Evans apart with his jab. Jones leaps in, misses a shot and stuffs a takedown attempt. Rashad hesitates and reaches in for a double leg, but Jones repels it easily. Jones gets in tight and drops his hands right but Evans doesn't attack. Jones' pressure is unbelievable right now. Rashad unleashes a flurry but Jones slips it and grabs hold of his neck, looking for a choke. Jones doesn't have it locked in, though he gives Evans a knee to the body on the way out. Evans is starting to look tired. Jones shoots in for a power double at the horn. Evans sprawls and fights it off. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.
Round 5: The pace picks up for the final five minutes. Jones opens up with his jab, followed by a thunderous body shot. The champ has his hands at his waist, taunting his rival. Another combination lands flush for Jones. Rashad misses wildly with a spinning back fist and Jones jumps in with a flying knee. Jones briefs clinches, throws a solid left hook then disengages. Bones flat out tosses Evans to the ground. He's looking to finish, but Rashad fights it off and stands. Thirty seconds left and Evans needs to do something desperate. Jones jumps in and pulls guard. Evans looking to land a big shot, but it's too little, too late. Jon Jones remains the UFC light heavyweight champion. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.
Jon Jones def. Rashad Evans via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45).
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad, evan, kick
Read the full article at AOL Fanhouse
UFC 145: Jon Jones puts an End to Rivalry With Evans
In the main event of UFC 145 Jon Jones successfully defended his light heavyweight title and put an end to the long heated rivalry between him and Rashad Evans.
Retweet this
Share on Facebook
• Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn
Posted in: ufc, jone, end, evan, bull
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Joes post-UFC 145 Interview
Shortly afterr his decisive victory over nemesis Rashad Evans on Saturday night, Jon Jones had some humble words to say, and even showed respect for his opponent's boxing and wrestling skillset. Admitting to being tagged, with some hard shots from Rashad Evans, Jones rpomised to come back as an improved fighter.He was also very gracious to his fans on the
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad, evan, opponents boxing
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145
Jon Jones beat Rashad Evans by unanimous decision to retain his UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 145. While it may not have lived up to the expectations of many for being sold as a grudge match, it's another notch in the belt of the great Jones.
Video is after the jump.
Here's how Bloody Elbow described the first round of action in the live blog:
They do touch gloves at the intro and both men drop to the three point stance before the opening bell. Jones walking forward. Jones to the body, Rashad with a counter but nothing really there. Head kick by Jones just misses. Knee by Jones after a missed punch by Rashad. Jumping side kick t the knee attempt by Jones. Big punches by Rashad land, nice combination. Head kick by Jones, right hand follow-up. Leg kick by Jones now. Halfway through the first round and Rashad lands a short right. Jab by Jones lands hard. Big left by Jones gets in. Leg kick by Evans. Body kick doubled up by Jones, he looks crisp early. Evans still not quite figuring out the range of the fight. Leg kick by Evans, left hook by Jones. Right hand by Evans, body shot by Jones. Head kick by Jones and Jon is hurt. Interesting first round, 10-9 Evans, but that head kick was a serious moment.
You can read the whole fight description here.
The video:
Posted in: jone, rashad, head, evan, kick
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Main Card Recap: Jones Retains Title, MacDonald Crushes Mills; Rothwell, McDonald, Yagin, and Bocek all Victorious
While the main event certainly did not provide the amount of electricity in the prefight hype, or in the clouds of Atlanta, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones used his superior striking and reach to control Rashad Evans for the majority of their five-round bout. In the co-main event, Rory MacDonald survived early trouble to batter Che Mills to the point his face was a bloody swollen mess.
In other action, Ben Rothwell survived an early scare to put away Brendan Schaub, while Michael McDonald, Eddie Yagin, and Mark Bocek also notched victories in their respective bouts.
Jones Pummels Evans
The “dark and stormy night” horror story cliche proved true for Rashad Evans as no matter how much hatred he held for his former training partner, he was never able mount much offense outside of a headkick early in the fight.
Evans’s nightmare was perhaps the worst in the second round, as Jones pummeled the former champion with brutal elbows that left a nasty welt on the side of Evans face. After that round, Evans only showed flashes of meaningful offense and Jones picked Rashad apart from range and stuffed his takedowns.
Jones showed an impressive array of striking techniques throughout the fight and kept coming from multiple angles that frustrated the smaller Evans.
After the fight, a dejected Evans went and shook hands with Jones and also embraced his former coach and mentor, Greg Jackson.
MacDonald Batters Mills, Insists on More Time To Develop
Rory MacDonald had to overcome an early scare as Che Mills connected a hard shot early that forced MacDonald to get the fight to the ground in a hurry. From that point on the fight was all MacDonald, as he battered Mills for the remainder of the first round and until a referee’s stoppage in the second.
After the fight, a very humble MacDonald insisted his opponent was much better than advertised and stated that he wants to start proving himself against the top fighters in the division.
Rothwell Comes From Behind to Knockout Schaub
Big Ben Rothwell proved tonight that sometimes he is most dangerous when he is fighting for survival. The big man found himself reeling as Schaub closed in for the kill. After being clipped by another Schaub cross, a wild Rothwell left hook found its mark and floored Schaub cold. When Schaub came to, he had no clue what happened.
McDonald Floors Torres
Michael McDonald showed impressive poise against a very game Miguel Torres tonight in Atlanta. The two fighters exchanged strikes before McDonald landed a blistering uppercut to jab to uppercut combo that separated Torres from consciousness. The impressive win vaults the young fighter into definite contender status.
Yagin Victorious Over Hominick
For Mark Hominick, it was too little too late, as a dominant third round was unable to make up for two rounds in which he was floored by the wild and powerful shots of Eddie Yagin. While Hominick recovered from both knockdowns in each round, he was unable to do enough to convince the judges he had recovered enough to win the round.
Hominick did his best work in the third, as he staggered an exhausted Yagin with a barrage of strikes. Yagin showed heart however and held off the former number one contender.
Bocek Cruises Past Alessio
Mark Bocek’s ground game proved too much for veteran fighter, and late replacement, John Alessio. While Alessio gave it everything he had, Bocek was just that much better from start to finish in the bout.
Full Results
Main Card
Jon Jones def. Rashad Evans via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Rory MacDonald def. Che Mills via TKO (strikes) at 2:20 of Round 2
Ben Rothwell def. Brendan Schaub via TKO (punches) at 1:10 of Round 1
Michael McDonald def. Miguel Torres via knockout (uppercut) at 3:18 of Round 1
Eddie Yagin def. Mark Hominick via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Mark Bocek def. John Alessio via unanimous decision (30-27,29-28,30-27)
FX Preliminary Card
Travis Browne def. Chad Griggs via submission (arm-triangle) at 2:29 of Round 1
Matt Brown def. Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27, 30-27)
Anthony Njokuani def. John Makdessi via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27)
Mac Danzig def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Facebook Card
Chris Clements def. Keith Wisniewski via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Marcus Brimage def. Maximo Blanco via split decision (28-29,30-27, 29-28)
Posted in: jone, round, decision, macdonald, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis
Jon Jones beating Rashad Evans and doing it with relative ease speaks to just how truly great Jones is as a professional fighter. For a fighter of his age to come into a fight against Rashad Evans, one of the greatest light heavyweights the sport has ever seen, at UFC 145 and win every round proves that he's a special kind of fighter. In fact, with wins over Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and Mauricio Rua, Jones' resume is arguably the best of any 205 pound fighter in the history of the sport.
But the truth is, this felt lacking. I'm not saying that to be negative, although I'm sure that's how people will take it.
This felt like when MMA fans tune into a heavily hyped boxing PPV only to get something like Floyd Mayweather against Shane Mosley, a rather boring and by-the-numbers affair. It was a letdown. This was supposed to be special, instead it felt like two guys just going through the motions. Jon Jones was the better fighter coming in to the fight, I don't know that there were too many who truly doubted that. It just felt like the inevitable playing out with flashes of brilliance but mostly just the better fighter being better.
It certainly didn't feel like the end to a huge grudge match and that kind of satisfaction can't be underrated. Liddell vs. Ortiz, Ortiz vs. Shamrock, the great UFC rivalries felt like they had that cathartic moment, this just happened and ended.
Full card thoughts after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
The UFC delivers such a strong product that I think we've all gotten a little spoiled. The card as a whole fell flat, but this was always supposed to be about Jones vs. Evans. So the lackluster undercard not being held up by a true blowoff to this huge feud only makes the weak undercard feel worse.
I thought Joe Rogan turned in one of his strongest performances in recent memory tonight, using smart analogies, delivering simple information and not getting as hung up as he tends to on minute (and unimportant) technical details that distract from the action. Goldberg on the other had? Awful. When he said that it Chris Clements was "throwing a punch like driving a car" I had no clue what the hell he meant. And that was just one of many stumbles for Mike.
Che Mills is talented enough in the stand-up but he never stood a realistic chance. No matter how hard Rogan tried to prop him up as an "elite, elite fighter" the truth was that he was there to be the guy Rory MacDonald beat up. Mills landed a bit on the feet at the start of their fight, but in the end Rory got takedowns whenever he wanted and absolutely demolished the overmatched Mills. MacDonald is a rare talent and is going to make some huge waves in his career. Along with Jones and Alexander Gustafsson, he's a huge part of the future of this sport.
Ben Rothwell knocked Brendan Schaub out in a fashion so violent it shut off all but the instinctual animal part of Schaub's brail as Brendan lay prone on the ground flailing his arms and legs while clearly out. It was a shocking upset, but Rothwell deserves all the credit in the world for not giving up on his career and really dedicating himself to his training. He looks like a new man and is a threat to knock out any man.
Michael McDonald is a legitimate title contender at 135 pounds. He starched Miguel Torres and it really showed how good McDonald can be when he attacks and doesn't sit back fighting passively. I'd pay to watch McDonald challenge for the title tomorrow if asked.
Mark Hominick's career as a title level fighter is basically over. After his brutal KO and then losing to Eddie Yagin, a guy he was supposed to run though, he just doesn't look like the guy who "has it" anymore.
Mark Bocek is pretty damn good. He's not a top tier kind of guy, but he's going to beat guys like John Alessio all day, every day.
Travis Browne needs to be fighting better talent. I'm still not sure what I think about him beyond that he has a lot of upside. Going from fights against Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve to Rob Broughton and Chad Griggs isn't really allowing anyone to learn much about Browne as a fighter.
Pretty much everyone's worries about Stephen Thompson came true. He fought well, but Matt Brown was just too gritty and too well rounded for Thompson at this stage in his development. A little more takedown defense and a better ground game and Thompson can run through people, but he's not there yet.
Anthony Njokuani and John Makdessi didn't deliver to the extent people wanted, but I thought it was a very interesting fight. Njokuani is always interesting to watch, I wish he'd throw his jab more, he has a great one. Makdessi just had no real solution to the problems Makdessi presented.
Posted in: fight, guy, jone, fighter, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 results: Rashad Evans fails against Jon Jones with wacky game plan
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" is in the books from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and one of the biggest grudge matches in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA) has come and gone. Or at least they told us it was one of the biggest ever.
In the main event of the evening, UFC Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones maintained his spot at the throne by cruising to a decision victory over his former teammate, training partner, and friend, Rashad Evans. It was a five-round affair that, more than anything, truly drove home the fact that Jones just might be untouchable at 205-pounds.
However, there's something else worth mentioning here: Evans seemingly fought with the exact game plan he said he couldn't if he wanted to win.
Previous opponents of Jonny "Bones" all ran into a similar problem when trying to figure him out, and Evans quickly realized the same after just a few minutes in the Octagon with him. He's just too long. Too lanky. His limbs are like missiles and they can launch from a range that's nearly impossible to prepare for.
We know this because Evans had seen it. He had sparred with Jones before. Maybe now we can definitively say that sparring with someone isn't anything close to exchanging actual punches with bad intentions behind them. Or maybe Jones is just so damn good it didn't matter what Rashad did.
But it was curious to say the least that "Suga" stayed at a perfect distance for Jones to score points with push kicks, leg kicks, head kicks, spinning side kicks, Nike kicks, every kick you can think of and even a few that you can't. Evans also committed to so few takedown attempts they're not even worth remembering.
At times it felt like Evans was trying to recreate his infamous knockout of Chuck Liddell in the very same building at UFC 88 in 2008. He let Jones push him against the fence and tried like hell to land a big overhand right. But once he connected with it and the champion shrugged it off like it was nothing, no adjustments were made.
It was as though Evans accepted the inevitable. In a way, I guess he did.
And now fight fans and pundits will have to do the same. Bad game plan, poor execution, whatever it may have been, Jonny "Bones" Jones is simply the better fighter. Better than Evans, better than the rest of his weight class (by a mile) and maybe better than everyone in every other weight class, too.
For a detailed recap of the "Jones vs. Evans" showdown click here and for complete UFC 145 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, weight class, game plan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaChamp is Here: UFC 145 results- Jon Jones elbows and toys with Rashad Evans in five round decision win
UFC 145 Jones vs. Evans resultsAtlanta, GAJon Jones def. Rashad Evans via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)Rory MacDonald def. Che Mills via TKO (punches) 2:20 R2Ben Rothwell def. Brendan Schaub via TKO (punches) 1:10 R1Michael McDonald def. Miguel Torres via knockout (punches) 3:18 R1Eddie Yagin def. Mark Hominick via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Mark Bocek def. John Alessio via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)Travis Browne def. Chad Griggs via submission arm triangle choke 2:29 R1Matt Brown def. Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-28)Anthony Njokuani def. John Makdessi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Mac Danzig def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)Chris Clements def. Keith Wisniewski via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)Marcus Brimage def. Maximo Blanco via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Posted in: decision, rashad evans, evan, chad griggs, round decision
Read the full article at UltMMAJones wins decision over Evans to retain title
Jon Jones used his reach advantage to take a unanimous decision over Rashad Evans on Saturday and retain his UFC light heavyweight title.
Posted in: title, jone, decision, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.ca
Jones vs. Evans Official UFC Statistics
UFC 145 - Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, official, evan
Read the full article at Fight MetricUFC 145 Results: Jon Jones Retains Belt in Decision Win Over Rashad Evans
ATLANTA -- Shogun. Rampage. Lyoto. Rashad.
Jon Jones successfully navigated the murderer's row of opposition, adding former training partner and friend Rashad Evans to his resume with a unanimous decision win in the UFC 145 main event at Philips Arena. The champ won by scores of 50-45, 49-46, 49-46.
More Coverage: UFC 145 Results | UFC News
"It's definitely my most satisfying victory," Jones said afterward. "I did a lot of things I didn't plan. I didn't want to make any mistakes. I didn't feel the cleanest, but who I beat, it was very important to me."
The two fought a measured first. Jones took the center of the cage and walked Evans around the perimeter, keeping him at distance. Evans had trouble navigating the space, getting punished with a hard knee his first time wading forward. But he seemed to find the distance as the round wore on, and had his moment late as he landed a head kick that backed Jones up. Jones was never really in any trouble though, and landed a hard left of his own at the closing horn.
Jones buckled him with an uppercut early in the second, but Evans bounced back quickly as he maintained his movement. Jones calmly followed him around and closed the distance with elbows. Evans got rocked with a right hand against the fence but he initiated a clinch, giving him recovery time. But Jones kept on with his attack, utilizing a series of standing elbows as a serious weapon. Jones also hurt Evans in the final seconds with a left hook that punctuated a dominant round.
Evans showed his resolve in the third, landing his best punch of the fight, an overhand right that scored, but Jones took it without much issue. Jones wobbled Evans again with a flying knee midway through. Soon after, he scored with a body kick as Evans appeared to start to tire.
The entire first three rounds were fought standing, but Evans finally attempted to bring Jones to the mat in the fourth. Jones, however, stuffed the attempt, as well as a follow-up moments later. Evans shot in again a minute later, and Jones latched on to his neck and fired a knee to the body before Evans could pull away.
Though he was cruising towards a win, Jones didn't slow up in the last round, hurting the challenger with a crisp right. His varied offense continued but he didn't come close to putting him away. Jones scored his first takedown in the final minute, landing one strike but Evans was able to pop up and escape further trouble. Jones pulled guard in the final few seconds, but Evans landed a few strikes to close it out.
"He was pretty crafty and tricky, stuff like that," Evans said. "Give him props, he kept me on my toes.
The 24-year-old champ is now 16-1 following his third successful title defense. Evans is 17-2-1.
Posted in: ufc, jone, round, evan, didnt
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 Results: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones Cruises To Decision Win Over Rashad Evans
Jon Jones wasn't able to finish Rashad Evans, but he controlled a large portion of the bout and easily picked up a unanimous decision victory in the main event of UFC 145. Rashad was able to get his licks in on occasion, but Jones landed stiff shots that staggered Rashad multiple times in the bout and Rashad was never really in it. His elbows were particularly effective. The judges had it 49-46, 49-46, and 50-45 for Jones, who defended his UFC light heavyweight title for the third time. Both fighters gave each other props in their post-fight interviews.Jones opened the bout with a body shot. It was Bones coming forward early, and he threw a big head kick. Rashad waded inside, but ate a good knee for his troubles. Jones missed with a looping right, and Rashad responded with two straight punches. Jones landed a head kick and a looping right, along with a leg kick. Jones again went back to the head kick, and landed a nice jab. Jones landed a left hook, but Rashad responded with a leg kick. Jones was definitely the one with more offense over the first four minutes of the fight. Jones returned to the jab and left hook, and once again Rashad responded with a leg kick. Evans landed a head kick of his own, and Jones backed off. Jones looked for a flying knee but missed, and Jones ended the first stanza with a right hook.
Evans landed a few punches inside early in the second, but Jones staggered him with a left. Rashad landed a nice left, and caught Jones with a kick while Jones as wading in. Jones strafed Rashad with an elbow, and another one, which briefly dropped Evans. He popped up and clinched. Jones held him against the fence and landed a knee to the thigh, then strafed him with yet another elbow. Jones threw a head kick, while Evans looked to land to the body. Jones went back to the elbows and found success. Rashad was still there though, and landed a nice right hook. Jones looked for a flying knee with 10 seconds to go, and the fighters exchanged punches to finish the second round.
Rashad landed a big overhand right thirty seconds into the third, which backed Jones off for a second. He responded with a right hook of his own. Both fighters swung and missed with right hooks. Jones was finally able to connect with a flush kick. The pace of the first half of this round was a bit slower than the second. Jones wobbled Rashad again with a kick and looked for a flying knee, but Rashad responded well. The fighters traded in the pocket a bit, with neither one getting a real advantage. Jones started to land more body and leg kicks. Evans shot in for a takedown, but it was easily stuffed by Bones. Evans connected with a nice body shot near the end of the round.
The pace continued to be a bit slower in the fourth, with each fighter not connecting on much over the first minute. Jones looked for a spinning elbow but Evans was well out of the way. Jones landed a few jabs and some leg kicks. Jones caught a leg kick and hit Evans with a right hook. Evans went for a takedown, but was easily rebuffed. Jones dropped his hands to see what Rashad would do, but he didn't do anything. Jones started hopping around and changed stances, and once again stuffed a takedown attempt. He briefly thought about a guillotine, but let it go. Rashad looked for the home run right hand, but couldn't connect. Jones started throwing shoulder checks in the clinch, which was odd.
Rashad landed a leg kick while Jones danced around the outside to open the fifth and final round. Jones backed Evans against the cage, then landed a big right. Rashad tried to throw, but Jones was out of range before he could ever come close to connecting. Jones winged the right again, but this time Rashad ducked out of the way. Rashad went for a spinning backfist, but it wasn't close. Jones hit a jumping knee and worked Evans against the cage. They clinched up and heard some boos from the crowd. Jones landed a left hook when they finally separate. Jones went back to the clinch shoulder checks, then threw Evans to the ground. Jones couldn't capitalize though, and Evans popped up. Evans attacked in the last thirty seconds, but Jones inexplicably pulled guard with 10 seconds to go. The bout ended with Evans trying to land punches on the ground unsuccessfully.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: jone, right, rashad, evan, kick
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 results: Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans to retain light heavyweight title
After over a year's worth of build and a massive amount of hype along the way, the rivalry between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and his former friend and training partner, Rashad Evans, culminated inside the Octagon at tonight's (Sat., April 21, 2012) UFC 145 event at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
And the champion is here to stay.
Jonny "Bones" may have proved tonight, without a shadow of a doubt, that he's the toughest light heavyweight in the world today. His long limbs kept Evans at bay throughout the duration of the fight. They also allowed him to score points where his opponent could not.
Evans showed flashes of offense that looked as though it could turn the tide in his favor but Jones all too often shrugged off big overhand right punches that landed clean on his chin.
By the time it was over, Jones had earned a unanimous decision victory to defend his 205-pound title and firmly establish himself as the very best in the world at his weight.
Who can beat this man?
Jones opened to the body early and fell. Rashad failed to capitalize, though, and remained at a distance. He clearly wanted to stay away from Jones' long limbs, though he wasn't doing a great job of it. Jabs, too. Evans first jump in was unsuccessful.
Evans, interestingly, stayed at the distance he said others were mistaken to. Despite this, he was doing well to avoid a lot of the champion's offense, which included plenty of kicks, low, high, and everything in between.
Patience was the name of the game, mostly. Both men were fighting smart. Jones was scoring with shots that weren't doing a lot of damage, simply because he was the only one able to land from so far away. Evans was failing to get inside and it was showing.
Late in the round, Evans landed a head kick that looked to stagger Jones. This led to a failed takedown attempt to end the frame.
Whew. So intense.
They opened round two the same as round one, patient as ever. A clinch led to a short elbow from Jones but nothing too big. The exchanges didn't favor either man throughout the beginning of the frame. Evans started taunting here, as he easily slid away from "Bones'" offense.
Jones continued to press forward but Evans was solid in his timing. Jones' started landing elbows, though, and one of them rocked Rashad and had him woozy against the fence. This led to a clinch, where Jones maintained the status quo.
Once they reset, Rashad appeared to be okay. Jones kept coming with the elbows, though, and they were landing. Evans had no answer for them, either.
A flying knee and a left hook from Jones had Rashad shaky to end the round and it appeared to be a matter of time before the champion asserted his will. It was a very bad round for the challenger.
Total momentum shift.
Evans gained some of his confidence back with a big right hand early but Jones seemed to shake it off well enough. "Suga" tried to keep the pressure on, however, just as his corner was shouting for him to. He started backing off a bit, though, and it allowed the champ to recover.
Suddenly we were back to Jones pushing Evans against the fence and Rashad circling around.
Not much going mid-way through the third after a dominant second round for Jones. Another flying knee into an elbow from Jones and Evans looked hurt ... again. He answered back with an overhand right but Jones proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that his chin could hold up.
Through three, it still looked like Jones fight to lose.
They tied up a bit more in the fourth round but once again, Jones proved too difficult to get to the floor. Granted, Evans didn't look too committed to the takedown but Jones was shrugging them off like he was playing with his children.
It was a game of control and Jones had it all.
Evans looked helpless by this point, swinging and missing while Jones was relaxed and confident in his approach, all while staying aggressive and keeping the pressure on.
Jones even landed a few shoulder strikes. That's right, I said shoulder strikes.
Headed to round five, it was clear Evans needed a stoppage to win the fight. He didn't look confident in the corner. He jut looked tired and worn.
Evans came out looking far more fresh than in previous rounds. He had the urgency, he just needed to find a way to translate it into effective offense. Unfortunately, that's not what happened.
Jones continued to push forward and played his game. Which is what it looked like, too. Jones was a kid with a controller, playing his game and having fun throwing whatever he wanted to throw and knowing his former teammate couldn't do a damn thing about it.
By the time it was over, all was clear. Jon Jones is the best in the world at 205-pounds, and maybe beyond.
Remember, too, to check out MMAmania.com's complete round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 145 by clicking here.
Posted in: jone, round, rashad, game, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Live Blog: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
This is the UFC 145 live blog for Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, a light heavyweight bout on tonight's UFC event from Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga.Jones, who has won his past six fights, will defend his title against Evans, who has won four straight fights, on the main card.Check out the live blog below.
More Coverage: UFC 145 Results | UFC News
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Round 4:
Round 5:
Posted in: ufc, round, blog, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Results
ATLANTA -- They're tired of talking about it, you're tired of reading about and I'm tired of writing about it. Thankfully, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans is finally here. As intriguing as all the pre-fight bickering was, everyone's ready to move on to the actual fisticuffs. The exhausting build-up should at least lead into a quality UFC 145 main event. Jones was installed as and remains a sizable favorite, as much as 6-to-1, according to some oddsmakers, but that number is a bit out-of-whack with reality.Evans has not been a fan favorite for most of his career, and partly because of it, he's suffered when it's come to receiving credit for his accomplishments. In today's modern MMA world of extreme weight-cutting, Evans should probably be a middleweight. There's little doubt he could make 185, but he's just never made the move because he didn't have to. He's beaten Chuck Liddell and Quinton Jackson and Tito Ortiz, and someday, maybe he will get the credit he deserves. Maybe it will come if he beats Jones on Saturday.
That will be, quite literally, a tall order.At 6-foot-4, Jones will have a five-inch height advantage on Evans, and a ridiculous reach advantage of nearly 10 inches. Because of that, Evans will have some distance to navigate.He's said several interesting things this week, but one of the most interesting things he said was that Jones doesn't necessarily use that reach well. "As a tall fighter, he doesn't fight tall," he said on Thursday. "He gives away his height a lot with his stance. In MMA, you do want to give away your height to an extent, but he does it a lot. He doesn't fight long and rangy. I'm sure that's something that Mike Winkeljohn and those guys have been working on him with, but as of his last few fights, he doesn't fight like a tall fighter."That goes against almost everything you hear about Jones. Even though he's not the type of fighter to pump out the jab repeatedly, he does throw a lot of front kicks, which serve the same purpose of keeping an opponent at distance. Perhaps Evans simply sees something that others don't. Years ago, when Randy Couture fought Tim Sylvia as a huge underdog, he spoke with the same kind of certainty about the same aspect, and he went out and demolished Sylvia after flooring him with his very first punch.But Jones is a different kind of beast to slay. It's not that he's unbeatable, it's just that he offers so many problems to solve that it becomes too much until his opponent drowns. He lands 52 percent of his strikes. He doesn't get hit much. He's so far proven impossible to take down, and he seems to take down whoever he wants.On the other hand, Evans doesn't go into this fight with any sort of awe for Jones, because he's had first-hand experience against him. Even if that version of Jones isn't the same as the one he'll face on Saturday, it was close enough to give Evans confidence, whether it's in specific positions or the totality of the fight.The biggest problem for Evans to solve will be getting inside. He noted during fight week that Jones tends to confuse opponents by throwing a lot of different looks at them. He'll switch from southpaw to orthodox. He'll target the body then the head. He'll throw spinning punches and elbows. He disguises his takedowns. All of that leaves the guy standing across from in the mode of reactionary rather than aggressor.According to Evans, when that happens, the fight speeds up. Your mind has to start processing things instead of simply reacting to them. And that's dangerous. So how would he combat that? He'd want to strike first. He'd want to be the initiator. He'd want to put Jones into a position of adversity to see if he'll break.This is not a fight he'll want to fight outside for long distances. Expect him to try to clinch and work Jones against the fence, hoping to sap him of some of his energy. Evans does good work in that position, and it takes some of Jones' best attributes away. But getting inside for the clinch won't be an easy task. Jones has manhandled most of the opposition that's dared to wade inside, taking them down, where his ground and pound has become nearly an automatic finish. Evans probably trusts his wrestling to stand up more than Jones' previous opponents, so he'll no doubt go for this position.If they do stand from the outside, it's Evans' power and speed against Jones' versatility. Evans doesn't historically attack the legs with kicks. He's more of a headhunter. Take for instance his most recent fight against Phil Davis, when he landed just one kick among his 106 scoring strikes, according to FightMetric. He did the same thing against Thiago Silva in 2010, with only two of his landed strikes going to the legs. Jackson had some success against Jones with kicks, so it will be interesting to see if Evans sprinkles this element into his offense.The true X-factor, though, is Jones' power. The only knock on him is the lack of one-punch knockout power, but rest assured it's coming. His technique is getting better, and he's growing into his body. He briefly wobbled both Jackson and Machida. Sometime soon, he's going to start flooring his opponents with single blows. Does that start on Saturday? Maybe. Evans has been historically underrated for everything he's accomplished, and a win over Jones would be his most impressive, because it would undoubtedly come against a champion in his prime. But in my opinion, the obstacles are just too many. Evans may have some success with the early clinch, but Jones will adjust, and eventually turn it into a takedown. Evans isn't going to get overwhelmed on the ground. He's too competent there, but things are going to get uncomfortable for him if he repeatedly finds himself in the disadvantageous position. He said himself that Jones gets in opponents' minds with his diverse attacks, and it's the same thing he'll face as his normal wrestling advantage is negated. In the end, Jones beats his fourth straight former UFC light-heavyweight champ, this time by fourth-round TKO.
Posted in: fight, jone, hell, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseDid Goldie just unleash a stream of swear words on the facebook prelims?
Sounded like he mispronounced Evans as "Evan" and then said something like "Fuck it, evanS, evanS, you motherfucker. Rogan shouted "stop it" and Goldie said something like "shit" and they cut the whole stream. submitted by Elanthius [link] [6 comments]
Posted in: facebook prelims, evan, mispronounced evans, motherfucker rogan, evans evans
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Live Results
After countless clashes in the media the time has finally arrived for UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and top contender Rashad Evans to stop talking and start fighting! The former teammates will settle their personal score tonight at UFC 145 when Jones puts his title on the line against the 17-1-1 Evans in hopes of racking up yet another victory over a man who previously held the belt.
Other fights scheduled for this evening’s event include sensational welterweight Rory MacDonald mixing it up with rising Brit Che Mills, as well as Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald and Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell.
A Look at the Latest Episode of UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans
As always, Fighters.com will be watching things from the opening bell until the close of the curtain, reporting results back to readers as things go down in Atlanta. Prelims start at 7:00 PM EST on Facebook then head to FX at 8:00 PM EST before the PPV pairings come into play at 10:00 PM EST.
A full list of UFC 145 winners/losers can be found below:
Keith Wisniewski vs. Chris Clements
Marcus Brimage vs. Maximo Blanco
Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs
Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson
John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani
Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero
Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, pm, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
At UFC 145, the UFC's big rivalry finally gets settled as Jon Jones (15-1; 9-1 UFC) faces Rashad Evans (17-1-1; 12-1-1 UFC). The UFC 145 main event is for Jones's UFC Light Heavyweight title, and will be his 3rd defense of the belt. The USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings currently have Jones ranked at #1 in the Light Heavyweight division and Evans close behind him at #3. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
What to say about the history behind this fight? The details leading up to this title defense have been well documented. This highly personal battle began when both men were training under Greg Jackson in Albuquerque. Jackson's fighters have long been hesitant to fight each other, and when Jones said he would be willing to fight Evans, it led to a huge rift between the two. Now, Evans has left Jackson's to train at Imperial Athletics under Mike van Arsdale, and the war of words between the two has been intense. There is a lot of baggage each man brings to this fight, and it's clear this is a win that means much more than just the title.
How do these two stack up?
Jones: 24 years old | 6'4" | 84.5" reachEvans: 32 years old | 5'11" | 75" reach
What have these two done recently?
Jones: W - Lyoto Machida (Sub) | W - Quinton Jackson (Sub) | W - Mauricio Rua (TKO)Evans: W - Phil Davis (UD) | W - Tito Ortiz (TKO) | W - Quinton Jackson (UD)
How did these two get here?
Jon "Bones" Jones steps into this fight as one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world and arguably the face of the UFC today. He is coming off a spectacular 2011 that rivals any fighter in the history of the sport for best single year. During that year, he broke out of the pack of Light Heavyweight contenders by defeating Ryan Bader, won the title from Shogun Rua, then defended it twice against Rampage and Lyoto. And all 4 men he completely shut down, with only Lyoto having any margin of success. He's quickly placed himself right alongside Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre as a fighter who just feels unbeatable right now. While his attitude rubs a lot of the people the wrong way, I can't see how you can deny his amazing talent.
Suga Rashad Evans is a former Light Heavyweight champion whose path back to the title has been arduous. After losing the belt to Machida (the first loss of Rashad's career), he's been frustrated by injuries to himself and his opponents, and myriad delays. Finally, after going 4-0 since that title loss, he's back to reclaim the title. Evans is a fighter who has shown great evolution in his career, and his recent time training with the likes of Tyrone Spong has showed that continued growth. He's now a very strong striker who is superb at using his strikes to set up his wrestling.
Why should you care?
Are you serious? This is THE money fight for the UFC right now. Huge personal issues, plus two very interestingly matched up fighters. If you are not pumped for this fight, get pumped. Right now.
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills
In a Welterweight clash at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, Rory MacDonald (12-1, 3-1 UFC) meets Che Mills (14-4(1); 1-0 UFC). This is the semi-main event of the evening. MacDonald is currently ranked as the #12 Welterweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings, while Mills is unranked. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
The UFC promotion for this fight has built it up as a battle between two future stars of the company. That kind of build is accurate for MacDonald, who has looked stellar in his latest fights. But for Mills, who is only in his 2nd UFC fight, it feels a bit exaggerated. This is definitely a fight between two rising talents - but the gap between MacDonald and Mills at the moment is pretty significant.
How do these two stack up?
MacDonald: 22 years old | 6'0" | 76.5" reachMills: 29 years old | 6'0"
What have these two done recently?
MacDonald: W - Mike Pyle (TKO) | W - Nate Diaz (UD) | L - Carlos Condit (TKO)Mills: W - Chris Cope (TKO) | W - Marcio Cesar (KO) | W - Magomed Shikhshabekov (UD)
How did these two get here?
Canada's Rory MacDonald has quickly climbed the ranks of the Welterweight division since his UFC debut in 2010. After a loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 115 (in a fight where MacDonald had the future champ in some real trouble), MacDonald came back strong with an absolute domination over Nate Diaz. He looked good again against Pyle, but has been sidelined with injury since that August win. A training partner of Georges St. Pierre at TriStar Gym, MacDonald already has received a lot of comparisons to his pound for pound great teammate. He's one of the most hyped UFC fighters right now, which means he has a lot to live up to every time he fights.
Che Mills is an English fighter who made his official UFC debut last year, defeating Chris Cope in a 40 second KO of the Night performance at UFC 138. He also made an appearance on season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter, losing in the qualifying round. Mills has made his name fighting mainly in the UK for organizations like Cage Rage and Bamma, where he holds wins over Marius Zaromskis and Jake Hecht. He's currently on a 5 fight win streak.
Why should you care?
With due respect to Mills, you should care because the hype about MacDonald is true - this 21 year old could indeed be the future of the Welterweight division. If you haven't already, get on board now. And if Mills pulls off the upset? Then he inherits that momentum and hype.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, macdonald, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones vs Rashad Evans full fight video preview for UFC 145 main event
We're just hours away now from tonight's (Sat., April 21, 2012) UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" event from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Which means the clock is ridiculously close to hitting zero on the countdown to one of the biggest fights of the year.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will put his 205-pound strap on the line against number one contender (for what seems like forever) Rashad Evans.
The champion's final words for his challenger:
"He is in my head and I want him in my head, I like him in my head. That's when I train better, that's when I focus more. Before I came along, who was the cocky guy in the UFC? When Rashad Evans blows kisses and grabs his crotch and does all this unsportsmanlike classless stuff, is that the guy you guys want to be your champion?"
Evans is a dog just waiting to be unleashed inside that cage:
"Jon is setting himself up for a fall that I don't think he can take. You get to a certain position and then you start believing your own hype. And once you start drinking the kool-aid, it's over. My inner dog is going to take over and I'm not going to remember what happened until after the fight when I've got my hand raised."
Last chance for predictions, Maniacs. Who 'ya got?
Posted in: ufc, evan, i train, head thats, head i
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell
The UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans card will feature Heavyweight action as Brendan Schaub (8-2; 4-2 UFC) faces Ben Rothwell (31-8; 1-2 UFC). This is the fourth of six fights on the main PPV card. Schaub is currently ranked as the #12 Heavyweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings; Rothwell is unranked. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
This is the lone Heavyweight fight on the card and is an important fight for both men. This is a battle between two fighters who have the potential to make an impact in the UFC, but are now coming off of losses. Back to back losses would be bad for either man, and for Rothwell in particular, dropping to 1-3 in the UFC would be a disaster. It will be interesting to see if both bring a greater degree of urgency into Saturday's fight.
How do these two stack up?
Schaub: 29 years old | 6'4" | 79.5" reachRothwell: 30 years old | 6'5" | 80" reach
What have these two done recently?
Schaub: L - Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (KO) | W - Mirko Filipovic (KO) | W - Gabriel Gonzaga (UD)Rothwell: L - Mark Hunt (UD) | W - Gilbert Yvel (UD) | L - Cain Velasquez (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Brendan "The Hybrd" Schaub comes to the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter, where he was on season 10. There, he made the finals before being knocked out by Roy Nelson. Coming into the UFC with a small 4-0 record, Schaub quickly showed that he was a legit talent in the Heavyweight division with 4 straight wins after the Nelson loss. Last summer, he was defeated by Big Nog in a highly emotional fight for many fans. Now, he's in the same position Ryan Bader found himself in after the Tito Ortiz loss - trying to remind everyone that he is a contender and that this loss was just a fluke.
Big Ben Rothwell came into the UFC as a well traveled and decorated veteran. A former IFL champion and product of the Miletich Fighting System, Rothwell had nearly 40 fights to his credit before entering the UFC, including a win over Nelson. But he's struggled in the UFC, going 1-2 and looking pretty bad in his last fight against Mark Hunt. Rothwell was, for years, one of the better unsigned Heavyweights, but it seems like he may have come to the UFC too late in his career to make a real run. I imagine he is fighting for his job here.
Why should you care?
There's always some appeal to the Heavyweights, no matter what. And both of these guys are tough. But make no mistake, this could get ugly.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones: “He’s gonna have some serious soul searching to do after this fight.”
After nearly a year in the making the curtain is only a few hours away from dropping on UFC 145, a card headlined by one of the most-hyped bouts in UFC history with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones taking on former teammate (and former title-holder) Rashad Evans. Each is on an impressive winning streak and is out to cement a legacy, as well as a personal score, in the highly anticipated tilt.
On the latest episode of UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans cameras caught up with the talented 205ers during the final build towards their fight including their arrival last week in Atlanta. Jones also made some interesting comments on Evans during the show, expressing concern about how Evans will respond when he comes up short in tonight’s fight.
“I just look at Rashad as being a lost soul. He’s said a lot and he’s disrespected me a lot. It seems like this whole camp he’s been more obsessed with trying to win over fans than trying to win this fight,” explained Jones. “I think him winning this belt is all he has left. And he’s not getting that either so he’s gonna have some serious soul searching to do after this fight.”
Check out the full episode below:
A Look at UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans (Episode 1)
A Look at UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans (Episode 2)
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, episode, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald
In what should be an exciting fight at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, former WEC Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres (40-4; 2-1 UFC) faces Michael McDonald (14-1; 3-0 UFC). This Bantamweight fight is the third of six fights on the main PPV card. The USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings currently have Torres ranked as the #6 Bantamweight in the world, with McDonald just below him at #8. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
While Torres may have more name recognition to many fans, this is a very well put together and even match-up. It's always nice to see two fighters so close in the rankings meet up, and these two compliment each other's skills nicely. It's also to some degree an example of the classic old guard vs. new guard match. Torres seems to be settling into a high-end gatekeeper kind of role, while McDonald is an exciting young prospect looking to break through into the upper echelon. This fight should tell us quite a lot about where each man stands.
How do these two stack up?
Torres: 31 years old | 5'9" | 76" reachMcDonald: 21 years old | 5'8" | 70" reach
What have these two done recently?
Torres: W - Nick Pace (UD ) | L - Demetrious Johnson (UD) | W - Antonio Banuelos (UD)
McDonald: W - Alex Soto (KO) | W - Chris Cariaso (SD) | W - Edwin Figueroa (UD)
How did these two get here?
Miguel Torres is the former WEC Bantamweight champion. During his title run there, from 2008 through early 2009, he was considered one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world. But since his 2009 title loss to Brian Bowles, he's struggled to find his footing, going 3-2 since that loss. He's also worked on reinventing himself as a more tactical fighter, to mixed results. Where does he sit in the Bantamweight division today? He's still clearly near the top, but his days as a title contender may be done. As I said, he's sliding into the veteran gatekeeper role - those who defeat him (Johnson, Benavidez) move on to title shots. Could that be McDonald's fate?
Michael "Mayday" McDonald came up through the California scene. He had one fight (a win over Clint Godfrey) in the WEC before it merged with the UFC. He's now on an impressive 7 fight win streak that includes a KO of the Night performance in his last fight against Soto. McDonald is gaining momentum, but he hasn't yet had that signature break-out moment. This could certainly be a coming out party for him, but it's also a decided step up in competition for the 21 year old.
Why should you care?
Veteran vs. young lion fights always get me interested, plus these are two incredibly exciting fighters. And, while he ha lost a step, I'm still a huge Torres mark, what can I say?
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, torre
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans complete 'Primetime' video series
It's been over a year since Jon Jones won the UFC light heavyweight championship from Mauricio Rua and began this long journey to a showdown against his former teammate and training partner, Rashad Evans.
Both have won multiple fights in the meantime. "Bones" defended his title twice by submitting both Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida while "Suga" ran through Tito Ortiz and Phil Davis. All just to set up tonight's (Sat., April 21, 2012) mega main event for UFC 145 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jones is a big favorite, around 4-to-1, actually, but Evans has done his best to convince fans he's got far more to offer than than the oddsmakers are giving him credit for.
But how can we determine as much? Well, UFC cameras went deep behind-the-scenes to get a look at how both men are preparing for the fight of their lives with a three-part "Primetime" series that aired on FX.
To read detailed recaps of episodes one, two, and three click here, here, and here. To simply watch all three shows, take the jump.
Episode one:
Episode two:
Episode three:
Remember, too, that MMAmania.com will deliver up-to-the-minute results and live fight coverage, including round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of all the UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" action before, during and after the event RIGHT HERE.
Posted in: ufc, jone, episode, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin
UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans features Featherweight action as former #1 contender Mark Hominick (20-10; 3-2 UFC) faces Eddie Yagin (15-5-1; 0-1 UFC). This is the second of six fights on the UFC 145 PPV card. Hominick is currently ranked as the #13 Featherweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings, with Yagin unranked. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
With due respect to Yagin, I think the story of this fight is all about Hominick. The proud Canadian fighter will be competing in his home country for the third straight time. He's lost his past two UFC fights, both in front of Canadian crowds. He's also fighting without long-time mentor Shawn Tompkins for just the 2nd time. There's a lot of pressure on Hominick here, and the question is - will he thrive under that pressure, or will it prove to be too much?
How do these two stack up?
Hominick: 29 years old | 5'8" | 68.5" reachYagin: 33 years old | 5'7"
What have these two done recently?
Hominick: L - Chan Sung Jung (KO) | L - Jose Aldo (UD) | W - George Roop (TKO)Yagin: L - Junior Assuncao (UD) | W - Joe Soto (Sub) | W - Joe Neri (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Mark "The Machine" Hominick is one of the finest technical strikers in all of MMA. He's had a long career fighting all over the world and using the superb kickboxing skills honed under coach Shawn Tompkins to great success. His greatest fame came last year when he challenged Jose Aldo for the UFC Featherweight title at UFC 129, losing a good fight but showing a ton of heart. After that fight, Tompkins, both his mentor and very close friend, died. Fighting without Tompkins in his corner, Hominick was upset by Chan Sung Jung in a 7 second KO at UFC 140. With back to back losses, he needs a win here.
Eddie Yagin has been a pro fighter for 11 years. He spent the majority of his early career fighting on the regional scene in his home in Hawaii. A few years ago, he made the move to the California scene and began training with Alliance MMA. In 2011 he scored the biggest win of his career, defeating former Bellator champion Joe Soto to become the Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight champion. Before he could defend that belt, he was signed by the UFC, where he lost his debut against Junior Assuncao at UFC 135.
Why should you care?
Plain and simple, because you want to know if Mark Hominick is back. When he's on, he is one of the most exciting strikers in the sport, and that's something I hope to see Saturday night.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, hominick, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio
The UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans PPV card kicks off with Lightweight division action. Mark Bocek (10-4; 6-4 UFC) will welcome veteran John Alessio (34-14; 0-3) back to the UFC. Neither man is currently ranked in the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
Alessio is stepping in as a replacement here for the injured Matt Wiman. Wiman vs. Bocek was an intriguing battle between two UFC Lightweight division stalwarts, both coming off wins. However, with Wiman injured, we get Alessio stepping in and presenting a very different story. The 14 year veteran of the sport will provide a different kind of challenge for the less experienced Bocek.
How do these two stack up?
Bocek: 30 years old | 5'9" | 75" reachAlessio: 32 years old | 5'9"
What have these two done recently?
Bocek: W - Nik Lentz (UD) | L - Ben Henderson (UD) | W - Dustin Hazelett (Sub)Alessio: W - Ryan Healy (UD) | W - Luiz Firmino (UD) | W - Shawn Fitzsimmons (Sub)
How did these two get here?
Mark Bocek has been a fixture of the UFC Lightweight division for some time. Since making his UFC debut in 2007, he's faced many of the division's elite, including Frankie Edgar, Jim Miller, and Ben Henderson. That tough schedule has led to a 6-4 UFC record, but Bocek is a very tough challenge for anyone. He's the kind of fighter who will give any opponent trouble, but he has not yet been able to get that big win or go on a real run to break free from the pack at 155 pounds.
John Alessio made his pro MMA debut back in 1998. With nearly 50 pro fights to his credit, he's done it all in MMA, competing for the UFC, Pride, WEC, Dream, and many more. He has an interesting UFC career as well. Alessio made his UFC debut way back at UFC 26, challenging Pat Miletich for the UFC Welterweight title. After losing that fight, he did not return to the Octagon until 2006 when he lost a close decision to the then undefeated Diego Sanchez in a fight where Alessio gave Sanchez a suprsising amount of trouble. He lost once more in the UFC to Thiago Alves, and has been fighting elsewhere ever since. He's currently riding a 10-1 streak that includes wins over Chris Clements and War Machine, and a loss to Siyar Bahadurzada.
Why should you care?
These are two pros, and you can expect this to be a very solid technical fight.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, bocek
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Travis Browne Vs. Chad Griggs
Who would have even considered this bout one year ago? One was chilling in Strikeforce, making his mark with with nasty sideburns and improbable victories. The other was coming off a brutal draw in one of the most boring fights ever. These guys are ready to throw down in Atlanta though. Travis Browne (12-0-1, 3-0-1 UFC) meets Chad Griggs (11-1, 0-0 UFC).
Browne is currently sitting at number 15 in the heavyweight division on the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Griggs is unranked. Browne's probably not going to move up much with a win, but Griggs would probably make his way onto the board if he can become the first man to beat Hapa. This heavyweight UFC 145 bout is the sixth and final fight on the preliminary card and the featured bout of the televised portion of the vent, and will air live on FX. The FX broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Browne: 29 years old | 6'7" | 78" reachGriggs: 33 years old | 6'3" | 73" reach
What have these two done recently?
Browne: W - Rob Broughton (UD) | W - Stefan Struve (KO) | D - Cheick KongoGriggs: W - Valentijn Overeem (SUB) | W - Gian Villante (TKO) | W - Bobby Lashley (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Travis "Hapa" Browne started his career with nine straight wins (the last coming over Dick Delaware) before he was signed by the UFC. He debuted at the TUF 10 Finale, stopping James McSweeney in the first round. His next bout was the aforementioned snoozefest with Cheick Kongo where Kongo kept grabbing his shorts. That went to a draw. He made up for it in his next bout with Stefan Struve, nailing him with a superman punch and folding him in half matrix-style. His last bout was against Rob Broughton at UFC 135, where he picked up a decision victory.
Chad "The Gravedigger" Griggs is the guilty pleasure of the heavyweight division. He was brought into Strikeforce to be fodder for Bobby Lashley. But Lashley got tired, and Griggs won. Then he went bonzo gonzo on Gian Villante, and knocked him out. Then he made Alistair Overeem's brother tap to strikes in just over two minutes. Then he was UFC-bound! Rejoice! The Gravedigger is here!
Why should you care?
Two men. Four fists. A bunch of tattoos. Terrible mutton chops. This bout has CHAD GRIGGS in it people. That's all you need to know!
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, browne, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 fight card: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight prediction, preview and breakdown
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight belt is on the line when Rashad Evans makes one of the longest-delayed attempts to regain a world championship when he takes on division champion Jon Jones in the UFC 145 main event later TONIGHT (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Initially slated to face Mauricio Rua in March 2011, the injured Evans was replaced by then-teammate Jones, whose victory and two subsequent defenses rounded out a year of four wins (he'd submitted Ryan Bader in February), which was the most impressive in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA) outside of Rua's tear through Pride in 2005.
There are many things about Jones that make him a difficult match up for any 205-pound fighter in the sport, or that ever lived. His length skews every obvious tactic in the book, whether it's standing -- where he pecks, swats and pokes from impossibly long distance -- or grappling -- where those endless limbs avail him to submission that simply don't exist in other guys' repertoires. Jones' size allows him to do things that you can't deal with, and the scariest thing is that he's still improving.
Against Quinton Jackson last fall, Jones was eerily calm while picking apart Jackson, and remained patient as the uber-strong "Rampage" stuffed his initial takedown attempts, piling up points en route to a fourth round takedown and submission win.
Evans' thirst for revenge on Jones -- for glaringly childish reasons we will detail in a minute -- is based on the fact that they were "teammates" and the implication is that Jones somehow swerved into his lane and took his title shot. Or something like that. Whatever it is, it smacks of egoism and sour grapes, and the fact that they trained together early in Jones' career and Evans apparently got the better of him (as he should have, given Jones' inexperience) is reason enough for some fans and pundits to think Jones has Evans in his head.
And it's this line of thinking that will lead you to understand the reason people like me make fun of fans and writers like that, because history shows that the guy in Jones' position almost usually wins. Jones' improvement in recent bouts is the most impressive thing in his ever-expanding arsenal. His comfort in the stand up game his improved his overall striking beyond that of most light-heavies, and Evans' quickness will have to be exceptionally good in this fight for him to be competitive, because he's not going to outwrestle "Bones" nor wait around and make something happen without eating some shots.
Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC 145 fight between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans:
The Breakdown
It's understandable that the UFC has to fall back on hackneyed promotional angles to pump a fight, but this one is plain getting old. You can't turn the channel without seeing some promo hearing Rashad kvetch, "We were friends, and then Jones betrayed me," or, "I'm going to get that belt back," or "Jon Jones borrowed lawn tools and didn't return them."
Enough already.
It's as though this is the first pair of fighters in the history of combat sports that trained together, competed in the same weight division, and crossed paths.
We get it. You don't like each other.
In related news, Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell had a pact that they would never fight, which "Iceman" broke, mostly because when he made the pact they were on the phone after a long day of training together (Tito couldn't take the body shots), and when Tito insisted Chuck promise they'd always be pals and never fight, Liddell answered into the phone "Of course," but he was doing it through a sock puppet that looked like Bas Rutten dressed as Keith Hackney. The obvious deduction? The pact didn't count! Tito never knew this, of course, which is precisely the reason Evans is so mad at Jones.
The Pick
Evans' best asset is his ability to game plan and execute, constantly sticking to what works while minimizing his weaknesses. However, Jones' ability to dictate standing and to take the fight to the mat seemingly at will are huge stumbling blocks for any opponent.
If there's a possible flaw in Jones' style, it's someone who can punish him with leg kicks. But, even that may be a reach, as Jones adjusted after a competitive opening round against Lyoto Machida and simply decimated the former champ with an eye-popping standing choke after taking a couple shots to start the bout.
Evans will come into this bout with a lot of emotion, but Jones will look to prove that he isn't the green, inexperienced kid Evans trained with when the two were teammates. "Bones" will be too long and dictate the range standing, and Evans might land a shot or two, especially with his fast right hand, which stretched Chuck Liddell.
However, Jones' ability to control the fight with so many weapons standing is what makes him so unpredictable. You never know where he's going to come from and that in itself forms a kind of operational paralysis. Throw in his outstanding takedowns, and the fact that the best of the light heavyweight division's efforts against him have meant one lost round in his career (the first against Machida).
Jones is a different breed of fighter. The next level. Evans will get picked apart standing and Jones will wear him down, then change gears in the second and takedown Evans, scoring ground and pound. Evans' heart and wiliness will carry him through the third, but in the fourth, he'll be ready for the taking as Jones puts him on his back and cinches home a fight-ending submission for the win.
Jones via decision
Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC 145 results of all the "Jones vs. Evans" pay-per-view (PPV) action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:00 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning.
See you later!
Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst or jasonprobst@gmail.com
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, shot, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Why MMA Needs The Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Rivalry
The UFC is in a bit of a funk. For the last two years it seems like the UFC has been snake-bit with not a month going by without some injury, scandal or other issue ruining a major fight. While the UFC did get its historic breakthrough on to broadcast television with the Fox deal and has been doing very well on the free TV front, their pay-per-view numbers have been down on average. In the aftermath of UFC 100 it seemed that every major UFC show would be in the neighborhood of a million buys. But since Brock Lesnar lost his heavyweight title the UFC has struggled to break that one million buys ceiling again and they've seen a dip in the average numbers for their PPV shows.
The means to reverse these fortunes is now before UFC with Jon Jones and Rashad Evans and UFC 145. A great rivalry creates huge amounts of interest and the UFC has made very effective use of rivalries in the past. And historically speaking no weight-class has benefited the UFC when it has had an intriguing rivalry more than Light Heavyweight.
Related
Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? | UFC 145 Photos: Jon Jones Trains For Rashad Evans | Rashad Evans Getting Pointers From Roy Jones, Jr. Ahead Of Jon Jones Fight | The Techniques Of Jon Jones And Rashad Evans | Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking of Jon Jones| Staff Predictions
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
The first time the UFC sold over 100,000 buys was UFC 40 that featured the first installment of Ken Shamrock vs. Tito Ortiz, which was the first major rivalry for the UFC. The fight was hyped based on the personal clashes between Ortiz and Shamrock and did a ground-breaking 150,000 buys.
This upswing created by Ortiz/Shamrock made Ortiz a star, and pushed his match up with Randy Couture into 90,000 buy range. And even Ortiz's loss to Couture didn't take away from the dramatic build up to his match with former friend and training partner Chuck Liddell. Their friendship turned sour story broke the 100,000 buy rate for the second time. UFC 48 and UFC 51 both broke that barrier also and it is no accident that those cards featured Shamrock and Ortiz.
UFC 52 featured the rematch between Couture and Liddell, and with the help of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter that became the first show to break 200,000 buys. This process of rivalries breaking buy rate records is repeated over and over again through the history of the UFC. The rematch between Ortiz and Shamrock did a, at the time, staggering 775,000 buys. The culmination of this being the dramatic UFC 100 show down between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir which brought in 1.6 million PPV buys.
The UFC is searching for a way out of their recent downturn and a rivalry of the caliber that Jones and Evans have building right now could be their answer. Now clearly Jones and Evans have the back story to create interest, a friends gone wrong story even better than Liddell and Ortiz. Their back and forth in the lead up has been gold, now all that is required an exciting fight.
The lead up to Rashad Evans vs Quinton "Rampage" Jackson created similar pre-fight buzz and many fans were excited, but when the fight fizzled the backlash by fans was extreme. The event did an excellent buy rate, but the image of both fighters was damaged in the eyes of fans. So much so that a rematch between the two has almost never been brought up as the public has lost all taste for this match up.
The hype has built for Jones and Evans and it will certainly do a strong buy rate for the UFC, but it will be nothing compared to a well timed rematch between these two if the first fight is sufficiently entertaining. If both fighters come in and fight to the best of their abilities it should be a fantastic fight, and it is unlikely, no matter what happens in that cage, that the personal issues between these two men will be resolved. A well timed rematch between these two after a competitive first fight could break new ground for the UFC in terms of PPV, or if they were to put it on Fox, bring new levels of viewership to their product. And if Evans were to win the title tonight, I'd image it would only serve to increase the interest in a rematch.
It is certain the UFC will continue to prosper and grow, regardless of the outcome of this title fight. But this is a chance for the UFC to take a giant leap forward in their growth.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Matt Brown Vs. Stephen Thompson
The grizzled veteran vs. the new hotness. One guy is perfectly content to push you against the cage or take you down and maul you. The other can kick your head off in a split second. Who will win this battle of differing styles? Matt Brown (13-11, 6-5 UFC) meets Stephen Thompson (6-0, 1-0 UFC).
Neither fighter is currently ranked at welterweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, but Wonderboy could be one day. A win over Brown isn't going to be enough right now though. This welterweight UFC 145 bout is the fifth bout of the preliminary card and the third of four televised fights that will air on FX. The FX broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Brown: 31 years old | 6'0" | 76" reachThompson: 29 years old | 6'0" | 75" reach
What have these two done recently?
Brown: W - Chris Cope (TKO) | L - Seth Baczynski (SUB) | W - John Howard (UD) Thompson: W - Dan Stittgen (KO) | W - Patrick Mandio (UD) | W - William Kuhn (UD)
How did these two get here?
Matt "The Immortal" Brown had been a pro for three years with an average record of 7-6 when he was selected as a contestant for The Ultimate Fighter 7. Brown lost in the quarter-finals to eventual winner Amir Sadollah, but picked up a win at the Finale to stay put in the organization. He's been pretty up-and-down since then, putting together a three-fight winning streak but following it up with a three-fight losing streak. He has won two of his last three, most recently defeating Chris Cope by TKO at UFC 143.
Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson is a karate prodigy. He went 63-0 as a kickboxer (amateur and pro) and made the switch over to MMA in 2010. He picked up five straight wins and earned a shot in the UFC, where he amazed folks with his awesome head-kick knockout of Dan Stittgen at UFC 143. He holds a variety of striking black belts and is a blue belt in BJJ under Carlos NMachado (his brother-in-law).
Why should you care?
Can Wonderboy pick up another sick KO, this time against a guy that's never been stopped by strikes in his career? That's worth caring about. Honest.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, video, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans: "Jon Jones Is Going Down In Round Two. No One Can Whoop Me!"
submitted by BreakfastGuru [link] [5 comments]
Posted in: jon, jone, round, evan, breakfastguru
Read the full article at RedditMoments With Mr. Evans: Rashad Evans UFC 145 Fight Week Gallery
Go behind the scenes for a look at Fight Week with UFC 145 main event light heavyweight title challenger Rashad Evans through the eyes of James Law and Ryan Loco.
Posted in: fight, week, evan, james law, fight week
Read the full article at Heavy MMAVideo: UFC 145's Jon Jones and Rashad Evans breakdown Shaq vs Charles Barkley NBA fights
The promotion for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," which takes place tonight (Sat., April 21, 2012) live from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on pay-per-view (PPV) has been heavy this past week as we count down the hours until the big event.
The show's headliners, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and number one contender Rashad Evans, have been making the media rounds from ESPN Sportscenter all the way to TNT's Inside the NBA.
In the above video, the two elite mixed martial artists (MMA) chat with former NBA greats Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley. Or, rather, they help break down a few of the fights the two found themselves involved in throughout their illustrious hardwood careers. That includes a couple showdowns against each other.
O'Neal has long flirted with the idea of moving to MMA, most notably challenging Hong Man Choi to a match. He's also said he would be more than willing to toss Jose Canseco around a cage. Hell, even UFC President Dana White said he would bring Shaq on board with the UFC, though not as an active fighter, of course.
Judging by his form in his NBA fights, he wouldn't last long anyway.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, nba
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: John Makdessi Vs. Anthony Njokuani
Karate/Taekowndo vs. Muay Thai. Both of these guys are known for their excellent skills on the feet, and this lightweight UFC 145 bout should be full of fireworks.John Makdessi (9-1, 2-1 UFC) meets Anthony Njokauni (14-6. 1 NC, 1-2 UFC). Makdessi came in two pounds over the lightweight limit and will forfeit 20% of his purse to Njokuani.
Neither fighter is currently ranked at lightweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, and this bout isn't going to change that. Still though, either guy has the ability to put together a solid win streak and they could grace the rankings one day in the near future. This lightweight UFC 145 bout is the fourth fight on the preliminary card and second of the televised portion of the vent, and will air live on FX. The FX broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Makdessi: 26 years old | 5'8" | 68" reachNjokuani: 32 years old | 6'1" | 75.5" reach
What have these two done recently?
Makdessi: L - Dennis Hallman (SUB) | W - Kyle Watson (KO) | W - Pat Audinwood (UD) Njokuani: L - Danny Castillo (SD) | W - Andre Winner (UD) | L - Edson Barboza (UD)
How did these two get here?
John "The Bull" Makdessi started out on the Canadian circuit and picked up seven straight wins before earning an invitation to the UFC. He defeated Pat "Awesomely Awesome" Audinwood by decision at UFC 124, then picked up one of the knockouts of the year at UFC 129 when he clocked Kyle Watson with a spinning backfist in the third round. He came back at UFC 140, but was submitted by wily veteran Dennis Hallman. He'll look to rebound from the first loss of his career with a win over the rangy Njokuani.
Anthony "The African Assassin" Njokuani was a longtime member of the WEC lightweight division, where he went 4-3 and picked up three knockout of the night bonuses in his two-year tenure. He came over to the UFC in the merger and met fellow striker Edson Barboza at UFC 128. He lost by unanimous decision, but picked up a fight of the night bonus. Njokuani rebounded from the loss with a unanimous decision over Andre Winner, but dropped a close split-decision to Danny Castillo at UFC 141. He'll look even his UFC record with a win here.
Why should you care?
This has the potential to win the fight of the night bonus. Both of these guys are perfectly willing to stand and trade, and it should be fun.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Mac Danzig Vs. Efrain Escudero
Ultimate Fighter winners have competed against each other before, but generally not with their jobs on the line. Both of these guys are 1-2 in their last 3 and could be fighting for their UFC careers in the first FX bout at UFC 145. TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig (20-9-1, 4-5 UFC) meets TUF 8 winner Efrain Escudero (18-4, 3-3 UFC).
Neither fighter is currently ranked in the top 25 at lightweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, though Mac does get some votes and sits in the # 32 position this month. This lightweight UFC 145 bout is the third fight on the preliminary card and first of the televised portion of the vent, and will air live on FX. The FX broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Danzig: 32 years old | 5'8" | 70" reachEscudero: 26 years old | 5'9" | 71" reach
What have these two done recently?
Danzig: L - Matt Wiman (UD) | W - Joe Stevenson (KO) | L - Matt Wiman (SUB) Escudero: L - Jacob Volkmann (UD) | W - Cesar Avila (SUB) | L - Mike Rio (UD)
How did these two get here?
Mac Danzig has been a pro fighter for 11 years, but first rose to fame as a cast member of The Ultimate Fighter 6. He cruised through the show and defeated Tommy Speer in the finals, then submitted fellow UFC 145 fighter Mark Bocek in his next bout. He fell on some hard times after that though, going just 2-5 in his next seven bouts. His lone bright spot in the past two years was a brutal knockout of Joe Stevenson at UFC 124. He is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Matt Wiman at UFC on Versus 6.
Efrain "Hecho En Mexico" Escudero defeated Philippe Nover to win the Ultimate Fighter 8, but he was been pretty uneven since taking home the UFC contract. He went 2-2 in his next four bouts and missed weight for a bout with Charles Oliveira. He was submitted by Oliveira and released from the promotion. Escudero managed to go 5-1 outside the organization and was brought back as a late replacement against Jacob Volkmann at UFC 141, but dropped a unanimous decision. He desperately needs a win to keep plying his trade in the octagon.
Why should you care?
Both guys are skilled fighters and it should be a good tactical battle.
YUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, fighter, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 fight card: Predictions, preview and a complete guide to 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta
For fans of mixed martial arts, this past week has been a slow crawl of steadily rising anticipation for tonight's "Jones vs. Evans" event, going down at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
UFC 145 will feature a light heavyweight championship bout pitting titleholder Jon Jones putting his 205-pound gold on the line against his former friend and training partner, "Suga" Rashad Evans.
In the co-main event, rising welterweight contender Rory MacDonald will go head on against British bomber Che Mills.
It's been a flurry of non-stop news, analysis, quotes, predictions and previews for the past week and it's certainly understandable if you missed out on a few stories.
But don't worry, Maniacs, we've got you covered.
In cased you missed any or all of it — or just want to keep the discussion alive — below are links to all the major storylines heading into tonight's broadcast.
In we go:
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans"
Fight card and line-up
Results and live fight coverage
UFC 145 predictions and previews:
Predictions from the myth himself, Nostradumbass
"Prelims" preview and predictions part one
"Prelims" preview and predictions part two
Fight preview: Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Fight preview: Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Fight preview: Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
Fight preview: Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell
Fight preview: Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Fight preview: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
UFC 145 press conferences:
Pre-fight press conference
Press conference video
Press conference staredown pics
Tired and deflated: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans rivalry falls flat at press conference
UFC 145 weigh-ins:
Weigh-in results
Weigh-in video
Weigh-in staredown pics
Weigh-in photos gallery
UFC 145 news:
How to watch the event
Event poster
Conference call
Open workouts photos gallery
Open workouts videos
Latest odds and betting guide
Beermania: UFC 145 edition
Exclusive interview with Chad Griggs part one
Exclusive interview with Chad Griggs part two
Exclusive interview with John Alessio
UFC 145 editorials:
History in the Making: Jon Jones chokes out Rampage Jackson at UFC 135
History in the Making: Jon Jones chokes Lyoto Machida unconscious at UFC 140
History in the Making: Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson finally collide at UFC 114
Once Jon Jones stopped wild partying and immature things, real problems with Rashad Evans started
Greg Jackson: It's my responsibility and duty to corner Jon Jones against Rashad Evans
Dana White rips business man Greg Jackson for bungling the Jon Jones-Rashad Evans situation
Jon Jones is defending the honor of Greg Jackson's gym against Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans really thought Dana White bet $500,000 on Jon Jones to win their fight
How did Jon Jones go from 210 to 230 pounds for Rashad Evans fight
Jon Jones: Rashad Evans can't break me mentally
Jon Jones: Rashad Evans doesn't have my number; he doesn't even have my area code
Jon Jones thinks he's going to exploit Rashad Evans' weak chin
Jon Jones can't wait to put Rashad Evans out of his misery
Photo: Jon Jones is a 220-pound war machine
Photo: Jon Jones UFC sponsored fight gear for Rashad Evans fight
Rashad Evans reacts to the UFC sponsoring Jon Jones for their fight
No one in sports is unbeatable, including Jon Jones
Rashad Evans would rather beat Jon Jones ass than be his friend for life
Improved Rashad Evans vows to take the title from Jon Jones
Beating up Jon Jones is more important to Rashad Evans than winning another title
Great expectations: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, and the UFC 145 main event
Every UFC light heavyweight champion in history predicts Jones vs. Evans
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans feud gets uncomfortably intense on Ultimate Insider
Rashad Evans hopes to cement his legacy with win over Jon Jones
Rory MacDonald 2.0 wants a quick finish of Che Mills
Che Mills is ready to beat Rory MacDonald and shock the world
Brendan Schaub expects his coming out party against Ben Rothwell
Miguel Torres is no longer going to Leonard Garcia every fight
Michael McDonald had to fight his church pastor before fighting Miguel Torres
Miguel Torres is going to show Michael McDonald what's up
Mark Hominick out to remind fans who he is against Eddie Yagin
Mark Hominick is still one of the best in the featherweight division
Mark Bocek warns John Alessio to 'be careful what you wish for'
Mac Danzig isn't trying to change the world with his vegan diet
UFC 145 videos:
Dana White video blog episode one
Countdown to UFC 145
Primetime episode one
Primetime episode two
Primetime episode three
Ultimate Insider Counterpunch
Extended video preview
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans promo
Rashad Evans promo: The Payback
Pros make their predictions for Jones vs. Evans
Jones vs. Evans 'Lionheart' video parody
Jon Jones knocks out a sparring partner
Rashad Evans: It feels like the UFC doesn't want me to be champion
Jon Jones trains matrix style for Rashad Evans fight
Chuck Liddell says the odds for Jones vs. Evans are ridiculous
Rashad Evans mobbed in Puerto Rico to promote UFC 145 with boxing legend Felix Trinidad
Brendan Schaub promises 'Fight of the Night' performance against Ben Rothwell
That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being.
I'd ask what the biggest story heading into this event has been but we all know damn well what that is and it's all going to play itself out tonight, live on pay-per-view.
Enjoy the show, Maniacs.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Live Results And Play-By-Play For Pay-Per-View
As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results, play by play and commentary for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans. Our live coverage will start with the two fights on the Facebook prelim stream (roughly 7:15 p.m. ET) to the prelim card on FX (8 p.m. ET) and through the PPV main card (10 p.m. ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
This post will cover live results and thoughts for the PPV main card.
The evening's main event sees Jon Jones step into the cage to take on arch-enemy Rashad Evans in a bout for Jones' light heavyweight championship. Welterweights Rory MacDonald and Che Mills meet in the evening's co-main event. Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell clash in a heavyweight battle. Former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres returns to the UFC to take on Michael McDonald. Former featherweight title contender Mark Hominick fights Eddie Yagin and lightweights Mark Bocek and John Alessio step into the cage to round out the card.
Make sure to come back during the event and share your thoughts as the event goes down.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Chris Clements Vs. Keith Wisniewski
A 36-year-old Canadian with a Taekwondo black belt and a four-fight winning streak will stand on one side of the octagon. An American with 42 fights under his belt will be looking for his first UFC win on the other side. Chris Clements (10-4, 0-0 UFC) meets Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1, 0-2 UFC).
Neither fighter is currently ranked at welterweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, and like the last bout, neither fighter is going to be considered anytime soon. This welterweight UFC 145 bout is the second fight on the preliminary card, and will be streamed live on Facebook. The Facebook stream begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Clements: 36 years old | 5'10" | Unknown reachWisniewski: 30 years old | 5'11" | Unknown reach
What have these two done recently?
Clements: W - Rich Clementi (TKO) | W - Travis Briere (TKO) | W - Jonathan Goulet (KO) Wisniewski: L - Josh Neer (TKO) | W - Chris Wilson (UD) | W - Randy Crawford (KO)
How did these two get here?
Chris "The Menace" Clements didn't start training MMA until he was 26 years old. He turned pro in 2005 and was a staple of the Montreal-based TKO promotion in 2006-07. He competed once in the IFL but dropped his bout to Rory Markham. After two years away from the sport, he returned in late 2009 and has gone 5-1 since then, including four straight wins over the likes of Jonathan Goulet and most recently Rich Clementi. All 10 of his wins have come by form of knockout.
Keith "The Polish Connection" Wisniewski has been a pro fighter for 14 years. He got his first shot in the UFC back in 2005 against Nick Thompson, but dropped a decision. A six-fight winning streak from 2008-11 earned him another shot at UFC on Versus 6 against Josh Neer, but he was finished in the third-round by TKO. He'll look for his first big-league victory here against Clements.
Why should you care?
Two guys are going to punch each other in the face a lot. If you can't find it in your heart to care about that, you're dead to me.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowCommon opponent Bonnar weighs Evans' chances of taking Jones' title at UFC 145
UFC light heavyweight Stephan Bonnar knows what it's like to go the distance with UFC 145's headliners, 205-pound kingpin Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans.
One of two common opponents on their ledger (Lyoto Machida the other), "The American Psycho" will watch the combatants settle their grudge inside the octagon tonight at UFC 145 with the critical eye of a past adversary and UFC analyst.
Bonnar wouldn't bet against the champion, but he is intrigued by Evans' chances.
Posted in: ufc, evan, american psycho, jones title, evans chances
Read the full article at MMA JunkieFollow UFC 145 live on Sportsnet
Follow live UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans fight results here.
Posted in: ufc, result, vs, evan, sportsnet
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 145 fight results
Follow live UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans fight results here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, result, vs, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Dissection
The sizzling main course of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans is a grudge match between former training partners for the UFC light-heavyweight championship. Unparalleled phenom Jon Jones will defend the strap against former title-holder Rashad Evans this Saturday night on pay-per-view.
So ... the MMA sewing circle is gushing over Jon "Bones" Jones (15-1), and for good reason. From a flat-out performance standpoint, he's sniped off 3 legendary light-heavyweights, all former champions, who have anchored down the top-5 world rankings for the last few years. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was callously unseated from the throne with a spearing body punch and follow-up knee for a 3rd-round TKO at UFC 128. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was pelted with mile-long kicks and punches before succumbing to a 4th-round rear-naked choke. Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida was engulfed in a cocoon-like clinch and choked unconscious with a 2nd-round, Gable-grip guillotine.
Bodies fell. Jones smiled. Cameras flashed.
But of course, as with any superstar in any sport, the hysteria goes beyond the numbers. A fighter hasn't been branded with this level of invincible mystique since the great Fedor Emelianenko, who also had a psuedo-defeat by cut that was disdained like Jones' only stain on the carpet; a No Contest ruling against Matt Hamill for illegal elbows in a contest he dominated with rag-dolling clinch throws. But -- quick! -- answer this question: when have we seen Jones in trouble or struggling? Unlike Emelianenko, there is no instance of in-ring roller-skating after a Kazuyuki Fujita punch nor a suspicious, side-mount kimura attempt from K-1 kickboxer Mark Hunt.
More UFC 145 Dissections MacDonald vs. Mills | Schaub vs. Rothwell | Torres vs. McDonald | Hominick vs. Yagin Preliminary Card Dissection
Barring a round that Stephan Bonnar arguably eked out in their 2009 meeting at UFC 94, the gleaming example of Jones' mortality is the first frame of his last outing, which most penciled in as a 10-9 for Machida. Now, it's no simple task to replicate the style of someone who basically emerged from the womb in a classic Shotokan horse stance but, against Jones, Machida's evasive hocus-pocus and mythical karate tomfoolery was not at play.
Instead, Machida whittled his elaborate arsenal down to a basic boxing array and relied on straight, fast and well-timed punches. What makes Rashad "Suga" Evans (14-1) an interesting challenge for Jones is that his lightning-quick boxing prowess is the aspect he's improved the most and now stands as his best weapon. The former MSU wrestler and TUF winner has harnessed his raw instincts and athleticism into a fine-tuned and functional medley of fluid boxing and formidable wrestling. The role Machida assumed against Jones is standard operating procedure for Evans, who will also be fueled by an unamicable split with Greg Jackson and a seething desire to knock Jones off the pedestal he's been placed on.
Complete analysis in the full entry.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Appearing as an unknown and drastically under-sized heavyweight on TUF 2, Rashad's god-given talent for fighting was obvious. Billed as a wrestler, Evans wreaked havoc on the heavyweight giants with superior agility, an unmatchable pace and unrefined but highly effective striking. He dropped down to light-heavyweight after defeating 4 opponents to clench the TUF title but immediately faced criticism for his purported inability to finish (all TUF wins were by decision).
Those cries heightened to a pitch when Evans registered more decision wins (Stephan Bonnar, Sam Hoger), then were muffled slightly by back-to-back stoppages (Jason Lambert by TKO, Sean Salmon by head-kick KO) and, later, disappeared altogether after Evans beheaded Chuck Liddell with a scorching overhand right and blasted out Forrest Griffin with ground-and-pound to become champion. A Machida straight-left made for an ephemeral tenure at the top, which was Rashad's first and only loss, yet Evans has gathered up 4-straight victories to earn another crack at championship gold.
The Match Up Parameters
Distance and Range
Motion and Angles to Address Distance and Range
Who Leads Exchanges and Dictates the Pace
The bullets above are my prioritized list of crucial dynamics. Since there's no need to reinvent the wheel, the analyses on the striking of Jones and Evans written by Fraser Coffeen and Jack Slack (below) will be the frame of reference for the match-up mechanics.
UFC 145: Just How Good Is the Striking of Jon Jones? -- by Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand with Jon Jones? -- by Jack Slack
Distance and Range
To answer Mr. Slack's query about Evans being able to stand with Jones, he probably doesn't have a choice in the matter because of distance. While both competitors have a wrestling background, their striking accounts for the bulk of their offense, yet both excel at setting up their grappling with strikes and threatening with takedowns to create striking opportunities.
I cannot over-emphasize how integral Jon Jones' 84.5" reach length is, which is almost incomprehensible. To put that in perspective -- the tallest fighter in the UFC, the ultra-gangly Stefan Struve who stands an inch shy of 7'0" tall, falls a half-inch short at 84". In a sport where a fraction of an inch can make the difference between a missed punch, a grazing blow that opens a cut, a knockdown or a knockout, 5" is a monumental advantage, and the length of Jones also facilitates his kicks, clinch (leverage), takedowns and submissions.
These go-go-gadget proportions equate to a nightmare for an opponent trying to get inside, as Jones can cover almost a half-foot of extra range and buys more time to react defensively. In plain terms, to inflict damage or mount any sort of viable offense, a fighter must be in contact-range to do so. This is where everyone but Machida has floundered, and Jones eventually made an intelligent range-adjustment by locking horns with Machida and using -- here it is again -- his height, length and leverage in the clinch to finagle the guillotine choke.
Rashad clocks in with an average to stubby reach length of 75", meaning that, in round numbers, Jones will get an additional 5" extension with either hand. This disparity looms as the biggest riddle for Rashad to solve, which Jack Slack keenly notes in his observation of Rashad's distinctly closed fighting stance.
"To compensate for this lack of reach, Rashad often chooses to stand from a particularly side on stance - just as the Diaz brothers and BJ Penn opt to. This lengthens his jab, but also means that the back of his lead leg is especially vulnerable to low kicks."
The photo to the right (by Esther Lin for MMAFighting) depicts Rashad's closed stance. As mentioned by Jack Slack: you can see how his lead leg protrudes forward and makes an ideal target for leg kicks, how he'll get increased travel on his jab and decreased travel on his right cross.
Compared to a more traditional or open stance, this picture also shows how Rashad's chin is protected well by tucking it behind the left shoulder. Evans formulates a pretty sound straight-on attack like this and, though he doesn't rely heavily on lateral motion, he's crafty with faking or committing to dropping levels for takedowns. So, while Jones will scurry out his corner with one hand on the mat, swing from the upper-right to the lower-left of the pocket with body shots or just throw a plethora of wacky angles at his opponent, Rashad's motion is more simplified and deliberate, consisting of quick, straight punches with the element of surprise takedowns thrown in.
With distance and range going to Jones by default due to his stature, the onus is on Rashad to carve out a pathway through the forest of Jones' long limbs -- if he stays on the fringe, he's within Jones' striking range but outside of his own. That leads us to the pivotal factor of the motion and angles that each competitor employs to set up their offense.
Motion and Angles to Address Distance and Range
Rashad's stance is simply not conducive to a range-fighting scenario. While a popular recommendation is to target his extended lead leg with low kicks, Rashad has become adept at opening his stance and exploding forward to plunge his powerful right cross or pouncing with a takedown attempt to counter the incoming kick. I expect Rashad to be coiled and ready to spring with either technique if Jones swings any kicks from the fringe.
If he decides to lead the exchanges, the gameplan he unhinged Rampage with will likely ensue. Evans capitalized on his hand-speed, agility and dual-pronged wrestle-boxing attack better than ever before. Though it's worth mentioning that Rampage is known for his flat-footed stance, Evans wisely baited him with takedown attempts to lower his hands in anticipation of defending the level drop before coming back high with heated flurries. Conversely, when Rashad settled in with a series of striking onslaughts, Rampage was focused on defending punches in an upright stance and subsequently blind-sided by power-doubles.
... Jones's motion tends to leave a few defensive openings. His motion straight back opens him up for a straight forward blitzing attack, which is what Machida used so effectively in round 1. Evans has shown this type of attack before, such as when he dropped Rampage, so it is something for Jones to watch for Saturday night.
For defense, I would say Jones's primary tactic is maintaining range. He's superb at using his range to keep fighters from getting in too close. When they do get close, he either brings his hands up and moves away to reset, or secures the clinch and takes them down. It's rare that a fighter has been able to get inside on Jones and continue striking. However, if a fighter could achieve that position (a huge if), they could find themselves in a nice spot to inflict some damage on the champion.
Fraser Coffeen astutely recognizes a danger-zone for Jones within the motion and angles he employs for the range, though his concerns are when breaking engagements and retreating to the comfort of his distance. Jones has performed some footwork no-no's by consistently crossing his feet and retreating in a straight line. The latter is the real hazard, as Machida found the mark with charging combinations by measuring the depth of Jones' predictable pattern backwards.
With Rashad having a striking style that caters to frenetic bursts of in-and-out striking, which is how Machida deciphered the range puzzle, he might not even have to stress about the perils of shrinking the gap if he lays back, lets Jones lead the exchanges and counter-strikes when Jones comes to him.
Who Leads Exchanges and Dictates the Pace
The fighters who came at Jones full-force had no luck. In his earlier performances, Jones cemented how devastating his clinch-work is by tossing around the likes of Stephan Bonnar, Andre Gusmao and Matt Hamill. Then, when his clinch was firmly established and his opponents were a little hesitant to tie up, Jones hovered to the floor to upend savvy wrestlers Vladimir Matyushenko and Ryan Bader with low-level takedowns.
Lately, Jones has been content to handle his business standing and lead the exchanges. It seems like he wants to make a strong statement against Rashad and has grown more and more confident with his striking, so I expect the same tonight. Jones could play a mind game with Rashad by hanging back and waiting for to initiate, but I suspect that Rashad will insist on assuming the counter-striking role. On the same token, Rashad could have the element of surprise by vaulting out of his corner and putting it on Jones with a touch of recklessness, or even alternating between the two varying speeds.
To summarize, in a battle that will be so largely dictated by range and distance, it's hard not to side with the longer fighter who excels at range-fighting over the short-limbed competitor who's struggled with it. Plus, Jones has more options if one singular range isn't working for him and can launch straight-on attacks with quick boxing or maneuver into the clinch to pour on strikes and submission attempts. Rashad will not have that luxury.
My Prediction: Jon Jones by submission.
Poll
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Jones
Evans
33 votes | Results
Posted in: jone, rashad, evan, machida, range
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Spar With Shaq, Charles Barkley
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans visited the set of TNT's Inside The NBA late this week, giving feedback on some NBA brawls featuring Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal.
Some highlights from the eight minute video:
Evans explained what MMA is. Standing next to O'Neal, it was incredible how much he towered over him.
Barkley asked about both guys' excitement level 48 hours after the fight.
Kenny Smith inquired how much of going into a fight is technique and how much is anger. Jones says he doesn't believe in fighting out of anger.
Jones joked about challenging O'Neal, which prompted the big guy to show off his jab, cross and yes, his Superman punch.
Jones and Evans reviewed clips of an O'Neal/Barkley brawl from back in their playing days, Barkley vs. Bill Laimbeer and O'Neal throwing a punch at a Chicago Bulls player.
Barkley talked about hanging out with Georges St. Pierre recently and O'Neal gave a shoutout to Dana White and the Fertitta brothers.
There was zero animosity between Evans and Jones.
You can watch the eight-minute video here.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: jone, evan, barkley, oneal, anger jones
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Maximo Blanco Vs. Marcus Brimage
On one side of the cage, you have a guy that earned a rep as a ferocious finisher in Japan. On the other side, you have a TUF 14 vet looking for his second win in the UFC. Venezuelan Maximo Blanco (8-3-1, 1 NC, 0-0 UFC) meets Marcus Brimage (4-1, 1-0 UFC).
Neither fighter is currently ranked at featherweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, and neither is likely to even be considered with a win in this bout. This featherweight UFC 145 bout is the first fight on the preliminary card, and will be streamed live on Facebook. The Facebook stream begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Blanco: 28 years old | 5'7" | 70" reachBrimage: 27 years old | 5'4" | 71" reach
What have these two done recently?
Blanco: L - Pat Healy (SUB) | W - Won Sik Park (UD) | W - Kiuma Kunioku (KO) Brimage: W - Stephen Bass (UD) | W - Kyle Bradley (TKO) | L - Joey Camacho (SUB)
How did these two get here?
Maximo "Maxi" Blanco is a former lightweight King of Pancrase that earned a lot of attention when he was fighting for the Sengoku organization. He reeled off six straight wins in Japan (5 by KO/TKO) and eventually signed with Strikeforce when Sengoku (who was actually sponsoring him) went out of business. He made his North American debut against the rugged Pat Healy, who bullied him around the cage and eventually submitted him in the third round. Immediately after the fight, his manager announced Blanco's intentions to drop 145 and move to the UFC. He did just that, and will make his debut in the opening bout tonight.
Marcus Brimage started out on the southern regional circuit and was a competitor on BET's Iron Ring. The ATT member was then selected to be on TUF 14 (he was picked for TUF 8 as well, but couldn't compete due to injuries). He won his bout to get into the house, but was submitted by Bryan Caraway in the quarter-finals. He rebounded at the TUF 14 Finale with a decision win over Stephen Bass, and will look to go 2-0 in the UFC with a win over Blanco.
Why should you care?
This is going to be a firefight to kick off the night. Blanco is violence personified, and it's gonna be good.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, blanco
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones and Rashad Evans Both Predict a Knockout Victory (Video)
It’s finally here, as today is the day. One of the most anticipated fights of the year in Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans goes down tonight at UFC 145. While dozens of fans and pundits have posted their predictions, we finally got a chance to hear how the fighters themselves feel the fight will play out.
Jones, who stated he feels “Evans has the weakest chin of any guy I’ve fought since 2010″, predicts a knockout victory over Evans.
Meanwhile, Evans feels the fight will play out in similar fashion, but that Jones will be the one that gets knocked out.
Watch the entire event unfold tonight, to determine both the correct prediction and who will leave Philips Arena as UFC light heavyweight champion. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy, which will have complete coverage of the entire event.
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, knockout victory, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyRashad Evans Discusses His Ambassador of Quan
Rashad Evans talks about his own personal Jerry Maguire, and the man who helped found and build the Blackzilian camp.
Retweet this
Share on Facebook
• Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn
Posted in: rashad, rashad evans, evan, bull, jerry maguire
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Live Results and Play-by-Play
UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans live results and play-by-play on Saturday, April 21 in Atlanta. The main event features Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
Retweet this
Share on Facebook
• Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn
Posted in: jone, result, vs, evan, bull
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Quick Results
UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans quick results on Saturday, April 21 in Atlanta. The main event features Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
Retweet this
Share on Facebook
• Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn
Posted in: jone, result, vs, evan, bull
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 'Primetime' video for 'Jones vs Evans' on FX (Episode 3)
In cased you missed any or all of it last night (April 20, 2012), here is the final of three episodes of the "all access" behind-the-scenes look at the UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
To watch the first and second episodes of UFC 145 "Primetime" click here and here.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and FX collaborated for the latest "Primetime" series, which follows former Light Heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and reigning 205-pound division kingpin Jon Jones as they prepare to settle their score in the UFC 145 main event at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., later this evening (April 21, 2012).
That's right, Maniacs, we're almost there.
In episode three, the producers emphasize the exhausting toll that the media and marketing responsibilities have exacted on "Bones" and "Suga." Training, for the most part, is in the can and the final week is filled to the brim with wall-to-wall interviews, appearances, press conferences and other responsibilities that have both men clearly spent.
The good news is all that ends tonight when the former friend and training partners step inside the Octagon tonight in the UFC 145 main event to settle their score once and fore all.
Can't wait.
To check out the live reactions to the third and final episode of UFC 145 "Primetime" check out our live discussion thread from last night right here. For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" be sure to hit up our event archive right here. To check out the latest UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" fight card and rumors click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, episode, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaCREDITS: Betting on UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
In the latest installment of CREDITS, Duane Finley, Nate Lawson and Matt Erickson put their (fictional) money up with picks for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans.
Posted in: ufc, vs, evan, credit, matt erickson
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Officially Sold Out in Atlanta
The UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans card officially is a sell-out at the Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at Heavy MMABrydon on UFC 145: The MMAnalysis
Breaking down the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans UFC 145 main event from a statistical perspective.
Posted in: ufc, vs, brydon, evan, mmanalysi
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 145 tickets sold out for Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans in Atlanta
Last-minute Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight fans might be punching themselves in their faces right now for not acting sooner.
The world's leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion recently announced that tickets for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" in Atlanta, Ga., this evening (April 21, 2012) are sold out. That means about 18,000 will pack the the Philips Arena to watch UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones defend his 205-pound world title against former division kingpin Rashad Evans in the UFC 145 main event.
It's likely the driving force behind the smashing box office success. Here's how the UFC described it in an official press release:
Perhaps no fight in recent memory has had as much buzz as the long-awaited Jones vs Evans title bout, which sees two former friends and training partners collide for the UFC’s 205lbs championship.
The Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans showdown is the crown jewel of a six-fight pay-per-view (PPV) main card, which also features a co main event clash between Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills. To check out the latest UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" fight card click here.
UFC 145 tickets can still likely be purchased through StubHub.com, which often has seats available even if the event is "sold out". CraigsList.com is also another solid option. However, UFC 145 will also be available to watch on PPV at 10 p.m. ET tonight.
In fact, MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., April 21), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV). The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET with the "Prelims" bouts on FX/Facebook.
For all the latest and greatest news and notes for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 fight card: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans main event preview
Two of the best Light Heavyweights in the world will finally meet tonight (April 21, 2012) when Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 205-pound king Jon Jones looks to defend his title against former division champion Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jones is the new poster boy of the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, being featured in extensive marketing campaigns after he defeated a trio of UFC champions in 2011. A victory over Evans would cement his status as the without-a-doubt best light heavyweight on Earth and potentially even the best fighter pound-for-pound in the sport.
Evans has been aching for this fight ever since Jones stated he'd be willing to fight him. He's been delayed time and time again by unfortunate injuries, but after handing Phil Davis his first career loss this past January, he's finally healthy and ready to try and reclaim the title from his heated rival.
Can Jones put a stamp on his complete and utter domination of the UFC light heavyweight division? Will Evans' personal insults and trash talk get into Jones' head? What's the key to victory for both men tomorrow night?
Let's find out:
Jon Jones
Record: 15-1 overall, 9-1 in the UFC
Key Wins: Lyoto Machida (UFC 140), Quinton Jackson (UFC 135), Mauricio Rua (UFC 128)
Key Losses: None
How he got here: Jon Jones' path from can't-miss prospect to world champion has been very fast. Just five months into his professional MMA career, he was already 6-0 and making his UFC debut in place of an injured Tomasz Drwal at UFC 87. He defeated his opponent, Andre Gusmao via decision but his star turn didn't truly take place until his next fight against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 in which he showcased a diverse array of attacks and all kinds of slams and throws.
"Bones'" star continued to brighten as he began finishing his opponents in increasingly impressive fashion, smashing tough light heavyweights Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko in the first round. After handing Ryan Bader the first loss of his career in another two round destruction, Jones was offered a title shot in place of his injured teammate Rashad Evans.
The young gun took it to the champ, smashing "Shogun" over the course of three rounds and stopping him to become the youngest titleholder in UFC history. If there were any doubts at all about his ability to be a long-reigning champion, Jones answered them in September and then December with a four round thrashing of former champion "Rampage" Jackson and then a second round technical submission of Lyoto Machida.
Jones will be looking to close the book on his feud with Rashad Evans tomorrow night.
How he gets it done: Jones has a plethora of weapons and he's capable of finishing a fight by multiple means. The best plan of attack, at least at first, will be to keep his distance to a point where he can still snap his jab against Evans, who's ridiculously smaller than him and has a much shorter reach. The further he can keep Evans away from him, the easier it will be to avoid Evans' takedowns and lunging efforts to land inside hooks.
Jones is capable of utilizing all kinds of tricky attacks like spinning elbows and more, but I doubt he throws too many because they could leave him open to potential counter takedowns from Evans.
If "Bones" really wants to hurt Evans, the best plan of attack is to wear him down, frustrate him with his reach. If he wants to close the distance at all, he should initiate a clinch where his elbows are especially dangerous and he can utilize his strong Greco Roman background.
If Jones can score a takedown, Evans is going to be in trouble as he has some of the most lethal elbows in the business and his ground game has been improving by leaps and bounds. There aren't many men who can choke Lyoto Machida unconscious. If he can wrap up Evans with his long reach, he could put "Suga" in serious trouble.
Rashad Evans
Record: 17-1-1 overall, 12-1-1 in the UFC
Key Wins: Quinton Jackson (UFC 114), Phil Davis (UFC on FOX 2), Forrest Griffin (UFC 92)
Key Losses: Lyoto Machida (UFC 98)
How he got here: After a respectable career wrestling at Michigan State, Rashad Evans, under the wing of former UFC tournament champion Dan Severn, won his first five professional fights. This earned him an opportunity to compete on season two of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).
Despite fighting at a weight class heavier than normal, Evans tore through the heavyweights on the show, eventually working his way to the finale where he earned a split decision victory over the significantly larger Brad Imes to become The Ultimate Fighter season two champion.
After some less than dominant split and majority decision victories over Sam Hoger and Stephan Bonnar, Evans finally found his groove, earning a technical knockout (TKO) over Jason Lambert with ground and pound and then scoring one of the UFC's all time nastiest finishes with the head kick knockout of Sean Salmon.
Evans would go on to have his now infamous draw with Tito Ortiz and would follow it up by defeating Michael Bisping via decision, sending him to the middleweight division. The victory would earn "Suga" a number one contender match against former champion Chuck Liddell and one massive overhand right would change his life forever, flooring Liddell, earning "Knockout of the Year," and earning him his first title shot against champion Forrest Griffin.
After a shaky first couple rounds against Griffin at UFC 92, Evans took advantage of a slip, pounced and pummeled his way to victory to take the title and standing atop the division. His title reign would be short, though, halted by Lyoto Machida in his first defense just five months later.
Since losing the championship, Evans has rebounded nicely by defeating Thiago Silva and "Rampage" Jackson via decision, but an ill-advised choice to sit on the sidelines and wait for Mauricio Rua's knee to recover cost him badly. After nine months on the sidelines, "Suga" injured his knee while training and had to watch teammate Jon Jones crush "Shogun" and win the belt he'd had his eyes on for over a year.
Evans smashed Tito Ortiz and Phil Davis in the interim and now he's finally getting his shot at Jones.
How he gets it done: Evans' secret weapon ever since losing his title was going back to his roots in the wrestling department. He was able to utilize it very effectively against Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson and most recently against former national champion Phil Davis.
That's not to say Evans doesn't have power. His ferocious knockouts of Liddell, Salmon and his title victory over Griffin should be a testament to that. He was also the only person in the UFC thus far that has really hurt "Rampage" Jackson in the stand-up, landing a huge right hand in the opening minute of their grudge match.
Expect "Suga" to dance around Jones early, utilizing his speed and movement and looking to land the power. The key for Evans is to get Jones to second guess. He needs to throw his hands when Jones is expecting a takedown and then shoot when Jones is expecting punches.
If Rashad can take Jones down, he needs to not only keep him down, but also to try and score some damage with strikes. He's not going to go for submissions, he just needs to keep Jones on his back and keep punching him. He could potentially score a TKO or win three rounds if he can be effective.
Fight X-Factor: The biggest X-Factor for this fight is how much both men have improved since they last trained together. It was a little over a year ago when Evans moved to Florida to train with the Blackzilians and Jones remained at Jackson's. Since then, Jones has looked better and better each time out, adding more to his game in each fight and he's finished three straight former champions.
Evans has also looked better, his shots look stronger and his conditioning has improved, but will that be enough compared to all the different weapons that Jones has added to his game? Both men were pretty even when Evans left in March, but whoever has displayed the most growth is going to be victorious. It looks like Jones, but we won't find out until they step into the cage together.
Bottom Line: This fight is going to be terrific. There's heat buried deep as both have been feuding and there's potential someone could lose their composure. This fight could be all kinds of amazing as Jones is a "must-see" talent whenever he steps into the cage. Evans will either be trying to stop him with strikes or stifle him with takedowns so if Evans is effective, he could definitely slow the bout down. Regardless, I'm expecting some serious highlights in this fight at some point.
Who will come out on top at UFC 145? Tell us your predictions in the comments below!
Poll
Who will walk out of the Octagon with the UFC light heavyweight title tomorrow night?
Jon Jones
Rashad Evans
0 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, champion, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Results: Jones vs. Evans
MMA Fighting has UFC 145 results for all of the Jones vs. Evans fight card April 21, plus live UFC coverage from Atlanta, live blogs of all the fights and live UFC 145 twitter updates.In the main event, Jon Jones will defend his UFC light heavyweight title against former teammate and champion Rashad Evans.
Check out the full UFC 145 results below.
Main CardJon Jones vs. Rashad EvansRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsBrendan Schaub vs. Ben RothwellMiguel Torres vs. Michael McDonaldMark Hominick vs. Eddie YaginMark Bocek vs. John AlessioUndercardTravis Browne vs. Chad GriggsMatt Brown vs. Stephen ThompsonJohn Makdessi vs. Anthony NjokuaniMac Danzig vs. Efrain EscuderoKeith Wisniewski vs. Chris ClementsMarcus Brimage vs. Maximo Blanco
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, vs, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseVideo: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans full segment on NBA on TNT
submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [7 comments]
Posted in: jone, tekprodfx, rashad evans, evan, tnt
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Pre-Fight Interviews – Rashad Evans
MMAFighting’s Luke Thomas catches up with UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans as the time for revenge draws closer. Evans talks about his preparation and anticipation leading up to tomorrow’s UFC 145 main event. For more clips like this, check out MMAFighting.com.
Posted in: ufc, rashad, evan, clip, evans talks
Read the full article at MMA ConvertMMA Talking Heads: UFC 145 'Jones vs Evans' picks, Alistair Overeem's positive test and more
In this episode of MMA Talking Heads, Jason Probst and Ian Parker breakdown Alistair Overeem's positive test leading into the all-heavyweight UFC 146 card, and offer up possible substitute opponents. Ian also explores the feasibility of Overeem's exploiting a legal loophole in his appeal to the Nevada State Athletic Commission to keep his May 26, 2012, date with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Junior Dos Santos.
The boys also look back at last Saturday's (April 14, 2012) UFC on FUEL 2 card in Sweden, as well as provide quick picks for this weekend's UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" mixed martial arts (MMA) event in Atlanta, Georgia. They both like Jon Jones to defeat Rashad Evans, but for markedly different reasons.
You can also follow the show at twitter.com/MMATalkingHeads. We love reader questions and feedback!
Posted in: ufc, mma, evan, atlanta georgia, alistair overeems
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-ins Highlight Video
Check out the highlights from Friday's UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans official weigh-in event at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, vs, evan, video check, fox theatre
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-In Results
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans came face-to-face for the final time before they step inside the Octagon Saturday in the main event of UFC 145 when both fighters stepped on the stage to weigh-in and hit their desired marks meaning the title-fight is official. Jones, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion, came in right at 205, while Evans tipped the scale at 204.
The two men had to be separated after they squared off, igniting a large ovation from the crowd.
Only one fighter – John Makdessi – missed weight. Makdessi will surrender 20% of his purse to Anthony Njokuani after coming in at 158 for their meeting at lightweight.
Check out video the Jones-Evans incident below followed by complete results from the weigh-ins:
Prelims(Facebook):
Keith Wisniewski (170.5 lbs) vs. Chris Clements (169 lbs)
Marcus Brimage (145 lbs) vs. Maximo Blanco (146 lbs)
Prelims (FX):
Travis Browne (250 lbs) vs. Chad Griggs (228 lbs)
Matt Brown (171 lbs) vs. Stephen Thompson (171 lbs)
John Makdessi (158 lbs) vs. Anthony Njokuani (156 lbs)
Mac Danzig (155 lbs) vs. Efrain Escudero (156 lbs)
Main Card (PPV):
Mark Bocek (155 lbs) vs. John Alessio (155.5 lbs)
Mark Hominick (145.5 lbs) vs. Eddie Yagin (144.5 lbs)
Miguel Torres (135.5 lbs) vs. Michael McDonald (135 lbs)
Brendan Schaub (237 lbs) vs. Ben Rothwell (263 lbs)
Rory MacDonald (169.5 lbs) vs. Che Mills (170 lbs)
Jon Jones (205 lbs) vs. Rashad Evans (204 lbs)
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, lb, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 Jones v. Evans Weigh-ins Heat Up (Video)
Check out the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans weigh-in video. Things got a little heated when Jon Jones and Rashad Evans squared off after stepping off the scale.
Retweet this
Share on Facebook
• Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn
Posted in: jone, evan, video check, bull, scale retweet
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 Jones vs Evans Weigh-In
UFC 145 Notes and Quotes
ATLANTA -- This has been a different kind of fight week. For one thing it’s about 24 hours before showtime and UFC president Dana White is not here. That’s not the norm, but it might be going forward due to White’s participation in TUF: Live. He’s usually the UFC’s No. 1 hype man, and whether you like him or not, the event feels just a little bit smaller when he’s not around.That said, UFC 145’s main event still feels big. It's generated serious buzz, but no clear fan favorite. Both Rashad Evans and Jon Jones received their fair share of boos at Friday’s weigh-ins. Evans certainly got a bit more applause, but it sounds like the kind of crowd that could be swayed by seeing something spectacular on fight night. The fight and the fans are both there for the taking. Around Atlanta, there are "Jones vs. Evans" signs on street lights. Around the sports world, others are taking notice. LeBron James tweeted Jones earlier this week, putting his stamp on him as an athletic star. Meanwhile, the NFL Network has a camera crew following Jones and his family around during fight week for a draft day feature on Jon’s brother Arthur, while Rashad Evans went to the TNT studios this week and visited with Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. Suffice it to say, this is a big deal for the UFC, for Jones, and Evans.
There's been plenty said, and we've rounded up some of the best quotes from the week to take you into fight night.
Rashad Evans, on when his relationship with Jones started to change:"Jon was like a super-eager happy kid. Like, super excited about everything. First time I met him was at the UFC Expo. And then Greg told him he was going to train with us for his camp. And he was like, 'Oh man, I’m so excited to be part of the team,' to the point I was like, 'OK, I get it. Back up a little.' He was an excited kid. He carried that enthusiasm for a while but then people started to get in his ear. And I think that’s when things started to get to him because he’s not a very confident person. I know he’s not. He says all those things but he’s very insecure."Jon Jones, on when his relationship with Evans started to change:"I think the real problem started when I realized I had the opportunity to do something and I really focused my life and focused my dedication to the sport. I used to go out and party and do immature things, and I think that’s what he’s talking about when he says you guys don’t know things about me. Yeah, I go out and drink every once in a while. I’m 24. So I think he looked at how wild I used to be as someone who could never compete with him and get on that level with him. And I think he realized once I dedicated myself to martial arts and changed my personal life and private life. I changed a lot. He knows that I’m not the kid I used to be. And I think that’s when the real problem came. He realized that OK, this kid actually could become something special here. And that’s when the problem truly came."Greg Jackson, on Evans' assertion that Jackson could no longer focus on him because of his many commitments:"It’s both yes and no. I’m always focused on my fighters and always focused on the team. I don’t have the luxury of focusing on one guy. That’s why we have a lot of coaches there. Because the team shares. We give and we take, and I have responsibility to a lot of people. So, yes, I still focused on Rashad, but yes, I still focused on the team."Georges St-Pierre, on watching former teammate Evans fight current teammate Jones:"It’s hard to say who will win. It’s hard for me. It happens all the time, I have two guys that I know fighting each other. It’s happened before. It’s entertaining because of all the emotion involved, but it’s hard. I wish them both good luck."Travis Browne, on whether, as some suggest, Jones should be fighting at heavyweight:"Why? He’s doing so good at light-heavyweight, why move up to heavyweight? He’s cutting weight so easily. It’s not like he has a hard cut and it affects him in his fights. Stay at light-heavyweight."Rory MacDonald, on whether another teammate vs. teammate rivalry is lingering with him and St-Pierre:"Me and Georges are teammates and friends, so it’s not going to get to that point of Rashad and Jones. I understand people want to see that drama, but I’m not big into drama. Me and Georges will work together and hopefully he retires or moves up or whatever. I’ll wait my turn."Che Mills, on whether the fight with MacDonald is too much, too soon:"No, definitely not. When you first hear, you get some nerves. He’s a good guy. But at the same time, it’s the UFC. What else are you here for?"Stephen Thompson, on Matt Brown's style as an opponent:"He’s an aggressive guy. He comes straight forward, which is alright for me. But we’ll see if he wants to stand there and bang. I know he’s a banger, but something tells me he’s going to want to take it to the ground."Matt Brown, on whether he'll actually want to take it to the ground:"I’m probably as worried if not more worried about his ground game than I am his standup. Because I’ve seen his standup. I’ve watched a bunch of his kickboxing matches. I’ve watched his MMA fights. I’ve seen his standup. I know what he’s going to try to do. His ground game? I have no g------ clue. Who knows? He could be Rickson Gracie on the mat. Try to take him down and you end up twisted up like a pretzel."Miguel Torres, on his new style"People say, ‘Oh, Miguel shouldn’t have changed his game. Miguel abandoned his old ways.’ My old ways were reckless. It’s easy to judge without you being in that situation. I didn’t know what was wrong because it was working. And I haven’t totally changed everything. I’m trying to adapt the new style to the old style, and it takes time."Michael McDonald, on Torres' new style:"I think he’s a little less aggressive, and honestly I think that’s a mistake. He had, what, like a 30-fight win streak while being aggressive? And he got knocked out once? I think that got him a whole lot farther than changing his style did. I think you should stick to what got you where you here."
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, hersquo, itrsquo
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones to Rashad Evans: “I Can’t Wait to Knock You Out” (Video)
At this week’s UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans pre-fight press conference, it appeared as though the fight card’s main eventers had gotten over their supremely-hyped feud, which has been steeping for the past year.
No matter. Jones and Evans make for an intriguing style match up without any ill-will and their shared past as training partners is still an x-factor worth paying some mind to. Except that, maybe we shouldn’t mistake their docile behavior at the presser as an indication that there won’t be any heat going into this fight.
They may not be as wrapped up in it as they were when the situation was fresh, but Jones and Evans have made it clear that what they need to settle won’t be settled until they step into the cage. Being tired of dissecting their feud for the media doesn’t change that.
The above video, in which Jones tells Evans that he can’t wait to knock him out, was captured during a break between interviews, where the two were still connected through the same feed. Nothing fake there.
The two also showed some intensity during today’s weigh-ins, getting in each other’s faces and forcing Joe Silva to separate them. These are professional fighters who operate with tactics and strategy, so if you’re expecting a gutter brawl, you’ll probably be let down. Still, don’t get lulled into thinking there isn’t anything personal left going into this fight. Both men will be out to prove something tomorrow night.
Posted in: fight, jone, training partners, evan, supremelyhyped feud
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJones, Evans make weight for UFC 145
Expect it to be loud on Saturday when Jon Jones and Rashad Evans meet in the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jon jones, rashad evans, evan, jones evans
Read the full article at sportsnet.caVideo: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic
Everyone has weighed in for UFC 145 and we've got the complete video featuring all the fighters making weight -- or not. Light Heavyweight champ Jon Jones and his challenger Rashad Evans both made the 205lb limit. Evans came in at one pound under and Jones right on the dot.
UFC Lightweight John Makdessi didn't make weight and had to give up 20% of his purse to his opponent. Makdessi came in at 158lbs, 3 pounds over the divisional limit.
Complete weigh-in results after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Main Card:
Jon Jones (205) vs. Rashad Evans (204)Rory MacDonald (169.5) vs. Che Mills (170)Ben Rothwell (263) vs. Brendan Schaub (237)Michael McDonald (135) vs. Miguel Torres (135.5)Mark Hominick (145.5) vs. Eddie Yagin (144.5)John Alessio (155.5) vs. Mark Bocek (155)Preliminary Card:
Travis Browne (250) vs. Chad Griggs (228)Matt Brown (171) vs. Stephen Thompson (171)John Makdessi (158*) vs. Anthony Njokuani (156)Mac Danzig (155) vs. Efrain Escudero (156)Chris Clements (169) vs. Keith Wisniewski (170.5)Maximo Blanco (145) vs. Marcus Brimage (145)
*Makdessi was two pounds over, and will give up 20% of his purse
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, makdessi
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowFull UFC 145 weigh-in video for 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta
The UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" weigh-in event took place earlier today (Fri., April 20, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, where all 24 competitors tipped the scale to make their respective bouts official for tomorrow's mixed martial arts (MMA) event.
In the video above, the first fighter steps on the scale around the 8:00 mark.
Jon Jones (205) and Rashad Evans (204) are finally set to settle their differences inside the Octagon after more than a year of build and pre-fight hype. They'll hook 'em up in the main event with the light heavyweight championship on the line. In addition, Rory MacDonald will battle Che Mills in the co-headlining fight of the evening.
For complete UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" weigh in results click here and for staredowns click here.
Posted in: jone, evan, che mills, results click, fighter steps
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-In Results
The fighters have weighed in for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans. Get the complete weigh-in results from the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, vs, evan, weighin results, fox theatre
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones vs. Evans
ATLANTA - In one of the most emotionally charged UFC event weigh-ins in recent memory, both UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans made weight, making their UFC 145 title match official.
Jones checked in at the division's championship limit of 205 pounds, while Evans was one pound lighter. The reaction from the live crowd at the Fox Theatre was mixed but loud for both, with Evans receiving slightly more support from the crowd. The audience was loud enough to mostly drown out both fighters as they gave their final pre-fight comments to announcer Joe Rogan.
After weighing in, the two went forehead-to-forehead and had to be separated. As they were backed away from each other, Evans barked at Jones, while the champion stared him down. Meanwhile, their cornermen Art Jones (for Jones) and Tyrone Spong (for Evans) got into the act as well, yelling from afar. After Evans addressed the crowd, he pounded his chest while screaming towards the crowd and at Jones.
The champion responded by saying he was ready to "tear some hearts out."
Co-main event fighters Rory MacDonald and Che Mills had no problem hitting the mark, with Mills weighing 170 and the intense MacDonald just one-half pound lighter.
Heavyweight Brendan Schaub will have to overcome a 26-pound disadvantage in his fight with Ben Rothwell, who hit 263 on the scale, while Schaub was 237. That was a slightly larger differential faced by Chad Griggs, who at 228, was 22 pounds lighter than 250-pound Travis Browne.
John Makdessi was the only fighter to miss weight, checking in at 158 for his lightweight fight with Anthony Njokuani (156). Makdessi elected to forfeit 20 percent of his purse rather than attempt to cut the final two pounds.
UFC president Dana White was not present for the event, staying in Las Vegas for the night's edition of TUF Live.
Main CardJon Jones (205) vs. Rashad Evans (204) Rory MacDonald (169.5) vs. Che Mills (170)Brendan Schaub (237) vs. Ben Rothwell (263)Miguel Torres (135.5) vs. Michael McDonald (135)Mark Hominick (145.5) vs. Eddie Yagin (144.5)Mark Bocek (155) vs. John Alessio (155.5) Preliminary Card Travis Browne (250) vs. Chad Griggs (228)Matt Brown (171) vs. Stephen Thompson (171) John Makdessi (158) vs. Anthony Njokuani (156)Mac Danzig (155) vs. Efrain Escudero (156)Keith Wisniewski (170.5) vs. Chris Clements (169)Maximo Blanco (146) vs. Marcus Brimage (145)
Posted in: ufc, pound, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-in Results; Rivalry Heats Back Up
Full UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans weigh-in results from Atlanta, where Jon Jones and Rashad Evans got a little heated after stepping off the scale.
Retweet this
Share on Facebook
• Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, bull, scale retweet
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRivals Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Official for UFC 145 Title Tilt
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and onetime titleholder Rashad Evans have been at odds with one another for more than a year. In a matter of hours, the former friends and teammates will have nothing left to separate them
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at SherdogUFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones?
We are fast approaching one of the most anticipated UFC fights in years as Jon Jones and Rashad Evans finally meet at UFC 145. Given the history between these two friends turned enemies, it's only natural that most of the pre-fight discussion has been focused on the narrative behind their fight. And make no mistake, it's a great and compelling story. But that story is only half of what makes this such a great fight. The other half is what will take place inside the Octagon Saturday night. Because these aren't just rivals, they're also two of the finest fighters in the world.
And so here, we'll focus not on the rivalry, but on the techniques. Specifically, the stand-up techniques of the champion Jon Jones. Be sure to read the excellent analysis of Rashad Evans's stand-up done earlier this week by Jack Slack to get the other side.
Related: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? | UFC 145 Photos: Jon Jones Trains For Rashad Evans | Rashad Evans Getting Pointers From Roy Jones, Jr. Ahead Of Jon Jones Fight | The Techniques Of Jon Jones And Rashad Evans
In 2011, Jones established himself as one of the pound for pound greats in MMA today - a Silva/GSP-esque undefeatable phenom. Yet there are some detractors who say that he is not as good as the hype may always indicate. And those detractors generally point to his stand-up game, which some view as using flash and reach in place of solid technique. Here then, we'll break down Jones's stand-up and see what we can learn. We'll look at the following areas:
Footwork
Defensive movement and positioning
Offense
Let's see if we can find a crack in Jones's armor that Evans can exploit Saturday night.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Before we dive in, let me just say that I am not someone who sees MMA striking as being necessarily the exact mirror of pure boxing, Muay Thai, or K-1 striking. MMA fighters have different needs in their stand-up, so comparing their technique to the technique used by a Manny Pacquiao is not entirely fair. But there's still room for improvement in the striking of many MMA fighters, and Jon Jones is no exception.
Footwork
This is not an area where Jones shines. He tends to be flat-footed, which can slow down his movement. There's a plus to that as it helps him maintain cardio by keeping his legs more relaxed, but against Machida that slowness caused by keeping his feet planted allowed him to get caught a few times.
Jones also tends to switch stances often, moving freely between orthodox and southpaw stance. This has good advantages as it opens up his offense and keep his opponent guessing. That ability to confuse his opponent is one of his greatest striking strengths, which we'll address more when discussing his offense. While he likes to use the southpaw stance, he doesn't always use it to his best advantage. When one fighter is standing southpaw and the other orthodox, the way to gain the dominant position is to move your lead foot to the outside of your opponent's. That gives you more options and more power in your strikes. Jones does not do this, and yields the dominant position to his opponent when in southpaw. Small, but a mistake.
Along those same lines, Jones tends to overuse forward and backward movement on his feet, rather than coming in at angles. Compare him to a fighter like Frankie Edgar and you'll see a huge difference. Edgar will come in from the side and move off to the side when evading. Jones often comes straight in, and moves straight back. His significant reach advantage lets him get away with this. but it's not the best use of movement.
Overall, I would characterize his footwork as passable, but in need of some improvement. He makes it work, but focus on improving it could strengthen his game.
Defense
Lyoto Machida gets inside and connects on Jon Jones at UFC 140. Photo by Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
As mentioned above, Jones's motion tends to leave a few defensive openings. His motion straight back opens him up for a straight forward blitzing attack, which is what Machida used so effectively in round 1. Evans has shown this type of attack before, such as when he dropped Rampage, so it is something for Jones to watch for Saturday night.
For defense, I would say Jones's primary tactic is maintaining range. He's superb at using his range to keep fighters from getting in too close. When they do get close, he either brings his hands up and moves away to reset, or secures the clinch and takes them down. It's rare that a fighter has been able to get inside on Jones and continue striking. However, if a fighter could achieve that position (a huge if), they could find themselves in a nice spot to inflict some damage on the champion.
Jones doesn't use a lot of head or body movement to slip strikes, which leaves him a bit exposed. He also has a tendency to lower his level and bring his head down when he starts to get hit, which is a bad habit for any fighter, but particularly unfortunate for a taller fighter like Jones. By bringing his head down, he nullifies his height advantage, giving his opponent an opening.
Finally, he uses a lot of hand movement from the Anderson Silva style, but that can leave his chin exposed. He also tends to not bring his hands back to their defensive position quickly after throwing a punch. Again, this keeps his chin exposed, and a well-timed counter-puncher (Machida) can capitalize on those small gaps.
Defensively, as in his footwork, Jones has gotten by, but could use some tightening up. In particular, the dropping of his head and hands in defense is a concern, and whenever he does finally lose, I suspect that will be the culprit.
Offense
Jon Jones uses his range with a front kick on Rampage Jackson at UFC 135. Photo by Esther Lin, MMA Fighting.
I've spent a lot of time pointing out some flaws in Jones's game, so here's the chance to state the obvious: despite any technical flaws in footwork and defense, Jon Jones is a very dangerous striker. And that danger comes from his offensive output.
Jones has a natural gift in his reach, but it's his use of proper technique that allows him to best capitalize on that reach. He's done a great job building his game around this asset - teeps, jabs, and big head kicks are major weapons for Jones. That head kick in particular shows fantastic use of range as he really extends on it. All of these strikes push his opponent back and out of their attacking range, while allowing Jones to continue his own assault.
As his career has progressed Jones has evolved from more single shots to combos. Starting with the Shogun fight, we've seen him mix strikes together much more effectively. But he is still deliberate with those shots, choosing each punch and kick carefully. He's not a fast paced, 3-4 strike combo kind of fighter, instead selecting each successive strike to follow up on the previous one and thread its way through an opponent's defense.
For both his leg kicks and head kicks, Jones tends to at times sacrifice power for speed. He'll throw kicks very quickly without fully turning over his hips. This allows him to get the kick off fast, but doesn't do as much damage. In his recent fights, we've seen that his striking is more about accumulated damage rather than the single flash KO, and this style of speed over power plays to that.
And of course, his strikes are incredibly varied. He has an absolutely huge arsenal of knees, kicks, elbows, punches, plus a seemingly endless capacity to bring in new strikes, all of which keeps his opponents guessing.
Offensively, Jones's striking is up there among the best in the UFC. He uses his reach to perfection, and has built a great game based on slowly breaking his opponent down.
Overall
In the end, the good from that offense significantly outweighs the bad from the defense and footwork. I think it's fair to characterize Jones as a very skilled striker. But he's also a striker with real, tangible flaws. So far, only Lyoto Machida had any success using those flaws to his advantage, and Machida is the best technical striker in the division. And he still ended the fight unconscious.
Does this mean Jones is unbeatable? No it does not. But it does mean that anyone looking to beat him will have to exploit those holes perfectly, while surviving the offensive onslaught. It's not an easy task. Is Rashad Evans up for it? I suspect not, but I look forward to finding out.
Posted in: jon, jone, fighter, opponent, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowWatch the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-ins Live at 4 p.m. Eastern
Watch the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans weigh-ins live from Atlanta here at HeavyMMA on Friday at 4 p.m. Eastern.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, weighin
Read the full article at Heavy MMAHow Jon Jones went from 210 to 230 pounds for his UFC 145 title fight against Rashad Evans
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 205-pound number one contender Rashad Evans talks a lot about the advantages he had over reigning division champion Jon Jones while they trained together at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
"Bones" has a simple explanation.
When the lanky-but-lethal light heavyweight first joined the world's largest fight promotion, he walked around at 210 pounds. Fast-forward to his UFC 145 title fight against Evans on April 21, 2012 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, which spans 10 fights inside the Octagon, and Jones now walks around as high as 230 pounds.
And as he tells MMA Fighting, Evans will notice the difference right away.
"In the past, one of Rashad's main advantages over me was that he was more seasoned and a lot more stronger than I was. When I first joined the UFC, I never really cut weight, I came in extremely thin. Walking around at 213, 210. Now I walk around at almost 230 at times. I'm just a lot more mature in my body and physical strength. I think that's gonna be a huge difference for him and he's gonna feel it right away."
Hear more from "Bones" on why Evans has "no advantages" from training with him, after the jump.
For more on Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans epic grudge match click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, pound, jone, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 'Primetime' LIVE discussion thread for 'Jones vs Evans' on FX Channel (Episode 3)
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns with its "Primetime" preview show for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," featuring a behind-the-scenes look as current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones prepares to defend his strap against former division kingpin Rashad Evans on Saturday night (April 21, 2012) live from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Episode three premiers TONIGHT (Fri., April 20, 2012) at 11 p.m. ET on the FX Channel immediately following The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15, so be sure to stick around and talk, complain, whine, boast -- whatever it is you do -- about the program in the comments section below.
If you missed episodes one and two you can watch them both in their entirety here and here.
"Bones" is currently hovering around the -500 mark on most of the major betting sites, compared to the +400 underdog line for "Suga," his former friend and training partner under Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, New Mexico. UFC 145 will mark the culmination of their feud, which began back in 2010 prior to the UFC 128 pay-per-view (PPV) event.
A video preview of their "Primetime" rivalry after the jump.
For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, video preview, evan, primetime
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 predictions, preview and analysis
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is finally going to put us out of our misery this Saturday night (April 21, 2012) by bringing closure to the longstanding feud between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, the former friends and training partners who had a falling out that over the past few days, has played out more like reality television than combat sports.
No matter.
In just over 24 hours, "Bones" will put his 205-pound title on the line against "Suga" in the main event of UFC 145, live from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with burying the hatchet between Jones and Evans, this weekend's pay-per-view event may also determine who meets Dan Henderson later this year to see if "Hendo" can finally get his hands on UFC gold.
First things first.
In addition to the main event, the future of mixed martial arts (MMA) will be on display this Saturday night in "The Big Peach," as Rory MacDonald, Michael McDonald and Stephen Thompson try to take one step closer to getting themselves "in the mix" within their respective divisions.
Whose career heats up in "Hotlanta?"
I've laid out my best guess for the main card fights below. In addition, I've also provided links to our complete undercard preview as well as a closer examination of the UFC 145 odds and betting lines.
Well, you gonna take the jump or whistle Dixie?
205 lbs.: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Nostradumbass predicts: What I always find interesting in bouts like this one is how quickly MMA fans forget the business we're in. Rashad Evans is a 5:1 underdog heading into his title fight against Jon Jones and for good reason. "Bones" has almost cleaned out the entire division and barely broke a sweat in the process.
But let's not act like upsets don't happen.
It wasn't too long ago when people laughed at the idea of Frankie Edgar (+450) beating B.J. Penn (-700) in Abu Dhabi. And wasn't Fedor Emelianenko (-500) supposed to steamroll Fabricio Werdum (+400)?
This is why our sport is so exciting, because it allows just the slightest margin for error in any given fight. One punch, one dangling limb, one blown call by the referee and it's lights out in Georgia. Think it can't happen tomorrow night? Now you're just being a hater.
I'm picking Evans in this fight for a couple of reasons.
What I won't do is pretend that Jones hasn't been a complete heart attack inside the cage. The kid is a terror. But that kind of prolonged success, especially when your camp treats you like a god, can lead to a diminished respect for your opponent.
And Rashad is a baaaad man! (See what I did there?)
There's a reason he's 17-1. He's got the best MMA wrestling at 205-pounds. Phil Davis found that out at UFC on FOX 2 earlier this year. He also punches deceptively fast, which is why "Rampage" Jackson was on queer street in round one of their fight in early 2010.
Jones talks about Rashad not seeing the best "Bones" back in training camp, well, that door swings both ways, as he hasn't seen the best of Evans, either.
But he will on Saturday night.
If your argument against Rashad winning has anything to do with the knockout loss to Lyoto Machida, ask yourself, did getting knocked out by Matt Serra do anything to stop Georges St. Pierre from taking over the 170-pound world?
Nope.
In fact, getting pasted by "The Dragon" made The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 Champion a better fighter, which is why we've seen a more patient, calculated and mature Evans in his past two contests.
That said, I expect the champion to give him all kinds of problems on the feet.
His reach is too much to overcome and Rashad's chin can't take a ton of punishment. Fortunately for him it won't need to. He's going to show the young buck why he transitions from striking to wrestling better than anyone at light heavyweight by putting him on his ass for five straight rounds.
Think Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva at UFC 117 -- minus the submission and TRT -- and you should have a pretty good idea of how this thing plays out.
Prediction: Evans def. Jones via unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Nostradumbass predicts: UFC welterweight sophomore Che Mills is kind of a big deal across the pond, racking up a handful of consecutive wins on the International circuit before clowning Chris Cope in his Octagon debut last November.
He also has a 2010 win over "The Hitman," though I'm not sure what the Hecht that has to do with tomorrow night's role of lamb to slaughter. I can't really poke too many holes in his game, either, as he's done exactly what he needs to do on his way up and that's win.
But he's outmatched here.
MacDonald has also done his share of winning and he's beaten some pretty big names in the process. Before he made Mike Pyle look like some guy they pulled out of the stands at UFC 133, he rag-dolled Nate Diaz like he was nothing at UFC 129 back in April of last year.
Even Georges St. Pierre is looking over his shoulder.
True, "Ares" has the technical knockout loss to Carlos Condit, but "The Natural Born Killer" was getting worked in that fight before the miracle comeback in the waning seconds of their fight.
And he's only 22.
Mills will be game and the first round should be competitive, but once MacDonald settles into a rhythm, he's going to put on a show. A knockdown followed by a submission, something Mills has succumbed to in three of his four losses, would not surprise me.
Prediction: MacDonald def. Mills via submission
265 lbs.: Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell
Nostradumbass predicts: It wasn't that long ago when Brendan Schaub was complaining that he was tired of fighting fat wrestlers. So the UFC gave him Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and "Minotauro" sent him home from Rio with keys to the heavyweight gate.
Now Ben Rothwell wants to get in.
It's a shame, too, because the "Big" fella had carved himself out a nice little career on the regional circuit and made some noise in the IFL over pretty recognizable names. Unfortunately, that success failed to transfer over to the Octagon, where he stands at 1-2 with losses to Cain Velasquez and Mark Hunt.
His "win" over Gilbert Yvel at UFC 115 has to be one of the sorriest displays of cardio in the history of heavyweight huffing-and-puffing and with such a long gap in between fights, I expect more of the same in Atlanta.
He's going down.
Schaub isn't even close to contending for the title but let's face it, he's much more athletic and can do three rounds with ease. His striking is good, but not good enough to finish "Big Ben," but he doesn't need to. He just needs to pound on him for fifteen minutes and cruise to a sweep on the judges' scorecards.
Prediction: Schaub def. Rothwell via unanimous decision
135 lbs.: Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
Nostradumbass predicts: Like Stephen Thompson on the undercard (boo!) and the aforementioned Rory MacDonald, Michael McDonald is the future of fight. He's got a very stiff test ahead of him in Miguel Torres, who has 44 professional bouts to his credit and championship experience.
So why does the former WEC bantamweight kingpin fall?
Well, for starters, I think he's the more talented fighter at this stage of their respective careers. But for all his prowess on the feet and on the ground, he just hasn't been able to make them come together in recent fights.
Torres seems to be constantly reinventing himself and what's unfortunate is he was never really in need of an overhaul to begin with. I understand the Brian Bowles knockout loss was a tough pill to swallow, but that had more to do with not respecting Bowles' power than it did with Torres' skill set.
Winning 17 fights in a row can make you cocky.
McDonald has hit a few speed bumps along the way, but at just 21 years old, he's improving dramatically with every contest and already has 15 fights to his credit. That includes seven straight victories with three under the Zuffa banner.
Torres can win this fight, but he won't, because he's trying to be the patient, relaxed attacker instead of the ruthless aggressor that defined him in his WEC days. This will by no means be a landslide for "Mayday," but he should do enough -- and do it more often -- to secure a closely-contested victory.
Prediction: McDonald def. Torres via split decision
145 lbs.: Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Nostradumbass predicts: As I'm sure you've noticed by now, I've mentioned on more than one occasion how a fighter's ego can leave them staring at the lights if they let it get the best of them.
Mark Hominick is no exception.
"The Machine" was unplugged by Chan Sung Jung at UFC 140 last December because he thought he was going to walk in and put on a striking display. Instead, he got displayed in one of several highlight reel clips showcasing his knockout loss to "The Korean Zombie."
If he's the kind of fighter I think he is, you can be sure he won't make that mistake again.
That's bad news for Eddie Yagin, because a calculated and focused Canadian lights this kid up all night. I'm not sure if he'll secure the stoppage, as "The Filipino Phenom" is a durable opponent with a ton of experience, but he just doesn't have the hands to make this thing a fight.
Submission?
Not likely. Even if Yags does get it to the ground, Hommy knows a thing or two about triangles, having tapped Bryan Caraway with one at WEC 46 back in 2010. I don't want to get down on Yagin over his debut loss at UFC 135 to a very-tough Junior Assuncao, but in the end, this is a rebound fight and it was designed as such.
I expect no surprises in this featherweight affair.
Prediction: Hominick def. Yagin via unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Nostradumbass predicts: Mark Bocek is frequently overlooked in the UFC's crowded 155-pound division and that's partly because he's been inconsistent, going 3-2 over his last five fights. It's also because he's not particularly flashy or outspoken.
That will change.
If you look at his career overall, you'll see that three of his four losses came to a current and former lightweight champion (Ben Henderson and Frankie Edgar) as well as one of the toughest S.O.B.'s at 155-pounds in Jim Miller.
He also finishes 70 percent of his fights by way of tap, nap or snap.
On paper, John Alessio looks like the favorite, based on his wealth of experience and level of competition. But inside the Octagon he's been, well, putrid. There's just no way to spin 0-3 into a positive and the quality of opposition isn't getting any easier.
The trip to a smaller weight class has done him good but with seven submission losses to his name, especially against a mat wizard like Bocek in a place he's yet to taste victory, I have nothing but bad news for the Canadian prior to his long-awaited return.
Prediction: Bocek def. Alessio via submission
That's a wrap, folks.
MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., April 21), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 6:30 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts.
For previews and predictions on the preliminary card fights click here and here. To see all the odds and betting lines for UFC 145 click here and remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of "Jones vs. Evans."
What do you think? Now it's your turn ... let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for tomorrow night's event.
Posted in: ufc, fight, loss, evan, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaFriday Link Club: Previewing Jones vs. Evans
After a year of suspense, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans finally end their bitter feud this Saturday in the main event of UFC 145. Greg Jackson Accepts Role In Evans-Jones Feud | FightLine ‘UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans’ Complete Betting Odds | 5thRound If You Were Jon Jones You’d Be Cocky Too | Bleacher Report [...]
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Jones vs. Evans live weigh-in results and preview videos
UFC 145 Jones vs. EvansAtlanta, GAJon Jones () vs. Rashad Evans ()Rory MacDonald () vs. Che Mills ()Ben Rothwell () vs. Brendan Schaub ()Michael McDonald () vs. Miguel Torres ()Mark Hominick () vs. Eddie Yagin ()John Alessio () vs. Mark Bocek ()Travis Browne () vs. Chad Griggs ()Matt Brown () vs. Stephen Thompson ()John Makdessi () vs. Anthony Njokuani ()Mac Danzig () vs. Efrain Escudero ()Chris Clements () vs. Keith Wisniewski ()Maximo Blanco () vs. Marcus Brimage ()Weigh-ins for UFC take place at Atlanta's Fox Theatre and begin at 4:00 PM EST (1:00 PM PST). Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, weighin results
Read the full article at UltMMAUFC 145 Main Event Breakdown: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
ATLANTA -- They're tired of talking about it, you're tired of reading about and I'm tired of writing about it. Thankfully, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans is finally here. As intriguing as all the pre-fight bickering was, everyone's ready to move on to the actual fisticuffs. The exhausting build-up should at least lead into a quality UFC 145 main event. Jones was installed as and remains a sizable favorite, as much as 6-to-1, according to some oddsmakers, but that number is a bit out-of-whack with reality.Evans has not been a fan favorite for most of his career, and partly because of it, he's suffered when it's come to receiving credit for his accomplishments. In today's modern MMA world of extreme weight-cutting, Evans should probably be a middleweight. There's little doubt he could make 185, but he's just never made the move because he didn't have to. He's beaten Chuck Liddell and Quinton Jackson and Tito Ortiz, and someday, maybe he will get the credit he deserves. Maybe it will come if he beats Jones on Saturday.
That will be, quite literally, a tall order.At 6-foot-4, Jones will have a five-inch height advantage on Evans, and a ridiculous reach advantage of nearly 10 inches. Because of that, Evans will have some distance to navigate.He's said several interesting things this week, but one of the most interesting things he said was that Jones doesn't necessarily use that reach well. "As a tall fighter, he doesn't fight tall," he said on Thursday. "He gives away his height a lot with his stance. In MMA, you do want to give away your height to an extent, but he does it a lot. He doesn't fight long and rangy. I'm sure that's something that Mike Winkeljohn and those guys have been working on him with, but as of his last few fights, he doesn't fight like a tall fighter."That goes against almost everything you hear about Jones. Even though he's not the type of fighter to pump out the jab repeatedly, he does throw a lot of front kicks, which serve the same purpose of keeping an opponent at distance. Perhaps Evans simply sees something that others don't. Years ago, when Randy Couture fought Tito Sylvia as a huge underdog, he spoke with the same kind of certainty about the same aspect, and he went out and demolished Sylvia after flooring him with his very first punch.But Jones is a different kind of beast to slay. It's not that he's unbeatable, it's just that he offers so many problems to solve that it becomes too much until his opponent drowns. He lands 52 percent of his strikes. He doesn't get hit much. He's so far proven impossible to take down, and he seems to take down whoever he wants.On the other hand, Evans doesn't go into this fight with any sort of awe for Jones, because he's had first-hand experience against him. Even if that version of Jones isn't the same as the one he'll face on Saturday, it was close enough to give Evans confidence, whether it's in specific positions or the totality of the fight.The biggest problem for Evans to solve will be getting inside. He noted during fight week that Jones tends to confuse opponents by throwing a lot of different looks at them. He'll switch from southpaw to orthodox. He'll target the body then the head. He'll throw spinning punches and elbows. He disguises his takedowns. All of that leaves the guy standing across from in the mode of reactionary rather than aggressor.According to Evans, when that happens, the fight speeds up. Your mind has to start processing things instead of simply reacting to them. And that's dangerous. So how would he combat that? He'd want to strike first. He'd want to be the initiator. He'd want to put Jones into a position of adversity to see if he'll break.This is not a fight he'll want to fight outside for long distances. Expect him to try to clinch and work Jones against the fence, hoping to sap him of some of his energy. Evans does good work in that position, and it takes some of Jones' best attributes away. But getting inside for the clinch won't be an easy task. Jones has manhandled most of the opposition that's dared to wade inside, taking them down, where his ground and pound has become nearly an automatic finish. Evans probably trusts his wrestling to stand up more than Jones' previous opponents, so he'll no doubt go for this position.If they do stand from the outside, it's Evans' power and speed against Jones' versatility. Evans doesn't historically attack the legs with kicks. He's more of a headhunter. Take for instance his most recent fight against Phil Davis, when he landed just one kick among his 106 scoring strikes, according to FightMetric. He did the same thing against Thiago Silva in 2010, with only two of his landed strikes going to the legs. Jackson had some success against Jones with kicks, so it will be interesting to see if Evans sprinkles this element into his offense.The true X-factor, though, is Jones' power. The only knock on him is the lack of one-punch knockout power, but rest assured it's coming. His technique is getting better, and he's growing into his body. He briefly wobbled both Jackson and Machida. Sometime soon, he's going to start flooring his opponents with single blows. Does that start on Saturday? Maybe. Evans has been historically underrated for everything he's accomplished, and a win over Jones would be his most impressive, because it would undoubtedly come against a champion in his prime. But in my opinion, the obstacles are just too many. Evans may have some success with the early clinch, but Jones will adjust, and eventually turn it into a takedown. Evans isn't going to get overwhelmed on the ground. He's too competent there, but things are going to get uncomfortable for him if he repeatedly finds himself in the disadvantageous position. He said himself that Jones gets in opponents' minds with his diverse attacks, and it's the same thing he'll face as his normal wrestling advantage is negated. In the end, Jones beats his fourth straight former UFC light-heavyweight champ, this time by fourth-round TKO.
Posted in: fight, jone, hell, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 weigh in results and video LIVE from Atlanta for 'Jones vs. Evans'
The official weigh in event for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" is set to take place later this afternoon (Fri., April 20, 2012) live from the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 4 p.m. ET.
As usual, MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the UFC 145 weigh-ins below, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude. For your convenience, we've also embedded a live video feed of the UFC 145 weigh in event in the extended entry below, which means that you can watch all the scale-tipping action unfold right here in real-time.
UFC 145 will be headlined by a Light Heavyweight championship showdown that's been a long time coming, as Jon Jones will defend his 205-pound world title against former division kingpin Rashad Evans. Also on tap is a Welterweight match up that pits rising star Rory MacDonald against British banger Che Mills, while Heavyweight head hunters Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are also scheduled to collide on the pay-per-view (PPV) main card.
Check out complete UFC 145 weigh in results, as well as the live video feed from Atlanta, after the jump:
UFC 145 WEIGH IN RESULTS
205 lbs.: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones () vs. Rashad Evans ()170 lbs.: Rory MacDonald () vs. Che Mills ()265 lbs.: Brendan Schaub () vs. Ben Rothwell ()135 lbs.: Miguel Torres () vs. Michael McDonald ()145 lbs.: Mark Hominick () vs. Eddie Yagin ()155 lbs.: Mark Bocek () vs. John Alessio ()265 lbs.: Travis Browne () vs. Chad Griggs ()170 lbs.: Stephen Thompson () vs. Matt Brown ()155 lbs.: Anthony Njokuani () vs. John Makdessi ()155 lbs.: Mac Danzig () vs. Efrain Escudero ()170 lbs.: Keith Wisniewski () vs. Chris Clements ()145 lbs.: Maximo Blanco () vs. Marcus Brimage ()
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE, detailed UFC 145 results of all the "Jones vs. Evans" PPV action tomorrow night (April 21, 2012). It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:00 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning.
For all the latest news and notes on UFC 145 be sure to hit up our event archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, lb, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?'
The Ultimate Fighting Championship has just released another top notch promotional video for UFC 145. This was was focused on Jon Jones, and I have to admit, these are the types of videos that can go a long way with getting casuals interested.
Related: Bloody Elbow's UFC 145 Event Poster | UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Predictions From The Top Asian MMA Fighters
Don't just take my word for it though, watch it below:
"I am UFC Light Heavyweight Champion of the world. How would you define me?"
HT: BE Reader Darkotto23
After the jump, check out the other top promotional materials from UFC 145.
Here's a quick list of all the excellent promotional videos they've churned out for UFC 145:
- UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans With Another Impersonation of His Mom
- UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Vs. Jon Jones Preview - 'The Payback'
- UFC 145 Jon Jones Trailer: "Believe Your Eyes"
- PART 1 - Jon Jones And Rashad Evans Get Heated On 'Ultimate Insider'
- PART 2 - Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - The War Of Words Continues On Ultimate Insider
- Episode 1 UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
- Episode 2 UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
- Video: Countdown To UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, video, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans LowKick.com Staff Predictions
None of the staff picks Rashad Evans to defeat Jon Jones this weekend. It's all "Bones", mostly via TKO.
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad evans, evan, staff
Read the full article at Low KickGeorges St-Pierre Breaks Down Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans UFC 145 Main Event (Video)
Check out GSP's championship breakdown on the UFC 145 fight between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at MMA Weekly
Rashad Evans - Living for The Moment
Rashad Evans was always the young gun – flashy, fast, powerful, able to leap tall buildings in a single…you get the picture. He’s not that guy anymore. The skill is still there, the power and the speed seemingly undiminished. But at 32, he’s the old man compared to his opponent in the main event of UFC 145 this Saturday night, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.Evans knows what he brings to the Octagon this weekend, so you get the impression that such talk doesn’t bother him, but watching his alternatively intense then bemused looks in the lead-up to the bout show a former phenom that has settled into the role of wily veteran. You may think you know what he’s thinking or planning, but you really don’t. And even after countless interviews to promote one of the organization’s biggest bouts this year, he has yet to show his cards.That’s something that only comes with time and experience, and Evans has both on his side. It wasn’t the case when he held the title, when his consecutive knockouts of Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin forecast a long reign that ultimately ended in his first defense against Lyoto Machida in 2009. Four wins later, it remains the only loss of his pro career, and that’s with good reason, as he’s learned from the mistakes he made when he was on top.“One thing about it is that I just control the people around me and not let them make a big production out of everything, and that’s what happens sometimes,” said Evans. “When you get to a certain position, everybody wants to help you, but they really want to help themselves in a sense. So by helping you, they’re really helping themselves. Everybody has a bit of advice, everybody has a new way you could do this, everybody has a new way you can get better, and I don’t know everything and I don’t claim to, and I find great enjoyment learning, so I can learn anything from somebody, but at the same time, you gotta tune it down a little bit and cut down on the noise, because if you get too much coming in at one time, it’s gonna become a distraction, and it doesn’t help you at all.”If there’s one thing surrounding Evans’ opponent, Jones, in the last few weeks, it’s been plenty of noise. The phenom from Endicott, New York is seemingly everywhere, and while he appears to be taking everything in with a certain level of grace, Evans showed that same poise when he was holding the belt, and look what happened in the Octagon and behind the scenes. So when Evans talks about Jones and what he expects to happen if he doesn’t keep everything together physically and mentally under the intense pressure and scrutiny he’s under, it bears listening to. Yet while Evans hopes to precipitate that fall from grace by taking the belt from his former training partner this weekend, when asked if he would feel some empathy for Jones should that fall happen, “Suga” says he would.“I can say that, and I’ll say that to him,” he said. “Because honestly, as much as I want to destroy him and beat him and shock the world and prove who I am, a part of me goes out to him because I know he’s setting himself up for a fall and I don’t know if he can take it. He’s wrapped himself up in a lot of falsehoods and I don’t know if it’s because he’s young, but he really can’t see the fall coming. And when I say this, I don’t want to make it seem like with everything in life you always have to be like ‘oh, I can’t do this because I’m gonna fall.’ No, you can reach for the stars, but you have to understand a fall for what it really is. And there’s usually a lesson to be learned every single time you gotta take a step back, and if you can find a lesson, you can become stronger from that fall. But if you don’t understand it for what it is and you don’t accept the fact that it’s going to happen, when it does happen, your denial about it makes sure you don’t grow from it. I don’t know if he’s gonna be able to handle that part, and I wish for him to because honestly, I like Jon in some ways and I developed a relationship with him when I was training with him, so a part of me roots for him and hopes that he does well in life and stuff like that, but he’s delusional sometimes.”Some would say that’s a necessary evil for all fighters, to lie to themselves and say getting punched, kicked, and choked doesn’t hurt, and that all that pain is only in their mind and not in their aching limbs. Evans agrees…to a certain extent.“I think you need to be delusional sometimes, but sometimes you gotta be rational,” he explains. “I think what happens is that when you become too delusional in life, you lose touch with reality and that’s bad. You have to keep at least one anchor close to land, just in case you gotta pull yourself back to shore. You don’t want to be way out there and get a hole in your boat and be shipwrecked and not know how to get back, because that’s when fools get crazy. They get too far away from reality.”And for all the trash talk and bad feelings surrounding this fight, Evans is grounded in reality. When he says he’s going to beat Jones, it’s not out of arrogance but in a belief in his skills and his training. And when he assesses the champion, he doesn’t dismiss him as a young, wet behind the ears, kid. He knows what “Bones” brings to the table, and he’s prepared accordingly.“From the first time I trained with Jon, I knew he was gonna be really good,” said Evans. “I never knew how fast he was gonna be good because somebody can be good in the practice room but really not good in the fight. So when I saw that his mental game was just as good as his physical game, I knew there was no rate on how fast he could go because he actually believes a lot of the stuff that he says, and I’ll tell you what, belief is 99.9% of it. If you believe, you can go really far with this just on belief alone.”It’s a surprising admission from Evans, considering that his eight year pro career has proven him to be a master of the mental game. With one comment, one gesture, or one move, he can take an opponent out of his element and play him like a video game. He’s done it for years, and in the lead-up to the fight, he’s poked and prodded Jones to find the weak spot and get in his head. Jones looks to have weathered that storm nicely, but with the exception of pre-fight pushing or jawing matches (none of which have happened here), the true winner of the mental chess match only shows up on fight night. So expect Evans to continue to try and work his magic every minute until that bell rings.“When you’re able to make somebody go somewhere mentally where they haven’t gone before, that’s always a good thing because with that, you get a new reaction and a new way, and it’s gonna be interesting to see how he (Jones) handles that,” said Evans. “He’s gonna try and divorce himself from all the feelings that he has towards me and towards the situation and try to make it like a normal fight. But with the added pressure and everyone around, it definitely has to seep in a little bit. He feels like he’s fighting for the honor of Jackson’s gym, and he’s here to defend his master, Greg Jackson. And I’m sure Greg is putting things in his head like oh man, you’ve gotta beat Rashad because Rashad has said this about me, and I offended Greg, so I think that Greg is now wanting to see me get beat.”If anything has been made clear throughout the year long buildup to this fight, it’s that Evans’ true animosity may not be with Jones, but with Jackson, his former coach. And deep down, that animosity may hide a deeper hurt about how things played out when Evans and the Jackson’s MMA team split after Jones won the 205-pound belt in 2011.“It (the split) just lets me know what people are about sometimes,” said Evans. “People are about their best interests, and Greg is no different. At one point, we came up together. If it wasn’t for the fighters out of his gym, nobody would even know who Greg Jackson is. He would just be a guy in Albuquerque who has pretty good jiu-jitsu and pretty good MMA, and another guy who had a gym. It was the fighters that actually got him known, and through what he showed us and through what we experienced together, we created something that the world is talking about, and other fighters sought him out to be a part of the team. So when he looks to destroy me, he’s destroying a piece of himself because without me, he wouldn’t be. Without Keith Jardine, he wouldn’t be, without Georges St-Pierre, he wouldn’t be, without Diego Sanchez, Joey Villasenor, or Nate Marquardt, he wouldn’t be. We were the guys who made Greg Jackson the guy who people wanted to come to.”At this point, a day removed from the big fight, Evans is talked out. He was talked out weeks ago, as his days were filled with questions about his sparring sessions with Jones, their former friendship, and every intriguing angle revolving around this match of 25 minutes or less.“I’m so tired of it I can’t even go on Twitter or any social networks because that’s all everybody’s talking about,” he said. “That’s good to an extent that everybody’s talking about it, but I can’t escape it. If I post a picture of me doing something else, somebody would say something like ‘oh, you should be training for Jon Jones.’ They must think I just sit in the gym and train 24/7 and do nothing but that, and only break to go and eat, and when I eat, I only eat salads.”Evans laughed, finding a spark of humor in the midst of the madness. He’s been here before, comparing it to another long-simmering grudge match, with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Evans made it through that process painlessly, winning the 2010 bout via decision and putting that feud in his rearview mirror. It showed a lot about how far he had come since the Machida fight, and in subsequent wins over Tito Ortiz and Phil Davis, he also showed off his versatility and finishing power (against Ortiz) and his ability to go five rounds for the first time (against Davis).So he’s ready for the dynamic Jones and whatever he brings to the Octagon. Sure, Evans is older now, but he’s also wiser, and with that wisdom comes the realization that nothing lasts forever, so that when you get your time to shine, you need to make the most of it.“Right now, this is my moment in time to embrace this and enjoy it for what it is because the truth of the matter is, it won’t be like this always,” he said. “These fights are few and far between, so when you get an opportunity like this, you just gotta enjoy it. So whenever I find myself getting frustrated, I just try to enjoy it because before you know it, it will be all over with, I’ll be an old man telling a story about when I fought Jon Jones. (Laughs) I understand what can happen in a fight of this magnitude and what can happen when you get caught up too fast with everything around you and how it can drain you and really make the fight bigger than what it is. What this fight comes down to is that this is a guy that I know very well, this is a guy I used to train with, and this is just another sparring session after we haven’t faced each other in a long time. So it’s gonna be interesting.”
Posted in: fight, time, jone, ’t, evan
Read the full article at UFCUFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More
As you've probably noticed by now, MMA Fighting's Luke Thomas is in Atlanta for UFC 145. Today was the open workouts for the event, and they were able to capture a ton of footage. UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, challenger Rashad Evans, co-main eventer Rory MacDonald, bantamweight foes Michael "Mayday" McDonald and Miguel Torres, and preliminary card welterweights Matt Brown (Luke's twin) and Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson are all featured in the video after the jump. Thompson, who is well-known for his karate, gets some extra footage which is quite impressive. Check it out.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Main Card:
Jon Jones vs. Rashad EvansRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsBen Rothwell vs. Brendan SchaubMichael McDonald vs. Miguel TorresMark Hominick vs. Eddie YaginJohn Alessio vs. Mark BocekPreliminary Card:
Travis Browne vs. Chad GriggsMatt Brown vs. Stephen ThompsonJohn Makdessi vs. Anthony NjokuaniMac Danzig vs. Efrain EscuderoChris Clements vs. Keith WisniewskiMaximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, workouts footage
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRandy Couture: Dan Henderson and Chael Sonnen have the tools to beat Jon Jones
Rashad Evans will get his chance to not only exact some sort of "payback" against former sparring partner Jon Jones this weekend (April 21, 2012) at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Ga., he will also look to be the first fighter to solve the enigma that is the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion.
During Jones' three-year tenure with the world's leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, nine men have tried -- including three former world champions -- and nine men have failed to hand the New Yorker his first loss. Of course, Matt Hamill has a win over "Bones," though it was because of a "disqualification" from illegal elbows delivered by the 205-pound kingpin.
Essentially, no one has yet to really defeat the young champion, and Evans, for one, would love nothing more that to be the first to defeat him.
However, should "Suga" come up short in his bid to dethrone Jones, former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight champion, Randy Couture, has a few select people in mind who he feels posses the tools and skillset to hand Jones his first true defeat.
Check out what "The Natural" told Five Ounces Of Pain, including his thoughts on the overblown drama between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans:
"I really don't have a prediction and I could make a case for either fighter winning the bout. The favorite is probably Jones because of his range and he is so athletic with such a dynamic striking style. Rashad has the tools and the skill set to make it a tough fight for Jones, but he has to make it a wrestling match and take him down at every opportunity. That's not the style we tend to see out of Evans since he landed that head kick on Sean Salmon. Being a stand-up fighter is not a great style match-up when you are facing a guy like Jones. The question is can Rashad formulate a game plan and make Jon wrestle with him? If he can do that he certainly has the ability he can win the fight, but I question he'll be able to do that for a five round fight. The rage and hatred thing it's overblown, Rashad has taken that road with other opponents. Yes they were training partners and there is some rhetoric going back and forth, but I'm not sure how heartfelt any of that really is. I think because they were training together they need to put it on a level so they can beat the hell out of each other. At the end of the day they will pick each other up and say great fight win or lose. This isn't like Tito (Ortiz) and Ken (Shamrock) or Tito and Chuck (Liddell) where they really hate each other (though) they were close at one point."
Who does the UFC Hall of Famer feel can defeat Jones?
"I think a fighter like Dan Henderson or even Chael Sonnen who is a very big 185-pounder and used to compete as a light heavyweight with strong wrestling. They have to take him out of his comfort zone and take away his reach advantage. There is no longer in the division and maybe not in the sport as far as Jones reach. His takedown defense is good and he has very good wrestling. He has very unorthodox striking which makes him very dangerous. I think you have to use the fence, use your wrestling and force him to fight your fight. Either one of those guys can do that."
Henderson is currently set to receive the next title shot at 205-pounds, so he will be a very eager viewer the showdown in "Hotlanta" this weekend.
Sonnen, meanwhile, has his hands full with 185-pound champion Anderson Silva at UFC 147, which is currently without a date and a location. However, should Sonnen ever get the opportunity to face off against Jones, he has a simple blueprint:
Substance over style.
How about it Manaics, do you agree with Couture's picks as to who can give the reigning 205-pound champion fits inside the Octagon? If not, then who do you see as the one to defeat the young phenom if Evans fails to do so this weekend?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, champion, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: Rashad Evans 'Insulted Me Way Too Early'
ATLANTA - At the UFC 145 open workouts, UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones talked about his training before the fight, his cardio and beard, what advantages Rashad Evans has over him, and if his former teammate got into his head with all the pre-fight trash talk in the video below.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, evan, prefight trash
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 open media workout photos gallery for 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta
MMA Fighting photo phenom, Esther Lin, was on the scene at the Georgia State University Gym in Atlanta, Ga., earlier today to shoot several of the notable fighters who will compete on the UFC 145: "Jones vs Evans" main card for the event's open media workouts.
Naturally, the two men who will collide in the main event of the evening, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, were on the scene to promote their highly-anticipated Light Heavyweight clash, as well as work up one of the last few real sweats prior to fight night (April 21, 2012) at the nearby Philips Arena.
Surging Welterweight contender Rory MacDonald and his opponent in the co-featured fight of the night, Che Mills, were also on hand, as well as Bantamweight brawlers Miguel Torres and Michael McDonald.
That's not all. In fact, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 170-pound champion, Georges St. Pierre, also made a cameo.
Check out more great pics from the UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" open media workout after the jump, courtesy of the incomparable Esther LIn:
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson
Georges St. Pierre
Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., April 21), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV). The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET with the "Prelims" bouts on FX/Facebook.
For all the latest and greatest news and notes for UFC 145 click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, media workout
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Video: Pre-Fight Interviews
ATLANTA -- Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans spoke to MMA Fighting today about why professional boxers like Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones, Jr. seem to gravitate to him, how he responds to Jon Jones' claims that Evans has a weak chin or that he may not be in his physical prime, why the pain he felt from the divorce of his now ex-wife was worse in previous fights and if a win over Jones on Saturday validates that he's not only a better fighter than Jones, but also the decision to leave the Greg Jackson camp.
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, bernard hopkins, saturday validates
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJones & Evans: Face-to-Face
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans join Hazel Mae to discuss their upcoming fight at UFC 145 and their relationship, or lack there of.
Posted in: ufc, jone, relationship, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJones & Evans: face-to-face ahead of UFC 145
Rashad Evans calls Jon Jones "whack." Jones says he isn't in MMA to make friends. The two UFC 145 headliners join Sportsnet's Hazel Mae to discuss their much-anticipated fight Saturday.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, saturday, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones vs Rashad Evans UFC 145 open media workout videos and observations
The Ancient Romans were big on divinity. In an uncertain world threatened by war, famine, pestilence and natural disaster, reading omens to predict the future was a critical function of government. The preferred method was to beat a bull to death, spill its entrails, and divine the will of the gods by scrutinizing the steaming pile of ordure and bullshit that resulted.
Predicting mixed martial arts (MMA) matches is a very similar science. Generally speaking, one examines a lot of bullshit, sees what one wants to see, and comes to a conclusion. The freshest and most recent deposit of forecasting material comes from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) pre-fight open workouts. At these events, the fighters' past performances become moot, and their actual pre-fight form, orientation and condition is revealed.
Today, UFC 145 main event fighters Jon Jones and Rashad Evans hit the mitts, worked up sweats and participated in one of the final pre-fight rituals before they step inside the Octagon at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday night (April 21, 2012) and wage war like modern-day gladiators.
What do you see? As one well-versed in rootling through bullshit, I will help you with a few pointers as we watch the UFC 145 open media workouts videos for Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans:
Rashad Evans (3.5 minutes):
Observations:
Crisp, sharp punches
Stable, wide stance
Poised, calm and deliberate
No kicks
No grappling
Some misses in striking defense
Apparently good cardio
Jon Jones (8 minutes): Observations:
Starts workout with multiple front snap kicks
Typical long, slow punches
Deliberately switches stance between orthodox and southpaw
Practices roundhouse kicks with both legs
Falls into typical slow, deliberate rhythm
Grapples with tree stump
Plenty of shooting for doubles and singles
Follows up single with roundhouse kick to head
Having peered deep into the omens, savored the aroma and divined the patterns, I have seen the future. And you? Within the bullshit, what do YOU see?
If your crystal ball is blurry and needs a little friendly assistance, be sure to check out the latest UFC 145 odds and betting guide for "Jones vs. Evans" right here. And to check out our complete UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" event archive for all the latest news and notes click here.
Poll
The Ending That I Foresee Is
Bones Wins by Decision
Bones Wins by KO/TKO
Rashad Wins by Decision
Rashad Wins by KO/TKO
Bones Wins by Submission
Rashad Wins by Submission
20 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, workout, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Open Workouts Photos
Check out the MMAWeekly.com UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans open workouts photo gallery from Jeff Cain.
Posted in: ufc, vs, workout, photo, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyFight Day: Rashad Evans UFC 145 Pre-Fight Video Interview
HeavyMMA's Megan Olivi catches up with former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, who challenges Jon Jones for the title at UFC 145 on Saturday.
Posted in: ufc, rashad, evan, heavymma, prefight
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Rashad Evans Pre-Fight Interview
Rashad Evans Discusses Emotionally Moving On From Pain of Divorce
ATLANTA -- Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans spoke to MMA Fighting today about why professional boxers like Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones, Jr. seem to gravitate to him, how he responds to Jon Jones' claims that Evans has a weak chin or that he may not be in his physical prime, why the pain he felt from the divorce of his now ex-wife was worse in previous fights and if a win over Jones on Saturday validates that he's not only a better fighter than Jones, but also the decision to leave the Greg Jackson camp.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, bernard hopkins, saturday validates
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad Evans: I Have An Amazing Record for Having the Worst Chin in the World
Rashad Evans answers back to Jon Jones' recent statement that he had a questionable chin, and really has no idea where that idea came from.
Retweet this
Share on Facebook
• • • Email • • • • • • • •
Posted in: jon jones, evan, idea, chin, bull
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyShowdown goes 1-on-1 with Evans at UFC 145
Showdown Joe Ferraro talks with (Suga) Rashad Evans in Atlanta ahead of his UFC 145 fight on Saturday.
Posted in: ufc, showdown, evan, suga, ferraro
Read the full article at sportsnet.caEvans done talking trash ahead of UFC 145
Former UFC light-heavyweight champion Rashad Evans is looking to get his belt back at UFC 145 as he takes on his former teammate Jon Jones.
Posted in: ufc, champion, evan, teammate, lightheavyweight
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling
With UFC 145 just days away, Jon Jones spoke to the media following the press conference for his main event title defense against Rashad Evans. During the conversation, Jones had a lot to say about Evans and the weaknesses that he will be able to exploit.
Here's the video courtesy of MMA FIghting:
Quotes after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
On Evans' chin:
"When I watch my first fights I used to flail. Everything's flail-y, and I realize the power of flexing your abdominals when you try to strike and things like that. I definitely feel as though I'm hitting harder, and I'm excited. I wobbled Rampage [Jackson] a little bit when I hit him, and I wobbled Lyoto [Machida] when I hit him, and I think out of all those guys, Rashad has the weakest chin. I think he has the weakest chin of anyone I've fought since 2010, and I think I'm going to exploit that."
On Rashad's wrestling:
"Rashad being a wrestler, I'm sure it will affect his psychology being on his back," he said. "People don't realize, Rashad was not a Division I national wrestling champion. He's been taken down on numerous occasions. Michael Bisping got him down, I think. And Michael Bisping is not a wrestler. So, I worked a lot on my takedowns. I'm not going to be a victim to his takedowns. He needs to worry about my takedowns, too. So I've worked a lot of different shots"
Posted in: jone, rashad, evan, im, chin
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: The Jones vs. Evans Hype Video Collection
Watch 10 "hype" videos for the UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans all in one place here at HeavyMMA.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Pre-Fight Press Conference Video Highlights
Check out HeavyMMA's highlights video from Wednesday's UFC 145 pre-fight press conference featuring Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon jones, conference, evan, prefight
Read the full article at Heavy MMAWhile he grew up loving Spider-Man, UFC 145 headliner Rashad Evans tells Marvel.com that inside the...
While he grew up loving Spider-Man, UFC 145 headliner Rashad Evans tells Marvel.com that inside the cage he'd much rather emulate Nightcrawler because "he has the dopest powers" and he could just "teleport around, sneak up on guys and take them out" while "nobody would be able to catch him." He also sympathizes with Magneto because he was "betrayed by his friend." Sound familiar? Evans will face his former friend on Saturday night (April 21, 2012) in Atlanta. But who is the real superhero in this story?
Posted in: evan, friend sound, cage hed, dopest powers, marvelcom
Read the full article at MMA Mania
UFC 145: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans analysis- is Rashad Evans being written off?
Becoming the best is not always the easiest route to take in life and along the way people are bound to get hurt. Whether intentional or accidental, friendships and bonds can be damaged when someone is successful and the other party is left wondering why. Saturday night in Atlanta, GA this scenario will culminate in [...]
Posted in: rashad evans, evan, atlanta ga, saturday night, way people
Read the full article at Fighthub TVUFC 145 Tweet of the Day: Georges St. Pierre Talks Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
Georges St. Pierre is on good terms with both UFC 145 competitors, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. He has said in the past that the rivalry was a bit of an "awkward situation" for him, and today, the UFC welterweight champion talked about the highly anticipated bout on twitter. He was careful to remain neutral though, as he didn't exactly pick sides:
@GeorgesStPierreGeorges St-Pierre So, @UFC 145's main event: Who's your favourite to win it? Apr 18 via web Favorite Retweet Reply
@GeorgesStPierreGeorges St-Pierre I've trained with Rashad and Jon and all I can say is that any small mistake will carry a hefty price, either way. Apr 19 via web Favorite Retweet Reply
Related: UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Predictions From The Top Asian MMA Fighters
Here's what GSP said several months ago when the relationship between Evans and Jones started to get sour:
"It's a pretty weird situation right now. I was in Albuquerque not too long ago and both guys were there. And unfortunately Rashad got hurt and I was there when it happened. I don't know what to say. Me, I would not fight a friend but it happens sometimes that I have two friends that are fighting each other. It's kind of an awkward situation."
Since he's stuck in the middle of a feud with both fighters who he's on good terms with, I can't really blame St. Pierre for feeling a bit awkward and being reserved on his UFC 145 prediction.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Confident in Letting Instincts Guide Him in Jon Jones Fight
ATLANTA -- On Wednesday afternoon, someone asked Rashad Evans what his best advantage over Jon Jones is. Evans' face lit up, as though he was about to offer up a secret he'd been wanting to share."You're going to laugh when I say this, but it's that I'm small," he said. "I'm smaller than him so I have the size advantage. I'm going to be all over him, like a little spider monkey."
Yes, he's small alright. Jones is 6-foot-4, Evans is 5-foot-11. Jones has an 84.5-inch reach, and Evans has a 75-inch reach. That's a lot of distance to navigate, but Evans is confident he can do it, because he's done it before. Ah yes, this is where the part about practice comes in. The part about which one got the better of the other back when they were teammates. About whether Jones was just a young kid learning on the fly or someone who was a threat from the beginning.
The truth is out there somewhere, but only they know it.Evans speaks with the confidence of a veteran, one with not only past success in the octagon, but past success against his UFC 145 opponent, Jones. But according to him, it's not simply about what he knows he can do, it's about what Jones knows, too. How they stacked up against each other two years ago isn't really important in the grand scheme of things because it's so long ago. But it is important in the mental edge it has offered, which is to say that it's really important.This is especially true when it comes to wrestling, the stylistic base for both."For the most part he can say what he wants to say, but it's going to be different for him because he knows that I can take him down," Evans said. "Before, he could never even imagine somebody taking him down because they didn't. But he knows I can because I have."It's a fact. I can take him down," he continued. "He understands that so he's got to fight with the idea that 'OK, I've got to be careful because this guy could take me down because he has before.'"That's not to say that Evans is going to be hellbent on the takedown. In fact, he says he's going into the fight without any concrete idea of how to approach his attack. Instead, he wants to be in the moment, to let his instincts guide him. The way he explained it, when he's at his best, he doesn't think at all. He simply reacts. And because his brain isn't consciously processing anything, the action in front of him slows down. "I don't even know what I'm going to do," he said. Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm just going to out there and fight, let it just hang out, just be raw, let it come to me. I can't sit here and say my mind set is made up to do one thing because I know Jon is one of those athletes that's going to come out there and try to make me think. That's what Jon does really good. He makes fighters think. When you do make a fighter think, that's when you're able to attack. He gets guys thinking, gets them puzzled, and then he's able to do his game plan and gets them doing whatever he wants to do. My goal is to go out there and not think at all. Just react and see what happens."A reactionary style is one that is fairly dependent on speed. Evans essentially acknowledged this by offering that in this fight "timing is everything." The transitions from striking to wrestling are the gray areas that will determine his success or failure. And speed is often diminished with age.
Evans isn't exactly an old man, but at 32, he's eight years Jones' elder. Jones made reference to that while talking about scouting film on Evans. He mentioned that he had watched Evans' last bout against Phil Davis around 65 times, studying his guard passes, setups and other tendencies. That's exactly the opposite approach that Evans has taken. Evans does not want to think at all; Jones can't have enough information. But he also made reference to Evans' age by noting he had watched tape of him "in his prime, and I've watched his fights that he's fighting now." Does that mean he believes Evans is no longer in his prime? Jones took a long pause and simply said, "I don't know."Evans smiled and shook his head at that, but the truth might come on Saturday, when his veteran fight instincts must be at their sharpest to overcome Jones' youthful aggressiveness and creativity.
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, he, im
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseIt's clear that Rashad Evans approves of this Jon Jones parody cartoon
One should not focus too much on the fact that in just a few days, Rashad Evans and Jon Jones will be locked inside a cage in a match for UFC light heavyweight supremacy. If one dwells on it too much, anxiety may occur and we're not down with dealing with senseless panic attacks. At MiddleEasy, we like to keep our lives as stress-free as possible. We don't even wear underwear. No one has told us that we're adults and we need to lead responsible lives. We go through life like it's our playground, and every day is recess. That's why we find this video Rashad Evans uploaded on his YouTube page beyond hilarious, and you probably will too if you're as cool as us.
Posted in: rashad, evan, youtube page, panic attacks, recess thats
Read the full article at Middle EasyChuck Liddell: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans odds are ridiculous
Many were surprised at just how overrwhelming of a favorite Jon Joes is over Rashad Evans in Saturday, believing Evans to have the best shot at the current champ. Chuck Liddell is one of these believers. In this video, longtime UFC Light Heavyweight champion explains why he thinks that Jon Jones versus Rashad Evans will be a much closer match than the oddsmakers would have you believe. Deeming it a close and exciting fight, Liddell also goes on to discuss Rampage Jackson's recent comments, and the evlution
Posted in: rampage jacksons, rashad evans, evan, liddell, fight liddell
Read the full article at Low KickChuck Liddell: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans odds are ridiculous
Many were surprised at just how overwhelming of a favorite Jon Joes is over Rashad Evans in Saturday, believing Evans to have the best shot at the current champ. Chuck Liddell is one of these believers. In this video, longtime UFC Light Heavyweight champion explains why he thinks that Jon Jones versus Rashad Evans will be a much closer match than the oddsmakers would have you believe. Deeming it a close and exciting fight, Liddell also goes on to discuss Rampage Jackson's recent comments, and the
Posted in: rampage jacksons, rashad evans, evan, liddell, fight liddell
Read the full article at Low KickChuck Liddell: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans odds are ridiculous
Many were surprised at just how overwhelming of a favorite Jon Joes is over Rashad Evans in Saturday, believing Evans to have the best shot at the current champ. Chuck Liddell is one of these believers. In this video, longtime UFC Light Heavyweight champion explains why he thinks that Jon Jones versus Rashad Evans will be a much closer match than the oddsmakers would have you believe. Deeming it a close and exciting fight, Liddell also goes on to discuss Rampage Jackson's recent comments, and the
Posted in: rampage jacksons, rashad evans, evan, liddell, fight liddell
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Video: Mike Van Arsdale Says Rashad Evans is '100 Times Harder To Wrestle Than Ryan Bader'
MMA Fighting's Luke Thomas conducted an interview with Imperial Athletics coach Mike Van Arsdale at the UFC 145 press conference earlier today, and he had some interesting stuff to say regarding Rashad Evans and his wrestling. The interview started off talking about Greg Jackson's camp, then Luke switched the topic to how the wrestling will play out in the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight. Van Arsdale broke it down nicely:
"The fight, all these fights, come down to distance, and who controls where the fight goes, so...controlling where the fight goes is called wrestling. So this is a wrestling-based sport. The striking is there, and when you're doing your striking that's how you're controlling the distance, so the transition between striking and wrestling will determine who wins the fight. Whoever can perform the transition best will win."
When Luke asked Van Arsdale to compare Evans' wrestling to fellow UFC light heavyweight Ryan Bader, Van Arsdale was extremely blunt with his answer:
"Rashad is 100 times harder to wrestle than Ryan Bader in MMA."
Why?
"Because I just said it. Whoever controls the transition, and whoever is good at that will be good at MMA, and Bader's not very good at it. I'm not saying anything bad about him but he's working on some of the wrong things, and Rashad's faster than Ryan Bader. And Rashad, when you shoot on Rashad Evans, it feels like he weighs maybe 400 pounds. It's really hard to take him down. Ryan Bader looks really, really strong, but he's not as strong as he looks."
Ouch. You can catch the rest of the interview below the jump, which includes an injury update from MVA, his thoughts on Charles "Krazy Horse Bennett training with them for a few days, and a quick thought on the upcoming Olympic trials.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: fight, rashad, rashad evans, evan, bader
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowMorning Report: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans Play Nice, But Can You Blame Them?
If you tuned into the UFC 145 pre-fight presser yesterday, you probably tuned in with a certain expectation. After all, a year-plus of outrageous smack talk has finally led us to this moment. Jones vs. Evans, tensions are high, it's about to go down. Right?
Well, not exactly. Instead of bringing the fireworks, both the champ and the challenger seemed to be just as tired of talking as we are of listening. In fact, not only were the accusations and arguments kept to a minimum, there were moments when both men seemed to be genuinely enjoying each other's company. Rashad's a winner. Jon's grown into a man. Rashad dresses nice. After being inundated with spite for so long, the friendliness was almost bizarre to watch.
But who can really blame them? They both said it themselves, it's hard to keep this up for a year. After you rehash the same story 4,000 times, the animosity loses its edge. And honestly, does it even matter at this point? Almost everybody taking time out of their day to watch a press conference is already going to buy the fight regardless.
Besides, Jon Jones does have a point. Rashad is a pretty snappy dresser.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
UFC 145 pre-fight press conference. Catch up on all the action from yesterday's UFC 145 pre-fight press conference with video highlights and exclusive photos, interviews with Jon Jones and Blackzilian head coach Mike Van Arsdale, plus Rashad Evans' surprising take on his split with Greg Jackson.
UFC 145 predictions. Luke Thomas offers predictions and analysis for the six UFC 145 pay-per-view fights in advance of Saturday's big event.
Hector Lombard offered UFC contract. Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard has officially been offered a multi-fight UFC contract. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney retains the right to match the contract and will make his final decision within the upcoming week, according to a report from Sherdog.
UFC 145 dissections. Preview Saturday's entire preliminary card along with a primetime lightweight tilt, Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio, with Dallas Winston's comprehensive UFC 145 fight breakdowns.
Bellator 66 preview and predictions. Not to be forgotten, check out an in-depth preview of tomorrow night's heavily-anticipated rematch between DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki and former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.
MEDIA STEW
Last year a Jackson's MMA documentary, Proving Grounds, was released, but that's not what the clip below is about. No, this is actually a newly-released outtake from 2009, in which Mr. Jon Jones semi-accidentally destroys a hippie teammate. And it's awesome. (HT: Middle Easy)
After watching Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar rehash their favorite Rogan & Goldy moments while discussing the finer points of preparing kangaroo meat, we've come to the conclusion that this needs to be a real show. Like, right now.
So we'll admit, we really have no idea what Rashad is saying in this interview. But seriously guys, just look how happy he is! (Props to @snazzjohngenius for the find.)
If we're being honest with ourselves, the coaches' arguments are really the best part of The Ultimate Fighter. And with doozy lines like, "You've had four title fights, you've lost all of them," and, "Go get in your grandpa's Mercedes and go home," we'd have to say Dominick Cruz wins this round.
Meanwhile, in TUF Brazil:
(via Reddit)
ALMOST TIME
Me @ the press conference.. If I answer one more Jon Jones question I'm gonna punch him in the face!!! Lol instagr.am/p/JklE1kE1LJ/
— Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) April 18, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Wednesday, April 18, 2012):
- UFC on FOX 3: Johnny Bedford (18-9-1) out, Roland Delorme (7-1) in against Nick Denis (11-2)
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day is a surprising flip of the script by Bloody Elbow's Dustinovsky: Evans is Closer to Ali Than Jones
If either of the fighters in the upcoming UFC Light Heavyweight title bout bears a significant resemblance to Muhammad Ali, historically speaking, it is Rashad Evans. The parallels between the main event of UFC 145 and Ali vs. Foreman in Rumble in the Jungle in 1974 are actually a little startling. Evans is in place as Ali, Jones as Foreman.
Rashad Evans is 32, the same age as Ali when he stepped in the ring against George Foreman, fighting an undefeated 24 year old champion in Jones who most view as virtually unbeatable (I'm ignoring Jones' technical loss to Hamill). Foreman, likewise, was 25 when he met Ali in Zaire. He'd never lost or come anywhere close, having brutally cleaned out the entire heavyweight division with shocking efficiency; he was 40-0 with 38 knockouts. He had recently blitzed Joe Frazier to win the heavyweight belt, knocking the champ down 6 times in less than 2 rounds. No one could remember anyone like Foreman, except maybe Sonny Liston (who Ali defeated at 22 to get the belt, but was a huge underdog going into that fight as well). Foreman had also demolished Ken Norton in a similar fashion for another 2nd round knockout of a former champ who had previously defeated Ali.
Ali, meanwhile, went to Africa as a former champ of quickly advancing age who everyone thought was certain to lose. Some feared for his safety against Foreman. At that time he had just two losses in his career. Evans, similarly, has only a single loss going into UFC 145.
Jones' merciless finishes of Rua, Machida, and to a lesser extent Jackson line up beautifully with the historical context of Foreman quickly blasting a series of foes which Evans either lost to or did not finish. Like Evans, Ali's only losses came from men who the current champ had easily destroyed. What I mean is, the inconsistent method of what we lovingly call MMA Math helps us all to see now what people saw in 1974, that the new champ was a stud the level of which an older former champ could not hope to match, and we got there by comparing common opponents. If anything, Ali had performed worse against his common opponents with Foreman than Evans has against his common opponents with Jones.
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.
Posted in: ufc, jone, ali, evan, foreman
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones plans to exploit Rashad Evans’ “weak” chin
Three of light heavyweight champion Jon Jones’ nine wins inside the Octagon have been the result of a strike-based stoppage. However, none in the bunch have involved a clean knockout, each instead coming after the affected individual absorbed enough damage to merit a referee intervening.
When Jones defends his title against Rashad Evans this weekend at UFC 145 he’s hoping to change that trend by rendering his rival into a puddle of goo on the canvas with one well-placed, powerful shot. It’s a goal “Bones” believes he can achieve based in part on possessing the pure ability to do so but also due to the delicate nature of Evans’ jaw.
“I definitely feel as though I’m hitting harder, and I’m excited. I wobbled “Rampage” (Quinton Jackson) a little bit when I hit him, and I wobbled Lyoto Machida when I hit him, and I think out of all those guys, Rashad has the weakest chin. I think he has the weakest chin of anyone I’ve fought since 2010, and I think I’m going to exploit that,” said Jones in an interview with MMAFighting.
The padding on Evans’ off-switch isn’t the only thing Jones views as being weak when it comes to his former teammate. In fact, Jones isn’t necessarily worried about Evans’ wrestling either given Evans’ past inability to finish opponents off. More than half of the Ultimate Fighter winner’s triumphs have come by way of decision.
The Latest Episode of UFC Primetime Chronicling Lives of Jones-Evans
“I’m not afraid of Rashad’s ground game. If anything, he should be afraid of mine,” explained Jones. “When I take people down, they open up. There’s blood. My elbows, I’m realizing, they do work. Rashad doesn’t do anything but kill the clock.”
Fans can see if Jones lives up to his word when the two tussle on PPV when the broadcast starts Saturday night at 10:00 PM EST.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: jone, rashad, evan, evans ’, mine ”
Read the full article at Fighters.comRandy Couture weighs in on Jon Jones-Rashad Evans feud
With UFC 145 on the horizon everyone has been voicing their thoughts on the main event which will see former teammates Rashad Evans and Jon Jones battle one another for Jones’ light heavyweight title – who will win, how will they win, and was Jones wrong for seemingly breaking the vow he and Rashad made never to fight one another. Many wonder whether or not Evans will be able to control his emotions and not allow his them to get the better of him. It’s one of the hottest topics to hit MMA in a long time and one Randy Couture was eager to talk about in a recent conversation with Five Ounces of Pain.
“I really don’t have a prediction and I could make a case for either fighter winning the bout,” admitted Couture. “The favorite is probably Jones because of his range and he is so athletic with such a dynamic striking style. Rashad has the tools and the skillset to make it a tough fight for Jones, but he has to make it a wrestling match and take him down at every opportunity. That’s not the style we tend to see out of Evans since he landed that headkick on Sean Salmon. Being a stand-up fighter is not a great style match-up when you are facing a guy like Jones.”
“The question is can Rashad formulate a gameplan and make Jon wrestle with him? If he can do that he certainly has the ability he can win the fight, but I question he’ll be able to do that for a five round fight,” continued Couture. “The rage and hatred thing it’s overblown, Rashad has taken that road with other opponents. Yes they were training partners and there is some rhetoric going back and forth, but I’m not sure how heartfelt any of that really is. I think because they were training together they need to put it on a level so they can beat the hell out of each other. At the end of the day they will pick each other up and say great fight win or lose. This isn’t like Tito (Ortiz) and Ken (Shamrock) or Tito and Chuck (Liddell) where they really hate each other (though) they were close at one point.”
If by chance Evans isn’t the one legitimately defeat Jones for the first time in his career, the next question becomes one relating to whether or not anyone out there can. Essentially, what skills does that fighter have to possess to finally derail the Jones Express that has been running roughshod over the UFC light heavyweight division since his debut in August of 2008?
“I think a fighter like Dan Henderson or even Chael Sonnen who is a very big 185-pounder and used to compete as a light heavyweight with strong wrestling,” replied Couture to the topic. “They have to take him out of his comfort zone and take away his reach advantage. There is no longer in the division and maybe not in the sport as far as Jones reach. His takedown defense is good and he has very good wrestling. He has very unorthodox striking which makes him very dangerous. I think you have to use the fence, use your wrestling and force him to fight your fight. Either one of those guys can do that.”
As chance would have it, Henderson is in line for a shot at the light heavyweight title, possibly setting up the very fight Couture sees as being troublesome for Jones. Of course, “Bones” has to get by Evans first this weekend before it truly matters.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: fight, jone, heavyweight, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainChuck Liddell: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans odds are ridiculous
Many were surprised at just how overrwhelming of a favorite Jon Joes is over Rashad Evans in Saturday, believing Evans to have the best shot at the current champ. Chuck Liddell is one of these believers. In this video, longtime UFC Light Heavyweight champion explains why he thinks that Jon Jones versus Rashad Evans will be a much closer match than the oddsmakers would have you believe. Deeming it a close and exciting fight, Liddell also goes on to discuss Rampage Jackson's recent comments, and the
Posted in: rampage jacksons, rashad evans, evan, liddell, fight liddell
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Predictions From The Top Asian MMA Fighters
A few months ago during the lead up to that mammoth Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem bout, I asked the several key figures in Asian MMA to make UFC predictions. Several CEO's, owners and promoters from the largest organizations in the continent made time off their busy schedules, to roll up their sleeves and participate in a simple feature where they get to give their picks on the sport that they love.
Now with UFC 145 approaching, I asked the most popular fighters in the region to do the same and give their predictions for the main event. They may be some of the biggest stars in the region, but they are also big fans of the sport, so here are their thoughts on the light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans:
Felipe Enomoto (6-4), ONE Fighting Championship: My pick would be Jon Jones, because this guy is getting better every time he fights, and his style will be too funky for Rashad. I think even though Rashad probably knows Jones' weaknesses, he will not be able to capitalize on them because Jon is developing his fighting skills so fast. The weakness that Rashad knows of will probably not even be there anymore when they meet in the cage. I would say TKO, round 3 in favor of Jones (but I'm almost never right with predicting other peoples fights)
Mark Striegl (9-0), DARE Championship: I know everybody thinks Jones is unstoppable, but I believe that anyone can be beaten in this game. I think that Evans has the athleticism to really test Jones and make him work. Also, Evans tends to do exceptionally well when he's pressured and has his back against the wall, like when he went against Chuck Liddell. I see Rashad Evans winning via Unanimous Decision or by a late stoppage.
Eduard Folayang (11-2), ONE FC Star and URCC Champion: I think Jon Jones will win the fight because he is a complete fighter with a high level of skills.
Adrian Pang (19-8), Former Legend FC Lightweight Champion: I have never been one for predictions as in the fight game, anyone can win on any given night! Jones has his youth & unorthodox skills, while Evans has his strong wrestling & new fight camp, so will be interesting to see the outcome. I guess will depend on Rashad's chin whether he can keep taking it to Jones consistently! My prediction is, the fans will win! (laughs)
Phil Baroni (14-14) UFC and PRIDE vet, SFL Commentator who last fought for ONE FC: I think the Jones vs. Evans fight is going to be super tough to call. Is Jones really as good as he has looked? Evans will be a huge test. He looked great against Tito. It's the best I've seen him look, and was loose and relaxed like a real seasoned pro. I was very Impressed the way he out wrestled and blew through Davis on taken downs in his last fight.
I think this is by far Evans toughest test. Evans is strong, hits hard and can wrestle his ass off. Can Jones with his unique unorthodox high amplitude striking stop Evans' solid boxing? Can Jones surprising and aggressive submission game catch Evans in between transitions the way he did Machida? I say no, and I'm going with the upset. Evans by TKO late in the fourth, by out-working Jones, making him wrestle and work hard. Jones has just made it look to easy and maybe I'm just jealous? Big right hand hurts a spent Jones late in the 4th, Evans G and P's for the TKO win, with Jones complaining the stoppage was early. Rashad Evans by TKO.
Justin Cruz (18-4), PXC and URCC Bantamweight Champion: Jon Jones has better all around game. He's very big for his weight class and he's a very athletic fighter. I predict Jon Jones will be the winner by 3rd round TKO.
Will Chope (9-5), of Phuket Top Team / Team Buffet, last fought at DARE Championship: Jon Jones, hands down, is going to win this fight. He is going to tear Rashad up. Rashad won't be able to get a take down and I honestly can see a TKO victory in the 1st Round. Hope to see bones land some nasty elbows. Jon Jones by TKO.
Tristan Arenal (4-2), PXC contender: I think Jon Jones will win. He's just too strong. Rashad Evans has a chance only because they used to train together. He might have an idea of Jon Jones' kryptonite, but Jon Jones has proved he's just at another level. Jon Jones by 3rd round TKO.
Geje Eustaquio (3-1), ONE Fighting Championship: I think Jon Jones will win by TKO.
Pros who picked Evans: Striegl, BaroniPros who picked Jones: Enomoto, Folayang, Cruz, Chope, Arenal, EustaquioPros who couldn't decide: Pang
After the jump, these fighters make the case on why you should watch Asian MMA.
Follow me on twitter -- @antontabuena
Why should UFC fans watch Asian MMA?
Felipe Enomoto (6-4), ONE Fighting Championship: Why? Because Asian MMA is exciting. Especially ONE FC because the rules of soccer kicks, elbows and knees on the ground makes fights you will not see, if you only watch UFC. So be open-minded ,otherwise you miss out on some great action from Asia!
Mark Striegl (9-0), DARE Championship: Asia is a very exciting place to be right now with a booming economic growth alongside an explosion of interest in MMA. As a result, a number of Asian MMA promotions have emerged over the last few years. Simply put, there's a lot going on here right now. Being the birthplace of martial arts, Asia has provided the foundation for modern MMA. There's so much history here and there's much more history to be made!
...Also, people should check out Team Buffet because we have a lot of fun.
Eduard Folayang (11-1), ONE FC Star and URCC Champion: UFC fans should watch Asian MMA and the fights from Team Lakay because Asian fighters have a unique way of putting a good show in the ring.
Adrian Pang (19-8), Former Legend FC Lightweight Champion: Asian MMA is ever exploding in popularity and talent. Asia has such a large population & a long history of martial arts, so it is inevitable that it will produce a champion in the UFC as it has in many other organizations thus far. Legend Fighting Championship is a promotion where each of my opponents have been harder than the last. They really give to the sport and care for the fighters. The professionalism shown by them is second to none, and I have fought for many promotions in my 11-year career. I feel Legend Fighting Championship will continue to be the pinnacle of Asian MMA, and I look forward to being part of their success with the fights/wars I have performed for them so far.
Phil Baroni (14-14) UFC and PRIDE vet, SFL Commentator who last fought for ONE FC: I think fans should watch Asian MMA because the fights are exciting. Guys are fighting to finish more often than not. Guys aren't scared to lose their jobs as much as they are in the UFC. Fighters are going for it more. The tactics and styles aren't as much wrestling and decision seeking as often as they are in the American MMA. Fighters seem to be letting it all hang out and not fighting not to lose more in Asian MMA.
Justin Cruz (18-4), PXC and URCC Bantamweight Champion: UFC fans should watch PXC so they can have a feel of what kind of MMA talent there is in the pacific region. Also to see new up and coming talent who may possibly reach the UFC level of MMA, since the PXC is one of the only MMA show in Asia producing UFC caliber fighters.
Will Chope (9-5), of Phuket Top Team / Team Buffet, last fought at DARE Championship: UFC fans should definitely take interest in Asian MMA! Asian MMA is always exciting, where there is a perfect balance of spectacle and sport. You will always see a show. Road FC and ONE FC both have soccer kicks and knees to the head allowed, and as a striker I love it. Another org to look out for is the URCC with their two 10 minute rounds! How awesome is that? Very rare in URCC you ever see a decision. There are countless other awesome orgs to take interest in as well. Dare's 1 Million Dollars Tournament, Gods FC first league where 8 teams from 8 Major Asian Cities fight for the rights to claim their team is supreme, and also Legend FC where the best ethnic Asiana-Oceania fighters shine.
At the end of the day you have to ask yourself, are you a fan of MMA or are you just a fan of solely the UFC. If you are the first then you need to check out the vastness of Asian MMA.
Tristan Arenal (4-2), PXC contender: UFC fans should watch Asian MMA as well as the PXC promotion, because there are a lot of great fighters that no one has seen yet. PXC for example, gives opportunities to future stars in Asia, that one day will make it the UFC. Nothing better than watching a fighters career from the beginning. There are a lot of untapped resources in Asia as well as the Philippines that people need to know about.
Geje Eustaquio (3-1), ONE Fighting Championship: Fans should watch Asian MMA simply because it is one of the reasons why the UFC has come to this point (PRIDE). Today there are also many dedicated, skilled and talented Asian fighters that show spectacular and impressive performances in the sport of MMA. Also, UFC fans should keep an eye out for Team Lakay, which is one of the most promising teams across South East Asia as they can go along and excel on all the aspects of MMA.
Pros who think you should watch Asian MMA: All of them.
Posted in: ufc, mma, jone, evan, asian
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-In Video and Results (Friday, 4PM EST)
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones and the title challenger Rashad Evans will step on the scales at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of the official weigh-in procedure ahead of this weekend's stacked fight card. The event is headlined by Jones vs. Evans fight, co-main event is the Welterweight collision between two up and comers Rory MacDonald and Che Mills.
Also on the card, Ben Rothwell faces Brendan Schaub, Miguel Torres makes his first appearance since the "rape tweet", fighting
Posted in: jone, evan, che mills, atlanta georgia, philips arena
Read the full article at Low KickUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones thinks he's going to exploit Rashad Evans' weak chin
"When I watch my first fights I used to flail. Everything's flail-y, and I realize the power of flexing your abdominal when you try to strike and things like that. I definitely feel as though I'm hitting harder, and I'm excited. I wobbled Rampage (Jackson) a little bit when I hit him, and I wobbled Lyoto (Machida) when I hit him, and I think out of all those guys, Rashad has the weakest chin. I think he has the weakest chin of anyone I've fought since 2010, and I think I'm going to exploit that."
-- The UFC 145 press conference itself, new format and all, may not have featured many shots fired but Jon Jones wasn't shy about launching a few verbal missiles at Rashad Evans in the scrum immediately afterwards. "Bones," who will defend his light heavyweight championship against "Suga" this Sat., April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, called out his opponent's chin, referring to it as the weakest he's faced since 2010. This argument is presumably backed up by the fact that Evans was knocked silly by Lyoto Machida and rocked badly by both Quinton Jackson and Thiago Silva in his next two fights. Never mind the fact that he recovered from both and went on to win a decision in each contest. But maybe Jones is right and his power is enough to do what "The Dragon" did to Evans. Or maybe he'll meet the same fate as "Rampage" and Silva. Thankfully, we've only got two more days until we all find out. You ready, Maniacs?
Posted in: rashad, rashad evans, evan, lyoto machida, chin
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Rashad Evans doesn't mind being the bad guy; he just wants to beat Jon Jones at UFC 145 (Yahoo! Sports)
Underdog Rashad Evans will have to do everything right to defeat his nemesis Jones, but some believe he can do it.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, evan, everything right, nemesis jones
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsThe Blueprint - Rashad Evans
On Saturday night, Rashad Evans will set out to accomplish something that no other fighter has accomplished. Defeat Jon Jones.Yeah, yeah, I know Matt Hamill technically owns a win over Jones via disqualification. If you watched that fight, you also know that Jones completely dominated him and was seconds away from scoring a TKO win before the illegal 12-to-6 elbows. The illegal blows did not even cause the stoppage, as Hamill was unable to continue due to a shoulder injury.So nobody has had any true measure of success against Jones yet in his career. But Rashad Evans isn’t just another fighter. He is a former champion with but a single loss on his own record. He holds stoppage wins over UFC legends Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. And, most importantly, he has spent untold hours in the gym training and sparring with Jones.That last fact is undoubtedly the most critical in terms of Evans’ chance at scoring an upset win. In fact, it may actually give him the edge, if you believe people who have witnessed those sparring sessions.Everyone who faces Jones in combat struggles to deal with his length and striking creativity, primarily because it is impossible to replicate in sparring sessions, which leaves his opponents unprepared come fight time. Most also struggle with his offensive wrestling due to his tremendous Greco-Roman base. And nobody has ever taken him down in a fight. As a result, nobody has been able to defeat him.Evans doesn’t fall into either of those categories. He is very familiar with Jones’ length and striking creativity because they have competed in standup-only and full MMA sparring sessions on many occasions. Even though Evans could not find a sparring partner to replicate Jones’ standup skills during this training camp, that doesn’t erase the historical knowledge base he has from all of the sessions at Greg Jackson’s MMA academy.Evans is also, arguably, the better wrestler of the two, whether we are talking straight wrestling or wrestling for MMA. Granted, Jones has the best takedown success ratio in UFC light heavyweight history. But Evans has taken down each and every opponent who he has attempted to take down inside the Octagon, and he also has the most successful takedowns in UFC history, across all weight classes.More importantly, though, Evans has taken Jones down in practice—many times. Word out of Albuquerque has always been that once Evans takes him down, Jones can’t work back to his feet and definitely doesn’t have the submission game from the guard to pose much of a threat to Evans. Undoubtedly, someone out there is incredulously ranting like Allen Iverson circa 2002. “I know it’s important, I honestly do but we’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice man. We’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice. We’re not talking about the game. We’re talking about practice.” That is the abridged version.Yes, we are talking about practice, not actual competition. Yet, unlike with the Iverson situation, where he was defending his decision to skip practice, we are talking about the outcome of two guys who are ultra competitive sparring. That is certainly relevant data when breaking down the fight. It may not be outcome determinative data, but it is relevant data nonetheless.Jones will absolutely be a different fighter come “go time” than he was in the training cage. So will Evans. Jones has definitely grown as a fighter since his rift with Evans ended their friendship and training partner status. So has Evans. Jones will have some new wrinkles added to his game – new combinations that he likely never attempted full speed in sparring with Evans, particularly spinning kicks or any sort of strike with his heel or elbow that could injure his then-friend. Evans will have to deal with those as a matter of first impression, but he has probably seen just about everything else.Evans knows what he has to do to win on Saturday night. He needs to get inside of Jones’ long strikes, whether by pressing the action or slipping and countering. The former will force Jones to fight while moving backwards. That is a tough way for anyone to win because it is nearly impossible to throw any sort of strike with authority (unless your name is Chuck Liddell) while retreating. The latter opens the door for Evans’ overhand right, one of the most effective weapons against taller fighters and also his money punch.Evans also needs to try and bait Jones into over committing on his power shots. Taunts will help with that. These guys don’t like each other. If Evans is having some success on the feet and starts to taunt Jones, the champion will likely react by swinging for the fences. That opens the door for Evans to change levels and get the fight to the ground.Once on the ground, Evans can really do damage. Opponents don’t easily escape Evans’ top control, so he will be able to wear down the champion and curry favor with the judges, once he scores a takedown. That will be big because Jones isn’t used to fighting from behind.If I was cornering Evans, I don’t think I would want him to spend much time in the clinch with Jones. Sure, that is a great position to sap some energy from an opponent. But Jones is likely the better Greco guy, so it may allow him to score a throw-style takedown. I don’t know if he can do that to Evans. But nobody else has been able to do much to prevent it in the past.I would only advise fighting in the clinch if Evans was confident about the position due to their training history together. These guys know in the back of their minds who the better clinch fighter is. For that matter, they know who is the better striker, wrestler, Monopoly player and just about everything else. The fact that Evans has campaigned so hard for this fight suggests to me that he truly believes that he will win on Saturday night. Unless he is totally delusional, that confidence has to be the result of their sparring sessions, which, again, is noteworthy data.Will Evans pull it off? I don’t know. I think the Evans of the past – the ultra-confident homerun hitter who feasted on foes with his unbelievably fast fists – has the best chance to defeat Jones. The problem is I don’t think that Evans exists any more. We haven’t seen him since his loss to Lyoto Machida. Every time Evans faces someone with any kind of fistic power, it seems as if he is wondering if the knockout punch is just moments away.Luckily for Evans, Jones doesn’t have true one-punch knockout power. If he does, we certainly haven’t seen it yet. Maybe the Evans of old will resurface. Maybe, just maybe, it will be the same Rashad Evans who obliterated Liddell and destroyed Forrest Griffin. If that guy truly doesn’t exist anymore, then Evans needs to do just what he has done in basically each fight since losing to Machida – use calculated strikes to set up takedowns and control the action from the ground. I don’t know if he can take down Jon Jones, but I certainly wouldn’t put it past him. Not by a mile.At the end of the day, I think this fight is much closer than most believe. He certainly has a much better chance than the massive betting line suggests. If I had to pick a winner, my gut leans towards Jones, but for some reason, my head leans towards Evans.How is that for sitting on the fence?QUICK FACTSRashad Evans• 32 years old• 5’11, 205 lbs• 74.5-inch reach• 22-1-1 overall • 4-1 in last 5 fights• 8-1-1 in last 10 fights• 4-1-1 against 5 current or former UFC champions• 41.7% of UFC wins by TKO/KO• 58.3% of UFC wins by decision• No UFC wins by submission• Lone professional loss by knockout• Former UFC light heavyweight champion• 147-day reign as champion; no successful title defenses• Former heavyweight winner on The Ultimate Fighter• Fight of the Night (TKO2 over Tito Ortiz at UFC 133)• Fight of the Night (TKO3 over Forrest Griffin to win UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 92)• Knockout of the Night (KO2 over Chuck Liddell at UFC 88)• Knockout of the Night (KO2 over Sean Salmon at UFC Fight Night: Evans vs Salmon)• Current layoff is 84 days• Longest layoff of career is 434 days
Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, evan, •nbspnbsp
Read the full article at UFCUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Press Conference Highlights Video
On Wednesday, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans came face to face one more time ahead of their highly anticipated UFC 145 showdown.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, face, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyLatest UFC 145 odds and betting guide for 'Jones vs. Evans' in Atlanta
Rashad Evans: "I bet a fiddle of gold against your soul because I think I'm better than you!"Jon Jones: "I'll take your bet, your gonna regret because I'm the best that's ever been!"
Fire on the mountain, run Maniacs, run. That's because If the devil does decide to come back to Georgia, this weekend (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena is as good a time as any.
After handily disposing of former champions Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight titleholder Jon Jones has a chance to settle an old score in the UFC 145 main event when he finally collides with former training partner Rashad Evans.
For "Suga," this will mark his first bid at reclaiming the 205-pound belt that he lost to the aforementioned Machida back in 2009.
In other pay-per-view (PPV) main card action, ultra mixed martial arts (MMA) prospects Rory MacDonald and Michael McDonald will make their long-awaited 2012 debuts, taking on the dangerous Miguel Torres and Che Mills, respectively.
And speaking of sin and vice, where there's violence, there's money to be made. Just ask good 'ole Charlie Daniels.
Join us after the break for an in-depth look at the odds behind UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" as we examine the betting lines for the upcoming MMA match ups this weekend in "Hotlanta:"
UFC 145 Odds for the Under Card:
Maximo Blanco (-325) vs. Marcus Brimage (+250)Travis Browne (-250) vs. Chad Griggs (+195)Mac Danzig (-190) vs. Efrain Escudero (+155)Chris Clements (-230) vs. Keith Wisniewski (+180)Anthony Njokuani (-200) vs. John Makdessi (+160)Stephen Thompson (-300) vs. Matt Brown (+230)
Thoughts: While there aren’t as many truly absurd lines as I’d like, there is one that strikes me as one big bargain: Njokuani at -200.
I’m as big a Makdessi fan as anyone, but the flashiness of his striking and the awesomeness of the Kyle Watson knockout have masked a serious flaw in his style: For someone nicknamed "The Bull," Makdessi is too damn passive. It was obvious from the first minute of their fight that Watson had absolutely nothing to offer him on the feet, but Makdessi didn’t throw anything with heat until that spinning backfist. He also really should have put away Pat Audinwood, but apparently couldn’t be arsed. Frankly speaking, this will get him decapitated by Njokuani, who enjoys a significant height advantage and has the skills to hang with the likes of Edson Barboza standing.
Therefore, use Njokuani as the cornerstone of your parlays.
There’s not much else that stands out to me on the under card, although a pittance on Brown wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world, considering his enormous experience advantage over Thompson and the latter’s unproven ground game. Stick Blanco in a parlay, tool, because he is going to make an absolute mess of Brimage.
UFC 145 Odds for the Main Card:
Mark Bocek (-450) vs. John Alessio (+325)Mark Hominick (-600) vs. Eddie Yagin (+400)Brendan Schaub (-275) vs. Ben Rothwell (+215)Rory MacDonald (-500) vs. Che Mills (+350)Miguel Torres (-120) vs. Michael McDonald (-110)Jon Jones (-450) vs. Rashad Evans (+325)
Thoughts: Not the most stacked card we’ve ever seen, but still one that deserves some scrutiny.
Alessio’s recent run has definitely been impressive, but he’s got too much going against him for me to recommend betting on him, while the odds are too skewed toward Bocek to make much of a profit on him. Alessio has only two fights at Lightweight and less than a month’s notice to prepare for one of the nastiest grapplers in the division.
Just leave this one alone.
If it wasn’t for the fact that Hominick got absolutely pasted last time out, I’d be questioning Joe Silva’s sanity and wondering which of his family members Yagin had crossed to deserve such a fate. Even so, despite his upset of Joe Soto, Yagin doesn’t have any outstanding skill he can bring to bear against the striking prowess of Hominick, having lost every other time he’s stepped up in competition. To make matters worse, Hominick is three inches taller and has faced and beaten much better than Yagin in the past. If you’re feeling lucky enough to put the necessary dosh down, Hominick’s as close to a lock as you’re likely to find in the next few events.
I’ll readily admit that Schaub’s jaw is pretty awful, but even -275 seems way too generous toward Rothwell. Yes, the latter is big, hits hard and can wrestle, but his cardio is God-awful and his only win in the UFC was dangerously close to being a stoppage loss. Unless he finds some way to wipeout Schaub inside the first five minutes, he’s going to be on the wrong end of one hell of a beating.
And I consider that likely enough to merit putting some money down on "The Hybrid."
While I’m somewhat concerned about ring rust on MacDonald’s part, there’s very little to convince me that he won’t snuff out Mills regardless. Che’s striking is nasty, but he doesn’t really offer "Ares" anything he hasn’t seen before, while Che has yet to face anyone with the sort of versatility that MacDonald brings to the table. He’s still dangerous enough for me to advise you to stay away, though, as the amount of money you’d need to make a solid profit on MacDonald is a bit more than I’d recommend risking.
I’ll readily admit McDonald’s prowess and grant that Torres’s last couple of fights have been stinkers, but I’m really digging that -120 line on the latter. Perhaps I’m being nitpicky, but I haven’t really been impressed with McDonald’s UFC efforts. You could definitely make a case that Chris Cariaso beat him and he was less-than-fantastic against Edwin Figueroa, who I consider the single worst fighter on the UFC roster. Sure, his crushing of Soto was impressive, but Soto was making his UFC debut on short notice with a grand total of six fights on his record. Torres has thrice the amount of fights as McDonald and his only recent losses were to the best of the best at 135 pounds.
Put some money down on "Angel."
I want Jones to lose this fight very much. I respect him as a fighter and acknowledge his abilities, I do not like him as a person. That doesn’t make me dumb enough to recommend betting against him, however. Evans is fast, has very good wrestling and legitimate power in his right hand, but he’s also five inches shorter than Jones and somewhat fragile. Ten or $20 on Rashad as a value bet wouldn’t be a terrible idea, but I’m just going to stay away from this one.
UFC 145 Best Bets:
Parlay: Brendan Schaub and Miguel Torres -- Bet $40 to make $60
Parlay: Maximo Blanco and Anthony Njokuani -- Bet $65 to make $62.50
Parlay: Anthony Njokuani and Matt Brown -- Bet $20 to make $79
(To go somewhat off-script: Shinya Aoki is a steal at +190 Friday night at Bellator 66. Just sayin.')
Can Jones make his third straight defense? Will Evans defy the odds and retake the title? Will they have to use a broom or a vacuum cleaner to remove what’s left of Maximo Blanco’s first UFC victim from the Octagon?
We'll finally find out this Saturday night. Same punch-time, same punch-channel.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver live UFC 145 results this Saturday, which is as good a place as any to talk about all the action inside the Octagon, as well as what you've got riding on the sportsbook.
See you then, Maniacs.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, bet
Read the full article at MMA ManiaVideo: Countdown To UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans
The Countdown to UFC 145 aired last night on Fuel (and will re-air five more times on the next work leading up to the card on Saturday), but if you want catch the video online, here it is. The show is only a half-hour long due to the Primetime series already covering the main event. The first half of the episode still focuses on Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, but the second half gives a deeper look into the co-main event, Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills.
Related: UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - Episode 1 | UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans, Episode 2
You can check out the Countdown video below the jump.
Main Card:Jon Jones vs. Rashad EvansRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsBen Rothwell vs. Brendan SchaubMichael McDonald vs. Miguel TorresMark Hominick vs. Eddie YaginJohn Alessio vs. Mark BocekPreliminary Card:Travis Browne vs. Chad GriggsMatt Brown vs. Stephen ThompsonJohn Makdessi vs. Anthony NjokuaniMac Danzig vs. Efrain EscuderoChris Clements vs. Keith WisniewskiMaximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage
SBN Coverage of UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, video, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowTired and deflated: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans rivalry falls flat at UFC 145 press conference just days before title fight
The considerable hype for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," which takes place this Sat., April 21, 2012, from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., is close to reaching its apex. That's because we're just days away from the event and Jon Jones finally stepping inside the Octagon to defend his light heavyweight championship against Rashad Evans, a man he used to call a friend, a man he used to train with at Greg Jackson's gym down in New Mexico.
We're in the home stretch now, with just the weigh-ins left to make the fight officially official. That and a short period of time is all that remains between one of the most heavily hyped match-ups in years. And when I say heavily hyped, I mean it.
The UFC put all its marketing muscle behind this showdown, one they hope will deliver in spades. They took us behind the scenes with "Primetime" specials, a full "Countdown" to the big night, and even put them opposite each other on "Ultimate Insider" to light the fuse and watch the fireworks display that surely followed.
And while I won't necessarily argue with the strategy -- I'm certainly not in a position to tell UFC how to operate its business -- it's had a few adverse effects on the two participants, who have spent the better part of the last few months in front of cameras and doing media while trying to prepare for the biggest fight of their respective lives.
They're tired. Gassed. Fatigued. Whatever you want to call it, they're feeling it. This was never more evident than at the pre-fight press conference that took place earlier today. The UFC thought a change of format was in order for this mega match-up, choosing to have Jon Anik sit in as a mediator and run the show, while Jones and Evans sat next to him, similar to they're interview on "Ultimate Insider."
It sounded great in theory, but wasn't so hot in practice.
Evans admitted to being tired of it all. Media is a part of the job, sure, but he's done so much of it that now that they're in the home stretch, arguably the most important time to promote the pay-per-view, he simply doesn't have the energy to jaw back-and-forth with his former teammate. He just wants to punch him.
"We've talked about this to death," Evans commented. "When you talk about something over and over again, it kind of loses a little bit of the emotion behind it. You kind of just make peace with a lot of things. We've been going back and forth, we've been saying this and saying that. It's just been a long process. We're both just tired."
For his part, Jones agreed. "The steam has been taken off for the most part," he said. "On my end, it's time to play the game."
That's all well and good, of course. We fans just want to see the fight, too. But those tuning into the press conference expected so much more than what they were given, it felt like the entire feud was deflated. Here are two men who have spent the better part of the past year and a half running each other down at every turn and now they're sitting across from each other just days away from clashing inside a cage and they're playing nice?
It was an interestingly unfortunate turn of events. As MMA journalist Jon Luther put it, "I'm not a hateful person. Really, I'm not. But this UFC presser is in serious need of some pure, unadulterated hate from both guys."
But, it never came. Jones made a few snide remarks, notably tossing a subtle steroid accusation Evans' way. But Rashad never took the bait, too tired from the 48 rounds of verbal sparring he's already engaged in throughout the last year.
It's impossible to blame either man for their demeanor at the press conference. But it's not wrong to feel disappointed in the turning of the tide. I'm completely fine with fighters playing nice, too.
Just wait until after the fight.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, theyre
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJones, Evans sick of talking, ready to fight
Rashad Evans and Jon Jones trade final verbal shots Wednesday before their fight Saturday at UFC 145 in Atlanta.
Posted in: fight, evan, jones evans, fight saturday, shots wednesday
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans On the Good Times with Greg Jackson, Keith Jardine and More
UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans opens up about the good times he had with his former coach Greg Jackson, as well as the loyalty he's felt from former teammates like Keith Jardine.
Posted in: ufc, jackson, jardine, evan, loyalty hes
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyAs Fight Nears, Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin and Wrestling
ATLANTA -- Proving that his unpredictability goes past what he does in the cage, UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones threw many observers for a loop on Wednesday when he was asked about his toughest UFC fight to date. This is a man who fought three former champions within a seven-month span in 2011, yet his answer was none of them.So who was it? The durable and crafty veteran Stephan Bonnar. As Jones explained, when he fought Bonnar, he was still so new to the game that Bonnar could exploit his defense. On the flip side, Jones connected many times but couldn't manage to put him away. As he tells it, his punching power wasn't quite where it needed to be then as he was still growing into his lanky frame. But that's changing, and quickly. The power, he says, is coming. And because of it, he has designs on Rashad Evans' chin as a target.
"I feel stronger and my technique's getting better and cleaner," he said during a UFC 145 press interview. "When I watch my first fights I used to flail. Everything's flail-y, and I realize the power of flexing your abdominals when you try to strike and things like that. I definitely feel as though I'm hitting harder, and I'm excited. I wobbled Rampage [Jackson] a little bit when I hit him, and I wobbled Lyoto [Machida] when I hit him, and I think out of all those guys, Rashad has the weakest chin. I think he has the weakest chin of anyone I've fought since 2010, and I think I'm going to exploit that."Evans has only been KO'd once in his career, in his loss to Machida in 2009. But he's had a couple of shaky moments since, getting rattled by both Thiago Silva and Jackson in fights. But the champion's doubt in his challenger didn't end there. He also took aim at his base skill set, wrestling. While Evans has undoubtedly broadened his focus over the years to include a dangerous standup game, much of his success stems from the takedown or its implied threat. According to FightMetric, Evans has 48 takedowns in 14 career bouts, and has successfully taken down opponents on 55 percent of his attempts. But Jones, who was a junior college national champion and a high-level Division I recruit before dropping out of school to pursue MMA, has announced his own intention to challenge Evans where he's best."Rashad being a wrestler, I'm sure it will affect his psychology being on his back," he said. "People don't realize, Rashad was not a Division I national wrestling champion. He's been taken down on numerous occasions. Michael Bisping got him down, I think. And Michael Bisping is not a wrestler. So, I worked a lot on my takedowns. I'm not going to be a victim to his takedowns. He needs to worry about my takedowns, too. So I've worked a lot of different shots." Notably and recently, however, Evans out-wrestled former Division I national champion Phil Davis during their UFC on FOX 2 headliner, a fight that got Evans here to face Jones. But Jones said he was not impressed by the ground game that led Evans to the win."I'm not afraid of Rashad's ground game. If anything, he should be afraid of mine," he said. "When I take people down, they open up. There's blood. My elbows, I'm realizing, they do work. Rashad doesn't do anything but kill the clock."
Posted in: jone, champion, rashad, evan, im
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseULTMMA Podcast Episode 22: Gambling expert Luca Fury and Pro MMA Radio's Larry Pepe discuss every angle of UFC 145
Podcast Powered By Podbean Topics covered in this episode-Who wins Jon Jones or Rashad Evans? -How much have Jones and Evans changed over the course of the last 12 months? - When the cage door shuts, how can Jones win and how can Evans pull the upset? - What potential outcome of the Jones-Evans fight will satisfy the UFC fans? -Plus fight picks and analysis for all the UFC 145 main card bouts *Subscribe to our podcast through iTunes or search "ULTMMA" in the iTunes app
Posted in: ufc, jone, podcast, evan, jonesevans fight
Read the full article at UltMMAUFC 145 Photos: Jon Jones Trains For Rashad Evans
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones returns to action on Saturday against bitter rival and former training partner Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia's Philips Arena.
The 24-year-old Jones is making his third title defense since beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and taking the title at UFC 128 last year. Jones defeated Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 135 and Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
Related: Jones Vs. Evans Stare Down And Pre-Fight Press Conference Gallery | UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video | UFC 145: Rashad Evans Trains With Roy Jones, Jr.
Jones' former teammate Rashad Evans has been a thorn in his side since Jones accepted the title shot against Rua. Evans had been scheduled to fight Rua for the title at UFC 128, in fact he'd been waiting for Rua to recover from ACL surgery since UFC 114 but then Evans himself fell injured shortly before the fight.
Jones was notified of the opportunity to fight for the title in the Octagon at UFC 126 after he beat Ryan Bader. Shortly thereafter he expressed some willingness to face Rashad Evans should the UFC demand it and the feud was on.
Sherdog's Dave Mandel was allowed into a Jones' training session and took the pics you'll find after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Photos by Dave Mandel for Sherdog. See the rest of the gallery.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowTeam Jackson Relationship Helped Drive Rashad Evans Both Then and Now
ATLANTA -- A trainer can't blame a fighter for following his advice, even if it works against him.
Greg Jackson tells his fighters to adapt, to not rely on even their most reliable weapon. What happens when that backfires? At one time, Jackson was Rashad Evans' most reliable weapon, the guy whispering in his ear. The guy spotting the holes in his opponents' attacks. But no more. Now he's on the opposite side, the enemy.
Indulge me in a theory for a moment, one in which I play armchair sports psychologist. It goes like this: Evans wanted out, needed out of Team Greg Jackson, even if it was a subconscious thought in the deep recesses of his brain. It's not like he set out to lure Jon Jones into his camp and create a rivalry so he could escape. But on the other hand, when the tension became a flicker, he didn't try to blow it out. He doused more gasoline on it and set it ablaze.In my opinion, Evans was willing to sacrifice that relationship for his own self-improvement, a trade both cold and fair. In other words, he adapted.
Why? The everyday grind of being a fighter is taxing. Everyone knows about the aches and pains. But that's just the start of it. Staying mentally sharp is even more difficult. One camp melds into the next. The drills get repetitive. The faces in front of you begin to represent safety and comfort rather than challenge. Before you know it, the drive you had has seeped away a little at a time, replaced by the routine. That is not a championship formula. So what do you do when something is stale? You throw it out. You trash it, even if it was something once worth having.
This is a theory, and not one Evans addressed, but if you listen to him, if you hear his words, the clues are there. For example, when he was asked about what is different about him from the time he trained with Jones, this was his answer. "It's really hard to say but for the most part I enjoy the fight a little bit more than I did before. Under Jackson, I felt like that part of me slipped away from enjoying the process of the whole fight and everything that has to do with it. Being in this new camp with my new training partners, learning new things helped me get the flame underneath me again."Fighting the staleness of monotony is an ongoing challenge for veteran athletes. That's why coaches get fired so frequently in major team sports.
When you're young and everything is a new experience, that's not a problem. That's why Jones can sit in front of the media with a smile and say that he's enjoying every part of this process. He's 24 years old and he's only been fighting in the UFC for a little over three years. He's only been with Team Jackson for a little over two. He's only been champion a little over one. Everything is still new and exciting for him. The world is still his. It might not always be that way.Ask Evans, who said that from the beginning, he's been a "paranoid thinker," with the feeling that everybody's always against him. He gave a deep look into his pysche while equating this Jones fight to his UFC 88 bout against Chuck Liddell, a fight that launched him into stardom and a title shot."There’s a lot of similarities to that," he said. "I went to that fight and doing interviews, people were interviewing me like, 'What have you done to even get a chance to fight Chuck? How can you even step into the cage with him?' That's the kind of questions I was getting. I was very invisible at the time. But it was something that I took with me. I said, 'You know what? I'm just going to go in there and just do me.' And it's the same way I feel right now. I'm going to go in there and do me. Nobody sees me winning this fight. Nobody sees me winning this fight, so I'm going to go in there and do me and see what happens."See, that chip on his shoulder is something nearly every champions has. They all have something to prove. Even when they don't, they create a scenario that exists only to them, because they need to have that focused intensity that only comes with wanting to succeed when everybody says you can't. Someday very soon -- probably on Saturday night at UFC 145 -- Evans and Jones will shake hands and admit they have more in common with each than they have let on for all these months. And probably not long after that, Evans will make peace with Jackson. He served his purpose when he trained Evans, and he served his purpose when he didn't. If each time resulted in bringing the best out of Evans, he did his job, even if it resulted in hurt feelings. If Evans wins, he won't look back on this time with any regret. The lifespan of a pro athlete isn't much past the blink of an eye. In that time, difficult decisions must be made for the advancement of careers, ones that fray old friendships, ones that create conflict where there is none. Evans may not have intentionally set out to nuke his relationship with his old team, but deep down, he probably did what he felt necessary. He chose an uncharted course over familiarity. He chose movement over standing still. He followed the advice of his old coach, even if it meant going against him.
Posted in: fight, time, jackson, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseMike Van Arsdale: Rashad Evans Is One Hundred Times Harder to Wrestle Than Ryan Bader in MMA
ATLANTA -- Mike Van Arsdale, former UFC light heavyweight and current coach for the Blackzilians, spoke to MMA Fighting about Jon Jones' contention Rashad Evans may be past his physical prime, why Evans is a much better wrestler than previous wrestling-based Jones opponent Ryan Bader, if it's true Greg Jackson was stretched too thin to help Evans before he left the camp and more.
Posted in: van, greg jackson, evan, ryan bader, bader
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 Jones vs. Evans – The Staredown!
The fire for the fight still burns bright inside Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, as witnessed by their staredown following the UFC 145 pre-fight press conference.
Posted in: ufc, jon jones, rashad evans, staredown, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jon Jones Has The Coaches Who Taught Rashad Evans To Fight
Saturday's UFC 145 Light Heavyweight title fight between champ Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans isn't just the biggest MMA fight so far this year, it's also a deeply personal grudge match. Much of that tension has arisen because of their shared experience training under coach Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Evans trained under Jackson from 2005 until last year when he left the camp in a huff over Jon Jones' ascension to the top of the UFC heap and Jones' stated willingness to fight Evans. Now Greg Jackson has agreed to corner Jones.
Related Stories: Evans Says Jackson Brought In Jones 'For Greg' Not The Team | Jones' Coach Winkeljohn On Convincing Jackson To Corner Against Evans | Jones Confirms That Jackson Will Corner Him Against Evans
Jones spoke to MMA Fighting's Ben Fowlkes about the advantage he has working with the men who coached Evans for more than 5 years. Those quotes are after the jump...SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
"I have the coaches that taught him how to fight. They taught him the guard passes he uses, the ground-and-pound system that he uses, the punches that he used to throw and the combinations. I mean, it almost seems not fair sometimes," Jones told MMA Fighting.
"We know his psychology. We know what makes him tired. We know everything about him. He's in trouble.
"What people don't realize is, Rashad says, ‘I trained with Jon and I have his number.' But that's a crazy thing for him to say, because I trained with him, and one thing all my fans know is that I'm not just a good fighter, I'm also a smart fighter. If he truly believes that I don't remember every training practice we ever had, what I landed and what I did well against him, he surely must remember that. He should be nervous. I've done great against fighters I've never trained with before. I mean, I fought [Lyoto] Machida when I'd never fought a karate fighter before, and I beat him in a karate match. So Rashad thinking that the time we spent together wasn't extremely beneficial to me, I think he's crazy," said Jones.
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, fighter, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowHow do you see Jones vs Evans going?
I feel like Evans' best strategy will be to hold Jones against the fence and work from there. Also, I expect him to try and take him down off the fence and try some ground and pound holding him against the fence. I see this strategy working somewhat, but Jones will eventually be able to adjust and stop getting put against the fence. From there, Jones will be able to keep his distance and work the jab to keep Evans at distance. I think Jones will be successful in some takedowns and will punish with some of his old fashion elbows from the top, but Evans will be able to work his way out of those. Overall, I don't see either of them being finished, with Evans controlling some of the match against the fence, but it will be Jones who wins the striking match and will do more damage from the ground. Jones wins 4 of the 5 rounds. Just my meaningless prediction, how about you? submitted by afkobaya [link] [5 comments]
Posted in: jone, fence, evan, work, i dont
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145's Evans backpedals on conspiracy theory, 'Bones' says foe is distracted
ATLANTA - Perched on a pair of director's chairs opposite each other in Atlanta, champ Jon "Bones" Jones and Rashad Evans tried to wring out the last bit of life in a long, contentious buildup to UFC 145.
They succeeded.
For his part, Jones is still enjoying the last few days before they fight. Evans isn't. Regardless, only three days remain until they're locked in the cage together, free from a storyline that's imprisoned both.
Posted in: rashad evans, evan, directors chairs, evans backpedals, storyline thats
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Stare Down Photo And Pre-Fight Press Conference Gallery
Pictured above is the intense stare down between UFC 145 headliners, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, during today's pre-fight press conference.
Jones has been known for not looking his opponent in the eye, and the champion has explained his reasoning in the past, stating that it's to mess with his opponent:
"If you look really closely at my past fights, I never actually look into the guy’s eyes. Nor do I do it at weigh-ins. At weigh-ins normally I just look off into the audience and it kind of plays a little mind game on my opponents a lot of times. They don’t really know how to react to that."
"As far as when I’m in the Octagon, I’m always looking at the opponent’s body when I’m standing there. I’m big on not fighting an opponent’s name, his credentials, his past fights, his face. I fight the body and when I’m standing across and I’m looking at his body, I’m really just humanizing the guy, and looking at imperfection in his physique or… You know there’s a quote that says, ‘If a guy looks soft in the mid-section, usually he is soft in the mid-section.’ So I’m just humanizing the opponent. That’s what I’m doing.
This time, he made an exception for his former teammate turned rival, as he obliged to maintain eye contact with Evans through out the face-off.
Related: UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video | UFC 145: Rashad Evans Trains With Roy Jones, Jr.
Check out the video of the stare down, along with a few more photos from the presser after the jump.
You can view the complete gallery from the very talented Esther Lin here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, opponent, evan, irsquom
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowBitterness Aside, It’s Time for Jon Jones and Rashad Evans to Play the Game
All the talk of a crumbling friendship has lost its luster for Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, now it's time for them to step into the Octagon and fight.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, ’s time, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones vs Rashad Evans staredown pic from UFC 145 pre-fight press conference on April 18
Eye contact!
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today (April 18, 2012) once again assembled the cast and crew from the upcoming UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" pay-per-view (PPV) event, which goes down this Saturday night (April 21) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
UFC 145 will be headlined by a light heavyweight title fight featuring former training partners and bitter rivals Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, who came face-to-face at the conclusion of today's pre-fight press conference to lock eyes and look mean.
If you missed any of today's action, check our our UFC 145 press conference live blog right here.
This weekend's festivities will also feature a welterweight match-up pitting rising star Rory MacDonald against British banger Che Mills. Heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are also scheduled to get their hands dirty in "The Peach State."
None of those fighters were in attendance; however, as the promotion has narrowed its focus to the main event and all the pre-fight drama that has preceded it. See for yourself right here.
Get up to speed on all the news and notes for UFC 145, and there are aplenty, by clicking here.
Posted in: ufc, ben rothwell, training partners, evan, prefight
Read the full article at MMA ManiaVideo-UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans Episode 2
Countdown to UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans (Video)
Take behind-the-scenes look at Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, as well as Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills, in this full video of "Countdown to UFC 145."
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, countdown
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRashad Evans Anxious for Talk to Cease, Ready for UFC 145 Fight With Jon Jones
It's been a long, strange road to UFC 145. But Saturday in Atlanta, Rashad Evans finally gets his shot at Jon Jones, his former friend and training partner.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAMeet the Blackzilians (Video)
Much has been made of Rashad Evans and his departure from Jackson’s MMA last year. Following that split, Evans moved his camp to Boca Raton, Florida, and many other fighters followed him. Now with a roster that includes Melvin Guillard, Jorge Santiago, JZ Cavalcante, Anthony Johnson, and more, the group decided to name the grouo the “Blackzilians” due to the make-up of the group.
UFC Ultimate Insider on Fuel TV recently traveled to Florida to take a deeper look inside the camp to see just how it came to be. Watch as Evans and the entire group help prepare for the championship fight at UFC 145, which takes place this Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.
Watch the entire video below:
Posted in: championship fight, evan, group, atlanta georgia, split evans
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyKenny Florian offers thoughts on how Rashad Evans can beat Jon Jones at UFC 145
Kenny Florian is turning himself into one of the top announcers and analysts in all of MMA. His background in the sport, along with his calm demeanor Octagon-side, have Florian making more and more appearances on TV.
As an analyst on UFC Tonight Florian was asked to break down what Rashad Evans needs to do to defeat light heavyweight champion Jon Jones when the two meet this Saturday night in the main event at UFC 145.
“Evans could be the Joe Frazier to (Jones’) Muhammad Ali. He has the power to take down Jones,” Florian said, continuing, “If he can get inside of him, he has the takedown ability. He has to get in there and do it quick; he can’t make it a technical fight. He has to keep moving his head. He has the power in his hands and feet to get inside and to eventually break Jon Jones.”
Florian also believes Evans has won the verbal war, saying, “Evans has been beating Jones verbally for the last six weeks. That can really get into your head.”
:Ken Flo” also sees experience playing a role in that, as a former champion, Evans knows what it takes to secure the belt. He also knows what it feels like to lose it, something Jones has yet to taste.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, florian, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand with Jon Jones?
Through the build up to the UFC 145 grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, one factor has been continually thrown around as the key to this fight, Rashad Evans' chin. Some insist that it is so weak that he could donate it to a Jewish wedding. Others point to his only being knocked out once in his entire career, during which he has fought heavyweights, and insist that his chin cannot be as bad as it is commonly believed to be. The chin (here meaning a man's ability to take a punch) is a vague and abstract concept. It is also one which I, and most others, cannot address with any definitive science. The merits and flaws of Rashad Evans' striking, however, are a different matter - and herein we shall address them. And be sure to check back later this week for Fraser Coffeen's breakdown of the striking of Jon Jones.
Before we start, let us establish the obvious. Rashad Evans hits very, very hard. He staggered the iron jawed Quinton Rampage Jackson, and was the first man to knock Chuck Liddell legitimately unconscious with one punch (to a point where Chuck wasn't even attempting to defend himself). Heavy hands, however, do not a great striker make. It is fairly safe to assume that Rashad possesses the power to knock Jon Jones out. Plenty of light heavyweights do. Getting close enough to Jon Jones to do so is Rashad Evans' greatest problem.
Evans cannot shoot in on Jones from range. While this would fly against a lesser opponent, it will get Rashad hurt if he attempts it here. Therefore, Rashad will be looking to strike with Jones, with the ultimate goal of either knocking him out, or of taking him down and blanketing him.
The three key weaknesses in Rashad Evans' stand up game are:
His side on stance.
His difficulty working at distance.
His ineffectual head movement.
Stance
Rashad is not a big light heavyweight, he might not even be a particularly big middleweight if he chose to cut to 185lbs. At just 5'11", he carries a 75 inch reach. Against Jones this reach disadvantage will be even more pronounced due to the height disparity - Rashad will be forced to punch upward, and his favoring of circular punches over linear ones will mean that he needs to be almost chest to chest with Jones to connect.
Photo by Nat Arem
To compensate for this lack of reach, Rashad often chooses to stand from a particularly side on stance - just as the Diaz brothers and BJ Penn opt to. This lengthens his jab, but also means that the back of his lead leg is especially vulnerable to low kicks. These often cut into the hamstring, the most tender part of the upper leg.
While most men are uncomfortable kicking against Rashad Evans due to his stellar wrestling pedigree, Lyoto Machida found a great deal of success with kicks against Evans. Lyoto, fighting southpaw, could not use his rear leg to punish Rashad's turned in lead leg, but was able to use short kicks to the calf with his leading, right leg to break Rashad's balance several times throughout the fight. This illustrated another disadvantage of having the lead foot turned in; it is easier to have one's foot kicked out from under oneself.
Rashad often stands so side on that he needs to take an enormous lunging step outward, like that of Babe Ruth, in order to throw his right hand. A quick look at the Liddell fight reveals how stunted his right hand is by his stance. Liddell was caught rushing in to throw a right uppercut without set up or distraction (a self destructive striking strategy) and still Rashad was only able to reach with the inside of his fist and fingers, rather than a solid punching surface. Obviously he knocked Liddell out, but Jones will not be that close even if he chooses the same ill-advised lead right uppercut.
Photo by Martin McNeil of ESPN.
Distance
Rashad's speed is an enormous asset, and this really showed against one dimensional brawler, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson. Jackson's only assets at this stage in his career are his powerful hooks, having abandoned his wrestling and ground and pound almost entirely. Rashad was able to run rings around Quinton Jackson by bouncing around, exploding in, and following through to a takedown with beautiful set pieces. The sequence in which Rashad threw a left hook, followed by a weave under Jackson's counter hook combined with Evans' own right hook to the body, into a running takedown, was a marvel to behold. The only men with comparably brilliant and varied set ups for their takedowns from long range are UFC welterweight champion, Georges St. Pierre, and a 2003 - 2008 era Fedor Emelianenko.
Against opponents whose intention it is to fight at long range, Rashad struggles. It took Evans three rounds of eating punches from Forrest Griffin (one of the lightest punchers in MMA) before Evans managed to chase Griffin down. Against Machida, who was waiting for Rashad to attack, Rashad looked tentative throughout the fight as Lyoto moved straight backward from all of the techniques in Rashad's limited arsenal of strikes. Rashad's side on stance meant that he could only lead with his jab, making Lyoto's counter simply a matter of reflex, rather than thought.
Against Jones, Rashad will be forced to deal with great distance again. But where Machida simply kicked into this distance, and could not punch without closing the range, the enormous distance which Rashad has to navigate against Jones will see him under fire from punches the entire time. Jon Jones' length is his most obvious asset in the stand up - his technique being slightly above average at best - but his understanding of how to use this reach is unparalleled. A quick look at a Jon Jones fight will show how rarely his opponent comes close enough to throw a punch without Jon hitting them first. Jones uses low kicks, jabs, and even the very controversial Jackson's MMA favorite, the push kick with the sole of the foot against the opponent's knee joint.
Put simply, Jon Jones fights how Stefan Struve should fight. One has all the kickboxing pedigree in the world yet routinely gets knocked about by men who are half his size, and one is largely untouchable. Rashad's vulnerability to low kicks will hurt him if he stays in the open, and closing the distance from a side on stance will certainly be difficult.
Head Movement
Rashad Evans, in the head movement department, suffers from the same affliction that Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir do. Evans' head movement looks good, but is almost entirely ornamental. A prime example would be his fight with Lyoto Machida. Immediately before getting knocked down, Rashad bobbled his head around several times, then stood bolt upright as he lunged in with his actual attack. Lyoto was not even looking at Evans as he threw his counter, knowing that Evans' head would stay in position.
The same happened against brawlers, Thiago Silva and Rampage Jackson. When Rashad was able to run in and out, he landed heavy shots and took them down. Then he stood on the outside, wiggled his head about, stopped, and got caught with a big punch by both men.
Jon Jones has proven capable of exploiting holes in an opponent's offense. Against Machida he switched stances, knowing that he could land a rear hand hook against Machida's unguarded right side. It is pretty safe to assume that Jones will look to counter Rashad's weak head movement on offense.
Photo by ERNEST DOROSZUK/QMI AGENCY
Rashad's Keys to Victory Against Jones
This is a terrible stylistic match up for Rashad Evans. It's not as terrible as Jones was for Rampage, the latter being a shade of his PRIDE era self. Jackson's game had quite literally devolved to using only hooks, and his 73" reach was even more lacking than Rashad's will be. Rashad's best bet is to knock Jones out early or get him to the floor and lay on him. Jones is an excellent wrestler, so Rashad will be forced to take the initiative by striking with Jones.
Evans has enormous power and speed in his punches, so a knockout is never truly off of the cards. But closing the distance will prove tough, and his striking didn't look that crisp technically even against Tito Ortiz. If Rashad gets stuck on the outside he will be kicked into a bruised mess. If he runs in without moving his head, as he is wont to do, he will get hurt and likely finished. Really, Rashad needs to do exactly what he did against Rampage; spring around and get to Jones' chin as early as possible. Jones has not been hurt yet in the octagon, and his opponents have all given him time to establish his game and work methodically. If Rashad can land a good blow on him early, we may see Jones mentally collapse due to lack of experience of adversity.
Finally, a potential wild card in this fight is that even Rampage Jackson, as averse to kicking as BJ Penn, found some success in kicking Jones' gangly legs. If Rashad continued to work Jones' legs, which have little muscle to serve as a shock absorber, he may be able to stop Jones kicking and moving so freely, and make him stand as still as Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson did.
Want to learn the techniques of Junior Dos Santos, Anderson Silva and Roy Jones Jr.? These and the techniques of 17 other elite strikers, are broken down in detailed photography in Jack Slack's new ebook Advanced Striking: Tactics of Kickboxing, Boxing and MMA Masters, which is out NOW!
Jack Slack blogs at his website www.fightsgoneby.com and can be found on Twitter @JackSlackMMA.
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowGo Inside the ‘Blackzilians’ Camp as Rashad Evans Trains for UFC 145
Take an inside look at the Imperial Athletics "Blackzilians" camp in Boca Raton, Fla., as Rashad Evans prepares for his UFC 145 main event against Jon Jones.
Posted in: ufc, rashad evans, camp, evan, blackzilian
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Predictions
This is the one we've all been waiting for and this time the phraise is not a marketing gimmick. The mixed martial arts world will witness one of the greatest rivalries in the sport's history move into action this weekend as UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defends his title against former champion, friend and training partner Rashad Evans. By most accounts, Jones is the favorite to win, but many believe Evans has just the right tools and knowledge to recapture lost glory. Is it true Evans has 'Jones' number'? Does Jones have too many advantages to really have his belt taken?
I'll attempt to answer these questions with these predictions about UFC 145.
What: UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Where: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
When: Saturday, the Facebook preliminary starts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, the four-fight FX card starts at 8 and the seven-fight pay-per-view card starts at 10.
Predictions on the six pay-per-view fights below.
Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones
As I discussed previously, there's really no way to look at this match-up and not conclude Jones has significant advantages. Then again, it's also hard to conclude Evans is incapable of meeting the task at hand. If Evans is to win, it will be because he was able to successfully wrestle Jones to the floor, hold position and score damage on top. If Jones is to win, it'll be because he was able to strike at range, defend the takedown or execute the takedown himself. Evans has never been submitted, but Jones' adaptive submission prowess cannot be overlooked.
I'm fairly confident in the Jones pick. Evans has his work cut out for him. But don't forget what happened the last time Rashad Evans went to Atlanta for a fight and everyone counted him out. He was +200 underdog against Chuck Liddell and he's up to +400 this time out, but this is MMA. Stranger things have happened.
Pick: Jones
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Let's be frank: it's hard to see a way where Mills wins on Saturday. Not impossible, of course, but hard. He does have respectable striking, good hand speed and underrated experience, but skills win fights and MacDonald can't be touched in that regard. Short of an errant punch he doesn't see or a freak accident, this is McDonald's fight to lose. In fact, picking MacDonald is probably the only rational choice. I can see him striking with Mills, but if he decides to use ground and pound instead, Mills doesn't have the skill set to keep up.
Pick: MacDonald
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
This fight is an interesting one for both competitors, but for slightly different reasons. Both fighters are coming off of losses, but both are trying to achieve different objectives. For Rothwell, it's about proving he can still compete at this level. His last fight against Mark Hunt was not particularly impressive, to say the least. Roth is extraordinarily tough and very difficult to put away, but the question is whether he's got the skills offensively to be a competitor at this level of the fight game.
Schaub, by contrast, is trying to get his contendership back on track. He lost in devastating fashion to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 134 and needs to prove the loss didn't mentally scar him. In addition, by beating a fighter on the bubble like Roth, he can begin to climb his way back up the heavyweight ladder. Schaub's boxing should do the trick as I just don't see Rothwell doing enough to really give Schaub too much trouble.
Pick: Schaub
Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
This is the toughest bout on the card to call if you have no stake in either fighter. Torres is extremely accomplished, possesses an excellent guard - one that has added potent sweeps to the arsenal - and respectable outside boxing. McDonald is a tough, strong athlete with excellent power, good wrestling and a well-rounded skill set altogether. Who prevails here? Could McDonald take Torres down and do enough in the judges eyes to work a points-based decision like Demetrious Johnson? Or is McDonald going to show he still has flaws in his game and lose scrambles to the more experienced Torres? There's a strong case to be made for either fighter. For me, until I see McDonald beat someone at this level of the game, I'm going to have to side with experience. But I'm not doing it confidently. This fight will say a lot about both competitors when it's over.
Pick: Torres
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Hominick is a -700 favorite over Yagin. Those are the sorts of odds Manny Pacquiao takes into fights, if you're looking to see what a blowout this should be. Perhaps I'm discounting Yagin unfairly and he'll prove to be the Juan Manuel Marquez to Hominck's Pacquiao, but I doubt it. Yagin has a nice guillotine, but probably not nice enough to stop the relatively submission savvy Canadian. And on the feet it isn't much of a contest. Yes, Hominick got starched by a much less effective striker in Chan Sung Jung, but I doubt lightning will strike twice in a bottle.
Pick: Hominick
John Alessio vs. Mark Bocek
This fight is strange because it pits two of the most technical fighters around with contrasting styles against one another, but I wonder what the enjoyment factor might be. Alessio has terribly underrated takedown defense and is very strong defensively (for the most part). Bocek, though, is the type of fighter to press an opponent into the cage and work tirelessly for the takedown until he gets it. In other words, I see Alessio on the defensive for much of this bout and not able to do much of his own. Bocek could submit him - he is the better submission grappler by far - but it's probably going to take a while if he does. This one could very easily go the distance.
Pick: Bocek
Posted in: fight, jone, vs, evan, mcdonald
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad Evans, Jon Jones show softer sides on recent UFC Primetime special
Contrary to popular belief it turns out there is more to Rashad Evans and Jon Jones than each being a former teammate of the other who has a personal stake in their April 21 title-fight at UFC 145. Shocking, isn’t it?
In fact, outside of their rivalry Jones and Evans are human beings like the rest of us, though obviously a pair of individuals with extraordinary athletic talent, competitive drive, and the mental tenacity to test themselves inside the Octagon. While each may be fueled by the history with one another, as well as the involvement of the sweetest prize in the sport, the light heavyweights will also be fighting for their families this weekend.
The topic of those most dear to them came up on last Friday night’s episode of UFC Primetime where Evans started inducing viewers’ sniffles by explaining the difficulty in being away from his home to train in Florida.
“I always wanna be there for my kids and to not be there is hard. And I just hope that all the fighting and everything, it pays off and it helps them in their lives, because it’s all I really have,” said Evans, fighting back tears before recollecting himself later to explain, “No matter what you have going on in your life, it doesn’t matter, because when you step out there into the Octagon you better be ready to fight. Because your opponent…he doesn’t care. He’s trying to get paid. He’s trying to get paid off you. So what are you gonna do about it?”
Jones also narrowly avoided waterworks when discussing the death of an older sister who had impacted his life greatly and whose memory he hopes to honor on a daily basis.
Check out the complete video below (with plenty of non-sappy stuff too):
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, evan, ufc primetime
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans Episode 2
The second episode of UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans. The series follows both Jon Jones and Rashad Evans as they prepare to face off at UFC 145 for the UFC light heavyweight title.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145: Rashad Evans Getting Pointers From Roy Jones, Jr. Ahead Of Jon Jones Fight
Rashad Evans is no stranger to being around other famous athletes. If it's not Victoria Azarenka, it's Tito Trinidad or Michael Irvin or Bernard Hopkins. The latest turn sees Rashad getting some boxing lessons from none other than Ring Magazine's "Fighter of the Decade" for the 1990's, Roy Jones, Jr.
Here's video of Rashad working with Roy and talking about the experience (Roy part starts at roughly 5:25):
Rashad had this to say about the experience:
"One of the biggest things of my life that has happened to this date is that someone like Roy (Jones, Jr.) came in and gave me some pointers, and some advice," said Evans. "Boxing and MMA is different in some respect, but at the same time, you can pick up little jewels that he is putting out there. This has become like Ali and Frazer training camp, wherever everybody is sitting and watching you, and watching....it is crazy."
Rashad clearly isn't training with Roy full-time or anything, and that's probably not a bad thing. Roy is a guy who had phenomenal physical gifts and never seemed like a guy who'd be any good at training anyone. Likely because of that superstar "this was easy for you, why can't you do it?" mentality that affects most superstars who try to move to coaching.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
As for Roy, this is as close to a big fight as he's getting (other than his occasional gigs doing commentary work for HBO boxing fights). As my pro sports hero growing up, it's not exactly my favorite thing to write, but his career has become a sham over nearly the last decade. From the once incredible talent to a guy who fights Max Alexander in front of nobody in Atlanta.
Jones' most recent "appearance" was in Russia before the main event fight of Denis Lebedev vs Shawn Cox. Jones wasn't there to fight though, he was there to rap. ...or rather, to lip-sync his rap.
Seriously:
I don't begrudge Roy his right to earn a living and keep fighting. But I long for the day when he retires and gets his well deserved trip to the hall of fame.
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad, evan, roy
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 press conference video and LIVE updates today (April 18) for 'Jones vs Evans' in Las Vegas
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will today (April 18, 2012) hold a public press conference to promote this Saturday's (April 21, 2012) UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" event, which will air live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
The press conference will begin at 1 p.m. ET from downtown "Hotlanta."
Scheduled to attend will be the main event fighters of the evening, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, as well as main card fighters Brendan Schaub, Ben Rothwell, Rory MacDonald and Che Mills. Hosting the press conference will be UFC commentator John Anik.
Jones is the current UFC Light Heavyweight champion, defeating former champs Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida to both claim and defend the title in 2011. With Evans, he'll be looking to defeat his fourth straight former UFC light heavyweight titleholder. Oh, and there's some serious bad blood brewing between the two men.
His challenger, Rashad Evans, is the former UFC light heavyweight champion. Evans lost his title to Machida in 2009 and has been on the verge of getting it back ever since. "Suga" has been one of the unluckiest title challengers out there, routinely being in the wrong time at the wrong place which has delayed his quest to get his belt back. Now, the opportunity finally awaits.
And he'll have to battle a former friend and teammate to do it.
We'll have complete updates of the UFC 145 press conference, as well as a LIVE press conference video feed, after the jump:
Jesse here. The press conference is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET.
Posted in: ufc, press conference, conference, press, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaMorning Report: Jon Jones' Overlooked Advantage and Alistair Overeem's Reasonable Defense
Rashad Evans has a leg up on Jon Jones because they used to be training partners. By now, it's the catch phrase of UFC 145.
But we've gotten so wrapped up in this idea, that the relatively large counter-point staring us right in the face had, for all intents and purposes, been ignored until the young champ brought it up yesterday. You see, the advantage goes both ways. Actually, it may tip more so to Jones' favor than Rashad's.
Consider this. If these two men were as close of friends as we've been led to believe, considering the rather large age gap between them, it isn't too far of a leap to think the relationship was something akin to that of a little brother/big brother. (You can sometimes still see shades of it when the two are in the same room.) And with Jones as supremely raw as he was, Rashad would have been an instrumental figure in his maturation as a fighter. Someone to emulate, and through that emulation, someone to dissect.
Their whole messy divorce happened a little over a year ago, and honestly, Rashad Evans a year ago probably isn't too different from Rashad Evans now. But Jon Jones a year ago, that fighter isn't even in the same stratosphere as Jon Jones now. That's the thing. Jones' growth has been so ridiculous, the idea that he couldn't have pieced together a strategy to defeat the man he dissected so intimately is somewhat ingenuous, especially considering the coaches that helped build that man are on Jones' side now. Of course, this is all just speculation, but we'll see if Rashad's trump card is really as one-sided as we've been led to believe.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Jon Jones: preparing for with Evans' coaches 'almost seems not fair.' Jon Jones flipped the script on his UFC 145 title bout against Rashad Evans, stating that it was almost unfair to be training with the coaches that taught Evans how to fight.
Alistair Overeem's manager says he has 'reasonable explanation' for failed test. Glenn Robinson, the primary manager to Alistair Overeem, said he feels very confident his client will be fighting Junior dos Santos on May 26 and that Overeem has a reasonable explanation as to why his testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio was so far off-base. The NSAC's hearing is slated for next Tuesday.
UFC, FOX content sharing spotlight with Floyd Mayweather. Similar to UFC on FOX 1, May 5's UFC on FOX 3 broadcast is scheduled to take place the same night as a blockbuster boxing draw -- Floyd Mayweather vs. Miguel Cotto -- though according to UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, FOX doesn't mind sharing the national spotlight.
UFC demands retraction from CagePotato. The UFC and Dana White served a demand for retraction to the website CagePotato regarding a satirical quote attributed to White in an April 14 article. CagePotato promptly issued a statement retracting the offending caption, however when asked if the dispute had been squashed, White responded, "not even close."
Valentijn Overeem would be 'surprised' if brother needed TRT. Valentijn Overeem admitted he would be surprised if his younger brother needed testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for medical reasons, and if that were indeed the case, he would most likely be aware of the issue.
MEDIA STEW
There's certainly worse ways to spend your work day than watching Rashad Evans proclaim, "I want to change Jon Jones' life," on the second episode of UFC 145 Primetime.
Right before Rashad Evans made his debut on TUF 2, back when he was a one-dimensional rookie to the game, "Suga" roared through the Gladiator Challenge Light Heavyweight Tournament. His unfortunate first victim: Mr. Bryan Pardoe.
How did the Naval Academy help shape Brian Stann into such a gentlemanly beast? "The All-American" explains in the debut edition of SB Nation's "Core of Sports" series.
You've seen Rocky, right? Yeah, translate that into a film about MMA and you might see something like this fight. The Homer Simpson defense never fails. (HT: Reddit)
The latest secret weapon against Jon Jones: Rashad has been sparring with legendary boxing champion Roy Jones Jr. (HT: MMA Mania, via Authentic Sports Management)
TWEET OF THE YEAR
Who's the dick that stole my pants today at training? #underweardriving #wtfinstagr.am/p/JfrAktpTEn/
— Josh Koscheck (@JoshKoscheck) April 16, 2012
BONES IS READY
220lb war machine twitter.com/JonnyBones/sta…
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 17, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Tuesday, April 17, 2012):
- UFC on FOX 3: Darren Uyenoyama (7-3) out, Tim Elliott (8-2-1) in against John Dodson (12-5)
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day is a superbly comprehensive breakdown by BE's Luke Nelson: UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Influence Jon Jones Into "Skipping To His Lou" And Crucial Mistakes?
At the highest levels of combat, the athletic abilities are often so even that they do not play a large role in the fight. Of course there are exceptions to this; Georges St. Pierre stands out as a fighter whose natural athleticism is nearly impossible to overcome. Brock Lesnar was thought to be of a similar ilk and indeed he was able to rely on his physical gifts to destroy men like Heath Herring and Frank Mir, much more technical fighters than himself. When he came up against fighters who could either offset his wrestling with their own, or had an equal amount of brute strength, he was exposed as a mediocre fighter, unable to influence his opponent in any way.
On the opposite side of this coin is Anderson Silva, a fighter who is so in tune with his opponents that fans have openly wondered if he is proof that we are indeed living in some an artificially constructed reality. The diversity of the attacks with which Silva has beaten his various opponents is truly spectacular. How can one fighter use so many different methods to such a great degree of success? To put it simply, Silva knows where his opponent is going to be before they are there. This isn't to say it is a simple task; it took years and years of training for Silva to reach the level that he is at, but it is the most critical element to his success.
This ability to seemingly "control" your opponent was alluded to by Rashad Evans during the first of two Fuel TV "Ultimate Insider: Counterpunch" segments that he and Jon Jones appeared on last week. During the confrontational clip, Evans and Jones discussed how they themselves saw their fight (the headlining match at this weekend's UFC 145) going and towards the end of his comments, Evans declared:
"When you're in there with me, I can get you to skip to my lou. And you will skip to my lou. You're gonna do exactly what I want you to do."
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Is the Favorite, but the Smart Money Is on Rashad Evans
The main event at UFC 145 will feature a true grudge match as light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defends his title against his his former friend and teammate Rashad Evans.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans: It feels like the UFC doesn't want me to be champion (Video)
"To me, it honestly feels like they don't want me to have the belt. And that could just be my paranoid mind thinking and it probably is, I don't know, whatever the case, they're probably just indifferent to the whole thing. But in my mind I feel like they're like, 'Oh man, we don't want this dude to be champion. We don't want him to be champion.' But it's something that, inside me, is so important because that will show all my sacrifice, all my hard work, all my heartache, everything that I've been given on this journey wasn't in vein. That it was worth something."
Considering the fact that it was recently announced that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is actually going to be a sponsor for Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones for his fight against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, in Atlanta, Georgia, maybe "Suga" isn't so paranoid after all. Or maybe it's just business and the UFC has no rooting interest either way. To even imply as much with satirical quotes is a dangerous practice. Nonetheless, Evans is coming out and saying it -- he doesn't think the powers that be with the world's largest fight promotion want the 205-pound title around his waist. Despite that, he's busting his ass to make that happen this Saturday night at the Philips Arena, the very same venue that saw him take Chuck Liddell's soul back at UFC 88. Is a similar outcome in the cards this weekend? Stay tuned, Maniacs. In the meantime, what do you think of Evans' comments? Is his mind playing tricks on him?
Posted in: ufc, champion, rashad evans, evan, dont
Read the full article at MMA Mania'Countdown' to UFC 145 full video for 'Jones vs Evans' from FUEL TV
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) aired its traditional "Countdown" preview show for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" on FUEL TV earlier tonight (April 17, 2012), which featured a behind-the-scenes look as current Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones prepares to defend his strap against former 205-pound division kingpin -- and now bitter rival -- Rashad Evans this Saturday night (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
To check out immediate reactions to the 30-minute special be sure to check out our live UFC 145 "Countdown" discussion thread right here.
The "Countdown" to UFC 145 video special also features a closer look at the co-main event, a Welterweight showdown between rising star Rory MacDonald surging British prospect Che Mills.
Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the pay-per-view (PPV) main card action on fight night, which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET. The latest quick updates of the "Prelims" under card action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET.
For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" be sure to hit up our event archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, fuel tv, evan, card action
Read the full article at MMA ManiaGreat Expectations: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans and the UFC 145 main event
Great expectations.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and his real-life antagonist, Rashad Evans, will step inside the Octagon on Saturday night (April 21, 2012) in the UFC 145 main event and finally let their fists, rather than their lips, fly.
God willing.
And to hear them tell it, it's not going to be just an ordinary mixed martial arts (MMA) match. On the contrary, "Bones" and "Suga" will crawl into the eight-walled cage at the Philips Arena, squat in their corners -- maybe even tweak their nipples -- and then charge into battle. More than one year of emotion, trash talk and anger will fuel their duel, with the momentum for each fighter swinging like a pendulum for a jaw-dropping 25 minutes or until one man can no longer continue.
UFC President Dana White will grin and giggle. Fans will leap from their seats and foolishly embrace. MMAmania.com servers will crash and I will get an instant raise.
These, Maniacs, are the great expectations that weigh heavy on the shoulders of Jones and Evans as we head into this weekend. And we didn't manufacture them, but rather the personal rift between the former "friends" and training partners at Jackson-WinkleJohn MMA -- now sworn enemies -- has been rammed down our throats at every turn.
I can recite the tumultuous timeline in my sleep if required. However, it isn't.
That's because the UFC has put all its marketing muscle behind this showdown, taking us behind the scenes with slick "Primetime" specials, giving us a "Countdown" to their date with destiny and watching them squirm on the set of "Ultimate Insider."
Hell, the UFC even made the odd decision to sponsor Jones during the fight. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but it's significant for no other reason than it's never happened before.
For more than one full year, since Jones stepped in to replace Evans and then defeated Maurício Rua at UFC 128 to win the 205-pound crown, we've been inundated with an endless stream of noise. That's all it is to me at this point: Noise. I doubt I'm alone. And I doubt I'm not the only one who will settle, at a minimum, for a fight that ends definitively without controversy.
I'll live without the label of, "Instant Classic." I couldn't care less if Jones and Evans bob, weave, juke and jive for 10 minutes, so long as it doesn't devolve into a point fight. And if Jones pulls off a Matrix-esque move that turns out Evans' lights quicker than a crazy pee-guzzling cat named Lyoto Machida, I'll take that, too.
Anything more than that and I'll consider it gravy, baby.
The incessant build up has been too much and too often. The rivalry has been way too overblown and too overanalyzed. The backstory too Hollywood and too contrived. I get the entertainment angle, the promotional one, too. I think I get it all, to be honest. I've had to see and hear all the "noise" every day for 13 months, which is much more than the average casual fan, I know.
Maybe I'm jaded. Perhaps tired. Whatever.
But, don't get it twisted: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans and the one world they share, as well as the two that they don't, have done a masterful job of building up this fight. The UFC also deserves an ice pop. I can't wait to watch Jon Jones fight Rashad Evans, and vice-versa. Hell, I might even get goose bumps before the start of a fight for the first time since I don't even know when.
The expectations, however, are just too great.
#Greatnessis.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, im
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans, Episode 2
Did you miss Friday's first episode of "UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans"? No worries. Catch the full episode in full without the commercials at HeavyMMA!
Posted in: ufc, vs, episode, evan, primetime
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans Episode Two (Video)
With the highly anticipated grudge match between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans just days away, the UFC has posted the second episode of its immensely popular series ‘Primetime’ to feature the two as they prepare for their championship fight at UFC 145 on April 21st in Atlanta, Georgia.
The series, which has documented pre-fight camps for fights starting with Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn II at UFC 94 in 2009, has since shown coverage of training camps for other fights such as “Rampage” Jackson vs. Rashad Evans (UFC 114), Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez (UFC 121), and Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit (UFC 143).
Similar to HBO’s 24/7, which shows the routines and preparations for multiple sports, including boxing, NASCAR, and hockey, ‘Primetime’ has also been praised for its in-depth coverage inside the lives of UFC fighters.
The first episode premiered two weeks ago, and can be viewed here. The second episode aired on FX last week, and it focuses on the both Jones and Evans’ preparations for the fight.
Watch the entire video below:
Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, episode, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyBrydon on Jones vs. Evans: Love lost
Rashad Evans has some fond memories of training with Jon Jones, but they're ancient history now ahead of UFC 145.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, brydon, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.caGeorgia On My Mind - Rashad Evans UFC 145
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [5 comments]
Posted in: ufc, evan, mattyblayze, mind, georgia
Read the full article at Reddit
UFC 145: What Did Rashad Evans Mean When He Told Jon Jones "You Will Skip To My Lou"?
When we as fight fans analyze an upcoming mixed martial arts fight in an attempt to pick a winner, there are a lot of different ways to come to whatever conclusion we come to.
Of course everyone knows about MMAth, in which you compare the combatants results against a mutual opponent. This method is usually derided by educated observers as wholly unreliable, and statistically it is, yet it is almost always brought up by someone during the lead up to the fight (and enthusiastically discussed in great detail by all parties).
Another quick and easy method of pre-fight evaluation is to look at the two fighter's skillsets in an attempt to determine where the fight will take place. This is a much more respected methodology and it is easy to see why: Grapplers (wrestlers in particular), are almost universally able to dictate where their fights will take place, if they are going up against a striker or less talented grappler. If they want to have a stand up fight, they will use their grappling savvy to avoid going to the ground. If they want to have a ground fight, they will use their grappling savvy to bring the fight to the mat.
Where you can run into some problems with this method is when the two combatants come from a different grappling base: It's not always clear in fights between a Brazilian jiu jitsu fighter and an American wrestler which fighter will have the grappling edge. Making this method even more challenging is when you have two strikers facing one another. We don't always know how good a striker is on the ground game until/unless they are forced to use it, making it nearly impossible to make an educated prediction with this method.
If we want to go even more in-depth, we will discuss and evaluate what individual techniques the two fighters use. Are they combination strikers or do they go for power shots? Do they shoot power doubles or stick to single leg takedowns? This can help us in matches like Brian Stann vs Alessio Sakara, a bout that took place at last weekend's UFC on FUEL TV 2. Stann is a power puncher, and Sakara has had some trouble when he gets hit with big strikes. Sure enough, Stann connected with powerful shots early in the fight and went on to score a TKO victory.These methods are useful ways of looking at a fight but it seems to me there is one more level of evaluating a fight (and fighters), which is, essentially, how successful a fighter is at influencing his opponent to move as he sees fit. Jack Slack, one of the premier striking experts in the MMA blog-o-sphere and Mike Riordan, a new addition to the SB Nation ranks over at Bloody Elbow, specializing in wrestling, recently gave us great examples of this kind of evaluation.
Fight Like Dos Santos: The Right Body Straight. (Jack Slack)
A Theory On Successful Wrestling Translating To Successful MMA Wrestling (Mike Riordan)
In Slack's post, he details how Junior Dos Santos used body attacks in his title fight with Cain Velasquez at the first UFC on FOX show to influence Cain to drop his hands. When he did drop his hands, Dos Santos was able to land an overhand right, sending Velasquez to the mat and giving Junior the UFC heavyweight title.
Riordan takes us inside the world of wrestling set-ups, showcasing numerous examples of wrestlers taking what seems to be a stale-mate position and using it to their advantage.
This ability to make your opponent do what you want them to do is, to me, what separates the greatest fighters from their peers. One of my all time favorite fighters is Bas Rutten. The main reason for this is the clarity with which he is able to describe his fighting experiences. If you've never seen this video of his fight with Jason Delucia, it's a must watch. It's special because Rutten provides a running commentary of the fight, giving us some incredible insight into how he approaches a fight and how he chooses to attack Delucia:
At the highest levels of combat, the athletic abilities are often so even that they do not play a large role in the fight. Of course there are exceptions to this; Georges St. Pierre stands out as a fighter whose natural athleticism is nearly impossible to overcome. Brock Lesnar was thought to be of a similar ilk and indeed he was able to rely on his physical gifts to destroy men like Heath Herring and Frank Mir, much more technical fighters than himself. When he came up against fighters who could either offset his wrestling with their own, or had an equal amount of brute strength, he was exposed as a mediocre fighter, unable to influence his opponent in any way.
On the opposite side of this coin is Anderson Silva, a fighter who is so in tune with his opponents that fans have openly wondered if he is proof that we are indeed living in some an artificially constructed reality. The diversity of the attacks with which Silva has beaten his various opponents is truly spectacular. How can one fighter use so many different methods to such a great degree of success? To put it simply, Silva knows where his opponent is going to be before they are there. This isn't to say it is a simple task; it took years and years of training for Silva to reach the level that he is at, but it is the most critical element to his success.
This ability to seemingly "control" your opponent was alluded to by Rashad Evans during the first of two Fuel TV "Ultimate Insider: Counterpunch" segments that he and Jon Jones appeared on last week. During the confrontational clip, Evans and Jones discussed how they themselves saw their fight (the headlining match at this weekend's UFC 145) going and towards the end of his comments, Evans declared:
When you're in there with me, I can get you to skip to my lou. And you will skip to my lou. You're gonna do exactly what I want you to do.
During the extensive pre-fight trash talk that has gone on between Jones and Evans, one of the oft-repeated refrains from Evans is that he's been in the cage with Jones before, (the two sparred together for months as teammates and training partners at Jackson's MMA) and as such he knows what to do to beat him.
And why shouldn't Evans feel this way? After all, he isn't really a physically dominant fighter. He's quick, to be sure, but for a light heavyweight he's rather small. He hasn't shown himself to be beastly strong for his size either, so he has been forced to earn his victories through technical superiority and that ability to influence his opponents into making the mistakes he wants them to make.
Jones on the other hand, for all the physical comparisons we draw to Anderson Silva, (they do indeed have very similar body types) more closely resembles an earlier version of Georges St. Pierre, before the welterweight champion toned down his aggression on the feet: He intelligently uses his physical superiority to dominate his opponents.
Silva is a master of quick strike offense. He spends much of the early part of a fight calculating his opponents timing, judging their reaction to his feints and movements. When he has figured out how best to attack, the fight usually ends soon after.
Jones is much more methodical in his approach. He prefers to get an early takedown, sowing seeds of doubt in his opponents mind. He plays a patient striking game, using his kicks to wear opponents out before he opens up with a more diverse striking attack. He almost always ends up taking the fight back to the ground before he looks for the finish. He is improving his striking at a rapid pace, but for the most part the danger in his game is predicated on his ability to take the fight to the mat. I'm not blessed with enough technical know-how to be able to say this with certainty, but I believe that his wrestling prowess is more about his physical traits than his ability to influence his opponents into mistakes.
When you set aside all the talk, all the fluff associated with the friends turned enemies promotion of this fight, what makes this fight between Evans and Jones so intriguing (and what would make a fight between Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre so intriguing) is the differing approaches that the two men bring to the cage.
The former champion Evans, who has overcome for his lack of physical dominance by forcing every one of his opponents save one (Lyoto Machida) "skip to his lou".
The current champion Jones, who has imposed his physical dominance so easily on every man he's ever faced.
Will Evans be able to coerce Jones into making critical mistakes? If he can, will he be able to capitalize? Will Jones be able to impose his physical dominance on Evans? If he can't, will he be able to adjust?
What if we see a little bit of both? Who is best equipped to deal with partial success and in turn, partial failure?
I wrote last week that this fight was a super-fight. The claim was challenged by some who believed that Jones was simply too good for Evans. Despite some solid arguments supporting this idea, I still don't believe that it is the case. I believe this fight will be one of those special bouts that will be remembered long after it has been fought.
I guess we'll soon see.
Posted in: fight, jone, fighter, opponent, evan
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendRashad Evans, “Georgia on my Mind” (Video)
Without a doubt, Rashad Evans has been in big fights before.
His star-making turn against Chuck Liddell, his massively hyped grudge match with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson – Suga is no stranger to the spotlight. Even still, his upcoming UFC 145 blockbuster tilt against Jon Jones has brought with it a level of hype and media attention that caught even the seasoned Evans off guard.
That’s not to say that the former champ isn’t taking the whole thing in stride, though. In fact, the swarm around him seems to have granted Evans some perspective on living in the moment, enjoying what he’s got while he’s got it. The light heavyweight battler’s management team, Authentic Sports Management, released a promo video entitled “Georgia on my Mind” that gives insight into Evans training and mental state ahead of his date with Jones in Atlanta.
“On April 21, you guys can expect one hell of a fight,” said Evans. “Me vs. Jon Jones. And it’s a fight that’s built upon so much emotion and so much promise of what could have been a great relationship or a great teammate, but it wasn’t. I’m gonna go in there and I’m gonna win. I’m gonna win and I’m gonna fight hard and I’m gonna love every second of it.
“I’m gonna love every moment that I have leading up to it. I’m gonna appreciate everything. Because, before you know it, this will be just a memory and you guys won’t be cheering for me no more. My time will pass. So, I’m gonna enjoy this moment. I’m gonna have fun and I’m gonna put on a great performance. And I wanna thank you for making me who I am today.”
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, moment, sports management
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyVideo: Chuck Liddell calls Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans odds 'ridiculous' for UFC 145 title fight
"The opening line is five, six-to-one? I think it's ridiculous. Jones is facing a different style of fighter than he's fought recently. Jones is used to controlling where the fight is, if it's on the feet or on the ground. He's gonna have a real hard time with this one. It's gonna be a good test for him. I like both guys but it's definitely not a five-to-one fight. It's gonna be fun to watch."
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones opened as a -600 favorite for his upcoming 205-pound title defense against longtime nemesis Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 this Saturday night (April 21, 2012) at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Former division champion Chuck Liddell (via Fight Hub TV), who knows a thing or two about the power of Evans, having been knocked out by "Suga" back in 2008, finds those odds "ridiculous." Anyone out there disagree? Let's hear your wagers for this weekend's title fight.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, ground hes
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones' UFC-Sponsored Walkout Gear - UFC 145 Snapshot of the Day
On his UFC 145, UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones will not only get paid to fight Rashad Evans on the main event, he will also be taking home big bucks from the UFC sponsorship deal he just landed.
He will be decked in UFC gear from head to toe, and today, his sponsored gear for the event has been released. Pictured above is Jon Jones' walkout shirt, and his fight shorts.
Related: UFC 145: UFC Sponsors Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Reacts | UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Van Damme Style Promo | PART 2: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans Get Heated On Ultimate Insider
Check out his weigh-in shirt and his cornermen's outfits after the jump.
Here is what Jones will be wearing at the weigh-ins:
And here is what his cornermen will be wearing on UFC 145:
The whole Jon Jones collection can be seen (and purchased) on the UFC Store.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowA timeline of Jones vs. Evans history, feud
Here is a timeline of the history between UFC 145 headliners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans and their ongoing feud, to be settled Saturday.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, timeline, feud
Read the full article at sportsnet.caPic: Rashad Evans sparring with Roy Jones Jr. in preparation for his UFC 145 title fight against...
Pic: Rashad Evans sparring with Roy Jones Jr. in preparation for his UFC 145 title fight against Jon Jones on April 21 in Atlanta, Georgia. “One of the biggest things of my life that has happened to this date is that someone like Roy (Jones, Jr.) came in and gave me some pointers, and some advice,” said Evans. “Boxing and MMA is different in some respect, but at the same time, you can pick up little jewels that he is putting out there. This has become like Ali and Frazer training camp, wherever everybody is sitting and watching you, and watching….it is crazy.”
Props: Authentic Sports Management
Posted in: jone, evan, roy, jr, crazyrdquo props
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: “We know everything about (Rashad Evans). He’s in trouble.”
During the build towards a September title-defense, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was accused of having a spy in opponent Quinton Jackson’s camp who was reporting back with inside information on his training. While Jackson’s accusations were unfounded, when it comes to his upcoming bout with Rashad Evans there’s no question Jones will enter the Octagon with intimate knowledge of his adversary thanks to insight gleaned from Evans’ former coaches.
However, there’s nothing underhanded about the process this time around. Evans not only decided to depart Greg Jackson’s gym, where Jones still calls home, but has questioned the integrity of instructors at the renowned training center. And, to hear Jones tell it, Evans was never much of a teammate to begin with.
“He’s never gone to a team dinner. He never went out and said, ‘Hey, let me buy these other guys a drink because I can afford it.’ It was not like that. He just had ‘Cowboy’ (Donald Cerrone) and basically the guys who had money in the bank and could hang with him, dress with him, and look good standing next to him at the club. That’s not a team member,” said Jones in an interview with MMAFighting, adding Evans completely ignored a number of the people at Jackson’s MMA.
Now, when they meet on April 21 for Jones’ belt, “Bones” will have an ace in the hole with Jackson, Mike Winkeljohn, and others in his corner who are extremely familiar with what Evans has to offer based on his years in New Mexico.
“I have the coaches that taught him how to fight. They taught him the guard passes he uses, the ground-and-pound system that he uses, the punches that he used to throw and the combinations. I mean, it almost seems not fair sometimes,” confessed Jones. “He always talks down about Greg Jackson now and he always talks crap about our team, by saying our team was just commercial and we’re overrated. But all those insults have really made it almost personal for our coaches. We know his psychology. We know what makes him tired. We know everything about him. He’s in trouble.”
Jones-Evans will serve as the headliner this Saturday night at UFC 145. Each man has only lost a single time in his career though Jones’ involved an unnecessary disqualification while Evans was finished cleanly by Lyoto Machida. Jones has won six straight since the stumble with “Suga” ‘Shad stringing together four consecutive victories.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, jackson, team, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145: Is Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Actually Personal?
The most personal battle in the history of the UFC.
That's the idea the UFC is using to sell this weekend's Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans mega-fight at UFC 145. And it's a good sell. These two have a complex history, from good friends (or maybe not, depending on who you ask) and teammates to possible grudging opponents to bitter rivals - it's a nearly Shakespearean tale of betrayal, broken friendships, and the hatred it has created. In short, it's the perfect kind of story to sell a fight.
So why is it leaving a bit of a bad taste in my mouth?
Don't get me wrong - I'm very excited for the fight. But there is something about the promotion that concerns me, and that concern is this: we've heard it all before.
This idea of "this time it's personal" has been brought out by the UFC time and again lately. In fact, this will mark the 3rd of Rashad's last 4 fights that were built around this personal dislike. The Tito Ortiz rematch was personal, the Rampage showdown was personal - only Phil Davis escaped that treatment, and even then, the build was about how Rashad needed to get through Davis to fight Jones because, wait for it, it was personal.
Related: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - The War Of Words Continues On PART 2 Of Ultimate Insider | PART 1 - Jon Jones And Rashad Evans Get Heated On 'Ultimate Insider'
So it's a selling point we have heard too much. But that's not the biggest concern. The biggest concern is that it's also a lie.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Too many fighters have, post-fight, pulled the rug out from under this idea of a genuine and personal dislike. How many times have we heard a supposedly bitter rivalry end with one man stating that it was all just to sell tickets? Remember the antagonism between Josh Koscheck and Georges St. Pierre before UFC 124? Koscheck did an excellent job building up a personal rivalry before that fight, Then when it was over, GSP said it was all to sell tickets and that Kos was a nice guy, Kos acted all humbled and thanked the Canadian crowd, and everyone was happy.
The problem is, those sort of moves undercut the credibility of future rivalries. So now, when we have Jon Jones and Rashad Evans engaging in an actual personal battle, not a "it's for tickets" personal battle, we end up asking ourselves - really? Do they really dislike each other, or is this another ruse? And that's not a good attitude for the UFC to develop among their fans.
Saturday night, I don't expect a pleasant hug and an admission that these are two good friends. But then again, I've been burned before. And I'm sure I will be again. And every time I get burned, my faith in the UFC promotional machine wavers just a bit more.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Judo Chop: The Techniques Of Jon Jones And Rashad Evans
As we gear up for the Light Heavyweight championship fight between champ Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans at UFC 145 I wanted to look back at the work we've done in the past analyzing the techniques of both athletes. Both men are consummate mixed martial artists and both come from a collegiate wrestling background but that's where the similarity ends.
Jones is a super-athletic freak of nature and a deeply unorthodox fighter who's assembled a unique fighting style that builds on his Greco-Roman base and incorporates lots of freestyle wrestling and Judo takedowns and unconventional strikes that make great use of his immense 84" reach. His use of spinning strikes, front kicks and big knees to the face make him a very feared striker as well as a dangerous grappler. Here are our looks at Jones' techniques:
Jon Jones Front Chancery Chokes Lyoto Machida Unconscious
The Flaws of Jon Jones
Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down
Jon Jones Unleashes the Salaverry on Vladimir Matyushenko
The Integrated Game of Jon Jones
Jon Jones' Greco-Roman And Judo Clinic On Stephan Bonnar
The Judo Chops of Jon Jones
Rashad Evans, whole unquestionably a gifted athlete, by contrast is someone who has built a less shockingly unorthodox game (although his striking is very unique and built on some deeply unconventional footwork) that relies less obviously on flashy techniques. Where Evans excels is at the transition from striking to take downs.
Striking to Take Downs With Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans Uses Punches To Set Up Take Downs Against Rampage Jackson
Take a look and let us know how you expect these techniques to come to bear this Saturday in the main event.SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones: Preparing for Rashad Evans With Coaches Who Taught Him 'Almost Seems Not Fair'
Jon Jones has had enough of hearing about how he ruined the team. The UFC light heavyweight champ has had enough of Rashad Evans going off in interviews about this cocky kid who came to Albuquerque and drove a wedge between Evans and his coaches at Greg Jackson’s gym. He’s had enough of Evans acting like he was the perfect teammate, pulling people aside for heart-to-heart talks intent on maintaining team unity. That might make for a pleasant story, Jones said in a recent phone interview, but it isn’t the whole truth."There were people at Greg Jackson’s gym that he never even said hi to," Jones said of Evans. He may mourn the loss of the original team now -- what Evans refers to as the "Jackson Five" -- but when he was there he was only interested in hanging out with "the elites," according to Jones."He’s never gone to a team dinner," said Jones. "He never went out and said, ‘Hey, let me buy these other guys a drink because I can afford it.’ It was not like that. He just had [Donald] ‘Cowboy’ [Cerrone], and basically the guys who had money in the bank and could hang with him, dress with him, and look good standing next to him at the club. That’s not a team member."
To hear Jones tell it, this is a big reason why the Jackson’s MMA coaching apparatus -- especially Jackson himself and striking coach Mike Winkeljohn -- have stuck with the champ leading up to his fight with his former teammate at UFC 145 on April 21. It’s because "I’m a true team member, not just one of those stars," Jones said. "That’s why they love me like a brother."In the lead-up to the fight we’ve heard a lot about the time Jones and Evans spent in the gym together. Both men are guilty of telling the sparring tales that usually stay behind closed doors, and Evans has insisted that it’s what he learned while on the mats with Jones that will give him an edge in the fight.But that door swings both ways, Jones pointed out, and what Evans seems to be forgetting is that when he left Albuquerque, he left his original MMA mentors behind."I have the coaches that taught him how to fight," said Jones. "They taught him the guard passes he uses, the ground-and-pound system that he uses, the punches that he used to throw and the combinations. I mean, it almost seems not fair sometimes."On Evans’ end, the split with the Jackson’s MMA team was a bitter one. He declared himself "done" with Jackson and his gym after accepting the fight with Jones following a very public falling out, and he’s since claimed that Jackson’s willingness to corner Jones against a former student "speaks volumes about his character."Comments like that haven’t gone unnoticed by Jones or his coaches, and that’s given the training for this fight a very different feel, according to the champ."He always talks down about Greg Jackson now and he always talks crap about our team, by saying our team was just commercial and we’re overrated. But all those insults have really made it almost personal for our coaches. We know his psychology. We know what makes him tired. We know everything about him. He’s in trouble."It’s the same with their sparring sessions, Jones said. Evans thinks he figured out how to beat Jones during those days in the gym together? That’s fine. Jones learned a thing or two from them as well."What people don’t realize is, Rashad says, ‘I trained with Jon and I have his number.’ But that’s a crazy thing for him to say, because I trained with him, and one thing all my fans know is that I’m not just a good fighter, I’m also a smart fighter. If he truly believes that I don’t remember every training practice we ever had, what I landed and what I did well against him, he surely must remember that. He should be nervous. I’ve done great against fighters I’ve never trained with before. I mean, I fought [Lyoto] Machida when I’d never fought a karate fighter before, and I beat him in a karate match. So Rashad thinking that the time we spent together wasn’t extremely beneficial to me, I think he’s crazy."The personal back-and-forth has already given this fight a different flavor. Jones admitted he had a hard time getting up for his title defense against Machida, but going against Evans is a different story since he’s "glad people think that this is the guy who’s going to beat me. That gets me pumped up."But beyond being an intense rivalry, it’s also a fight that may come to define both men once it’s over. For Evans, it could easily be the last real shot at UFC gold. For Jones, it’s a chance to further solidify himself as a UFC great for the modern era. He’s already the youngest champ in UFC history -- an honor he described as "kind of cool" -- but in many ways, he said, "I feel like I really haven’t done anything. Not compared to Matt Hughes, guys like that. I haven’t done anything. I think there’s more, and I’d be sad if I didn’t achieve more."He’s already knocked off several former champs in dominant fashion, but this will mark the first time he has to face a former friend and teammate. Is he psychologically strong enough for that, many fans wonder. Can he use Evans’ words as motivation without letting them get to him? Can he separate Evans the opponent from Evans the person?"I look at Rashad as someone who wants to embarrass me on national television," said Jones. "That alone inspires me to get my butt up early in the morning and late at night and train harder than him. Because who wants to get knocked out and have that on everyone’s DVR? I don’t."
Posted in: fight, jone, team, coach, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseLive 'Countdown' to UFC 145 discussion thread for 'Jones vs Evans' on FUEL TV
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns with its "Countdown" preview show for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," featuring a behind-the-scenes look as current Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones prepares to defend his strap against former division kingpin Rashad Evans on Saturday night (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Tune in TONIGHT (Tues., April 17) at 9:30 p.m. ET on FUEL TV and talk, complain, whine, boast -- whatever it is you do -- about the program in the comments section below.
"Countdown" to UFC 145 will also feature a closer look at the 170-pound match up between top welterweight prospect Rory MacDonald and former Cage Rage champion Che Mills.
Replays will air on FUEL TV at the following days and times (ET):
Wednesday (April 18) at 5 and 10 p.m. Thursday (April 19) at 8 p.m. Friday (April 20) at 2 a.m.Saturday (April 21) at 6:30 p.m.
Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., April 21), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 6:30 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts.
For the latest UFC 145 news and notes click here.
Posted in: ufc, pm, fuel tv, evan, april
Read the full article at MMA ManiaChuck Liddell thinks the betting odds for Jones vs Evans are ridiculous
UFC 88 in Atlanta was the first live UFC event I ever attended. Rashad Evans was fighting Chuck Liddell as the headlining fight that night. I sat in the nosebleed seats at Phillips Arena in Atlanta on September 6, 2008 in front of some very inebriated guys with heavy southern accents, intermittently chanting 'USA' or 'knock that Mexican out' during the Dan Henderson vs Rousimar Palhares fight. Despite the ignorant beer spilling drunks behind me it was an experience I will not ever forget. I tend to prefer to watch UFC at home but the energy of a shocked crowd that just witnessed Chuck Liddell fall to the canvas rigor mortis style after a huge overhand right from Rashad Evans is one of those things that makes me love seeing these fights live.
It was the first time I'd ever seen someone really laid out on the canvas, eyes rolled back in the head and stiff bodied live and in person. Sure I'd seen it on TV prior to that, but in person it just lends an entirely different vibe. First, there was the initial electric excitement from the crowd as they realized the KO happened. It included a mix of angry boos from those who felt that their hero 'The Iceman' was just unexpectedly defeated by Rashad Evans (who was somewhat villianized at that time) to screams of joy that massive KOs always deliver. I remember jumping up with my next door seat neighbor in happiness as our male counter parts sat sahking their heads in shock.
That excitement slowly faded into a concerned hush amongst the crowd as it seemed Liddell was stiff and unconscious for an uncomfortable amount of time. As much as we love the brutality of a knock out, we are horrified at the thought of any tragic injury. After what seemed like forever Chuck finally got up and the crowd re-erupted in an intermix of cheers and boos as the announced Rashad Evans winner via TKO at 1:51 of the 2nd round. Honestly that's the moment I really fell in love with MMA-before that I just was in like with the sport. Call me a noob if you want but prior to that I was really more of a boxing and jiu jitsu loving chick.
Chuck Liddell will never forget that moment with Rashad either and that's why he told MMAWeeklyRadio he is just shaking his mohawk laden head about the betting odds of this Jones vs Evans fight. (Odds on some betting sites are favoring Jones at a whopping -500 and Rashad at +350.)
"I think that’s ridiculous. 5 to 1, and 6 to 1, I mean, Jon’s been great, he’s doing great, and he’s going to keep getting better, but this is a fight styles wise that’s a tougher fight for him than the ones he’s had. He likes to control the distance, control where the fight was, whether it was standing or on the ground, and I think he’ll have a harder time doing that with Rashad."
"When you can shoot in and take a guy down, you can change the distance whenever you want, you can be pressed to do something else, and it’s a lot easier to follow your game plan."
"If I was a betting man, with the odds, absolutely no question you have to go with Rashad. That’s for sure. It should be a pick em’ but I want to see if Rashad can do it. I really want to see how Jon reacts, I want to see him get pushed and see how he reacts."
I think I really fell in love with MMA at that moment at UFC 88 because there's something magical to me about watching the underdog rise up and defeat the favorite. Its serendipitous and maybe Rashad will get a chance to do it all over again in his return to Atlanta this Saturday night. [source]
Posted in: fight, rashad, rashad evans, evan, liddell
Read the full article at Middle EasyVideos of the Day - UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Van Damme Style Promo, Poirier Takes On Zombie Apocalypse
Enjoy your morning coffee with a few MMA promos made to lighten up your mood. On this first clip, the makers of that UFC 140 Karate Kid promo brings us a UFC 145 spoof trailer set to a Jean-Claude Van Damme theme:
Jon Jones squares off against Rashad Evans in the 1990 Jean-Claude Van Damme film, "Lionheart" (aka Full Contact/A.W.O.L/Wrong Bet).
Related: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - The War Of Words Continues On PART 2 Of Ultimate Insider | PART 1 - Jon Jones And Rashad Evans Get Heated On 'Ultimate Insider' | UFC 145 Fight Card: Jones Vs. Evans | UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans | UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Gets Another Muhammad Ali Reference
After the jump, an interesting UFC on Fuel TV 3 trailer where Dustin Poirier takes on a Zombie Apocalypse.
Fightville made a unique promo for Dustin Poirier and his upcoming UFC on Fuel bout against Chan Sung Jung. Check it out below:
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, promo, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowThe Blueprint - Jon Jones
He is, by most accounts, the chosen one.Just 24 years old, Jon Jones is the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion. He became the youngest man to ever win UFC gold when he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua 13 months ago. And he has seemed pretty close to unbeatable in two fights that followed – one-sided submission wins over former champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida.On Saturday night, he faces former friend and training partner turned bitter rival, Rashad Evans. With all the press attention and continued questions about their falling out, it is likely that this will be the most emotional fight of Jones’ career. He claims otherwise. He tells anyone who will listen that Evans is just another opponent. But both of those are far from the truth. Extremely far from the truth.Jones wants this win as badly as any in his career to date. I guarantee it. That, in and of itself, could pose a problem. Jones has to be very careful not to fight from emotion, but instead to remain calm, cool and calculating, like he has in each of his previous 16 professional fights.Forget knockouts. Forget trying to hurt Evans. Just fight like it is any other fight. Otherwise, he is playing right into his opponent’s game plan because over aggressiveness on the feet opens the door for takedowns, and that is the one area that Jones wants to avoid at all costs.Keep in mind that Evans’ main focus in this fight will likely be to take Jones to the ground. He reportedly had success in keeping him there during their training sessions at Greg Jackson’s academy. Word out of Albuquerque is that Jones struggled to work back to his feet against Evans, who has one of the better top control games in the division. It is likely, therefore, that Evans will come out looking to do whatever he can to get the fight to the ground to bring back that sense of déjà vu from their prior training sessions. That is when Evans will be his most confident and Jones will be at his most vulnerable. Of course, that isn’t the only reason for Jones not to go nuts on the feet. Evans also has homerun power. I know he hasn’t shown it much in recent fights, but this guy has the speed and power to leave Jones or anyone else lying in an unconscious heap in the Octagon with a single punch. Jones knows that. He also knows that he enjoys the technical standup advantage, as well as nearly a 10-inch reach advantage, which means avoiding any unnecessary phone booth exchanges in order to minimize the odds of eating a fight-ending counter or otherwise getting taken down.So, how does that play out in practice?Simple. Jones should do exactly what he does in every fight – control the distance with the jab, whether from the orthodox or southpaw stance. The champion has one of the best jabs in the division. He fires it with tremendous speed and accuracy without a hitch or anything else that tips it off. And he throws it equally well from either stance, which is almost unheard of in mixed martial arts.Jones can potshot Evans with the jab from a safe distance due to his height and reach advantages. Continuous focus on his footwork to keep changing angles off the jab is also critical because it further reduces Evans timing the jab with a counter or duck-under takedown attempt.Continual movement is critical because Evans has a slight speed advantage in this fight. His hands are about as fast as they come. The way to counter speed is with movement and a jackhammer jab, whereas the jab in isolation leads to getting countered. Anyone who watched Alexander Gustafsson batter Thiago Silva knows what I’m talking about. That was a perfect display on how to frustrate an opponent with a stick-and-move strategy. Silva, who is the more powerful striker of the two, was left completely baffled by Gustafsson’s movement and potshotting attack. Gustafsson ate counters the few times he stood still to admire his work. Jones needs to keep that in mind.Single jabs aren’t enough, though. Jones needs to double up on the jab from time to time, as well as firing good one-two combinations followed by a cleanup leg kick. That will keep Evans guessing, and a fighter who is guessing is a fighter who doesn’t confidently pull the trigger, if he pulls it at all.As Evans’ frustration builds, Jones can start to mix in his crazy, highlight reel strikes. You know, spinning backfists and elbows, the occasional flying knee or spinning kick, or anything else that strikes his fancy. He needs to be careful about unleashing those too early because those strikes open the door for takedowns, other than maybe spinning backfists.Similarly, Jones should forget about lead leg kicks. Those are too dangerous in terms of takedown opportunities, particularly early in the fight. Finishing counters with leg kicks, on the other hand, is a tremendous way to start hammering away at Evans’ explosiveness, but the kick must immediately follow the right hand to avoid creating openings for counters.The one thing I’m not sure of, as I sit here and write this breakdown, is what Jones should do if Evans is able to sneak inside and initiate a clinch. Should he defend and retreat? Should he fight the clinch battle and look to use his unbelievable in-fighting game to further batter his foe? Or, should he look for a judo or Greco throw?Conventional wisdom suggests that Jones shouldn’t engage Evans where he is the strongest, which is the wrestling realm. But I thought the same thing when Jones fought Brandon Vera, a tremendous wrestler in his own right, and Matt Hamill. I wonder if either Vera or Hamill can match Evans’ MMA-style wrestling? I’m inclined to argue that Evans is the best MMA-focused wrestler in the division. He has proven that time and time again with his ability to take down just about anyone, and certainly stuff takedowns from everyone.But Jones is an athletic freak. He continually shocks me when he fights. He hasn’t been outwrestled yet in his career. What makes anyone think that Evans will be able to pull that off?I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that both Jones and Evans have a sense as to how the wrestling battle will unfold thanks to their history as training partners. Jones knows if he can neutralize Evans’ wrestling. Evans knows, too. I must admit, however, that I don’t know.Unless Jones knows for sure that he can win the takedown battle, I think he is best served fighting at a distance, just like he did with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and how Gustafsson did with Silva (though for other reasons). If he does that, he will present Evans with an exceedingly difficult riddle to solve. If he does that and remains focused on not creating unnecessary openings, I think he is the favorite to win.But nobody can count out a guy like Rashad Evans. He is a former champion in his own right and still one of the very best fighters in the world, one who is fully capable of putting a momentary halt to the Jon Jones saga. That is why this is must-see TV.QUICK FACTS:Jon Jones• 24 years old• 6’4, 205 lbs• 84.5-inch reach• 15-1 overall • Six fight winning streak• Lone UFC loss was a DQ for illegal elbow strikes to Matt Hamill in a fight Jones was dominating• Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion• Two successful defenses so far• 3-0 against current or former champions – all three wins inside the distance• Last eight fights ended inside the distance• 53.3% of wins by KO/TKO • 33.3% of wins by submission • 13.4% of wins by decision • Fight of the Night (SUB2 over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140; SUB2 over Quinton Jackson at UFC 135)• Knockout of the Night (TKO1 over Brandon Vera at UFC Live: Vera vs Jones)• Submission of the Night (SUB2 over Ryan Bader at UFC 126)• Current layoff is 133 days • Longest layoff of career is 188 days
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, jab, •nbspnbsp
Read the full article at UFCThe MMA Hour - Episode 127 - Rashad Evans
UFC 145: UFC Sponsors Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Reacts
UFC Light Heavyweight champ Jon Jones isn't just going to be representing himself, his hometown and his family at UFC 145 against Rashad Evans, he'll also be representing the UFC as a clotheshorse. That is the UFC will be Jones' official apparel sponsor at the bout.
To my knowledge this is the first time a UFC fighter has entered into an official sponsorship arrangement with the promotion.
"For this fight, I have a goal, I've had a goal of being sponsored by Nike for many, many years. Part of our strategy to try and make that happen one day is to not be a billboard, and not just be sponsored by TapouT one week, and Affliction one week, and then MusclePharm next week, and all these random companies," said Jones to MMA Weekly.
He had been sponsored by Form Athletics but that company went under in late 2011, creating this opportunity. More from Jones about the deal and Rashad Evans' response after the jump:
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Jones talking to Damon Martin:
"When Form Athletics went down pretty much every company in the business was looking for an opportunity to work with me, and I was really honored just to be wanted like that. I thought it was really awesome, it was a real honor.
"We came up with a strategy to keep it clean and be sponsored by the UFC itself. I'm glad the UFC wanted to work with me as well, and I think that they trust that I'll never make them look bad. You never have to worry about me with a DWI (driving while under the influence) or doing something crazy.
"I think I'm a good company guy. The UFC asks me to do anything and I always do it, and I never tell them no for anything. I've had to do more marketing than any other fighter because I say no to absolutely nothing. I don't think most champs are like that."
"I think they realized I'm a company guy and they decided to sponsor me. They put in the deal that if any mainstream companies come after this win that they will let me go, and I think that's awesome."
Rashad Evans was on The MMA Hour today and told Ariel Helwani:
"I guess it is what it is," he said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It seems they got their guy that they're going to get behind, I guess. I can't really say too much about that. I just got to go in there and do what I need to do. I can't really worry about that. I can't really worry about who they favor or who they may like. It doesn't change anything.
"If they're sponsoring him, it may seem that (the UFC is favoring Jones). But you know, honestly, it doesn't matter if they favor him or not. They have guys they want to get behind, so if they want to get behind him, that's on them. It doesn't bother me though."
The most interesting aspect of this story IMO is the fact that Jones isn't quite high profile enough yet to get the blue chip sponsor he'd like to have (something UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre did with Under Armour a while back) and that the UFC is willing to invest in their champion until he is able to land that mega-sponsor.
Posted in: ufc, jone, i cant, evan, company
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell Breaks Down Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Chuck Liddell knows a thing or two about rivalries. Over the course of his legendary fighting career, "The Iceman" staged rematches with five different men, including a UFC 66 title defense against former training partner Tito Ortiz that emerged as box-office gold for the fledging Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Of course, by now Liddell has trading in all the cuts and bruises for the plushy perks of retirement. But with UFC 145 right around the corner, many, including Ortiz, have begun comparing Jon Jones and Rashad Evans' heavy-anticipated grudge match to that fabled UFC 66 clash.
While the parallels are certainly there -- a title bout matching-up former friends and teammates turned enemies -- Liddell's relationship with Ortiz was vastly different than Evans' split with Jackson-Winkeljohn. In fact, the former champ says he wouldn't have had any problems if his coach brought a promising 205-pounder into camp back in the day.
"If (a teammate) can beat me, they can beat me," Liddell said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It is what it is. They deserve to fight me then. I'm not going to hold back some guy that's in my camp if he wants to fight me. That's not my thing.
"It's just a personal choice and a personal opinion, but I think eventually, hey you guys are going at it, then go out and have two beers together afterwards. Go out there and prove who's best that day, and go out and be friends again."
Obviously, by now it's clear both Evans and Jones see the issue a little differently. An oft-repeated axiom says to always fight with a clear mind and never let emotion cloud your judgment. Yet throughout the lead-up to UFC 145, emotions have run higher than they have for any light heavyweight title defense in years, leading some to speculate if it'll ultimately be a detriment to either competitor.
But Liddell had a few wars of words of his own back in day, and the way he sees it, making things personal wasn't ever a bad call.
"I think that helps for me," Liddell admitted with a chuckle.
"Some guys are better when they don't like the guy. For me, it helps me train. ... I say it all the time, but it makes it a lot easier when there's that back-of-your-mind motivation that ‘I do not like this guy. There's no way I want to let this guy beat me, so I'm going to be in the best shape I can be in.' I think (Jones and Evans) have got that."
Still, when it comes down to it, all the verbal sparring and pre-packed sound bytes are just noise to Liddell, and he isn't much interested in that. No, for the former champ, there's a much more fascinating -- and baffling -- sub-plot to UFC 145's main event.
"What's interesting about this fight is that the (betting) line is 6-to-1, which is shocking to me, because I don't think it's that kind of fight," Liddell explained.
"For Rashad, you've trained with a guy. You've worked with him. There's none of that ‘oh, he's unbeatable' kind of thing that's been out there in the press about Jon Jones.
"Even if it was a long time ago, if Rashad was getting the better of him in (training) ... sometimes that's in the back of your head when you go into a fight. Even if you're a different fighter now and you've gotten a lot better, it's still in the back of your head that this guy used to beat me and I haven't messed with him since."
For that very reason, Liddell is hesitant to commit to an official prediction for Jones vs. Evans, instead calling the long-awaited title tilt a "pick ‘em."
But regardless, you can be sure of one thing. If the grizzled veteran was a few years younger, and UFC 145 had the hypnotic surname of Jones vs. Liddell, he knows exactly how he'd approach the young phenom.
"Well, you've got to take him out of his gameplan," Liddell mused. "You can't let him decide where the fight is going to be fought. You've got to make him uncomfortable.
"When I'm in shape, if you let me engage when I want to, and you don't push me and make me be in situations I don't want to be in, I'll never get tired. ... You've got to put a guy in a situation he doesn't like being in, where he's not comfortable, and make him work."
Only time will tell if Evans can put that advice to good use.
Posted in: fight, guy, jone, evan, liddell
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad Evans Unbothered by UFC Sponsoring Jon Jones at UFC 145
Last week, a few eyebrows were raised when it was revealed that the UFC will be sponsoring its light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones for his upcoming title bout against Rashad Evans. As Jones explained during a recent conference call, the agreement came about when past primary sponsor Form Athletics shut down, and Jones sought out one main sponsor instead of entering the cage as a human billboard.
He'll essentially be showcasing new UFC merchandise, and so, some might theorize, the promotion will have a rooting interest in his success in the match.
The flip side of that theory, of course, is that if they have a rooting interest in one fighter, the second man in the cage seems unwanted. At best, it seems unfair. At worst, it seems biased.
If you were Evans, that might not sit too well with you. After all, the veteran has been around longer than Jones. He's also been a company ambassador and never had any outside-of-the-cage problems that reflected badly on the UFC. In short, he's done everything right, yet the advertising dollars are headed the young champion's way. Evans (17-1-1) doesn't perceive the situation any different than most who have heard about it, but neither is it something that he'll let affect him."I guess it is what it is," he said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It seems they got their guy that they’re going to get behind, I guess. I can’t really say too much about that. I just got to go in there and do what I need to do. I can't really worry about that. I can't really worry about who they favor or who they may like. It doesn’t change anything."Jones has come to be considered a massive favorite in the fight, nearly 6-to-1 in some places, even though Evans has only one career loss on his fight ledger. It seems that the public isn't the only one betting on him. When asked if he believes the UFC is favoring Jones on fight night, Evans couldn't deny the possibility."If they’re sponsoring him, it may seem that way," he said. "But you know, honestly, it doesn't matter if they favor him or not. They have guys they want to get behind, so if they want to get behind him, that's on them. It doesn’t bother me though."The fight will bring the long-awaited conclusion to their long-simmering feud. On Monday's show, Evans also seemed to indicate that his anger for Jones has waned since the two have "talked it out" through their public war of words and a few private meetings during appearances. The same doesn't hold true for his former coach Greg Jackson, who he accused of protecting his own interests ahead of longtime camp members.But Evans is ready to put all the bickering aside. He's tired of talking about it, and has been for a long time. It's finally about time to fight, and for him, that's what matters the most. "When it comes down to it, I started to fight because I love to fight and I was good at it," he said. "I still want it to remain the same. Even though I don't like Jon, and all the whole back story, and the whole Greg situation, at the end of the day, this is what I really love to do, and I'm going to keep that mindset throughout this whole week and throughout this fight."
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, i cant, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Do The Numbers Say Rashad Evans Has A Real Chance To Beat Jon Jones?
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones is one of the most feared and fearsome competitors in MMA history. The odds heavily favor him to beat former champ Rashad Evans at UFC 145 this Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia. As of this writing the online bookies are taking action on Jones at more than -500, meaning that you have to bet $500 to win $100 back. Ouch.
It's not just the odds either. Jones is 8 years younger, 5 inches taller. He's got a 9 inch reach advantage. Come fight time it's likely he'll have 20 pounds on Evans, who wouldn't be exceptionally big for a middleweight.
A look at Fight Metric's UFC 145 main event preview reinforces this perception of Jones' advantages. Jones lands an average of 3.82 strikes per minute of fight time to Evans' 2.13. Jones' 52% striking accuracy is considerably better than Evans 40% accuracy rate.
But perhaps there is a path to victory for Evans that significantly improves his chances to win. We'll see Luke Thomas' deeper look at Fight Metric's numbers after the jump.SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
From MMA Fighting:
On balance, Jones has the advantages. That's especially true in striking and submissions. Yet it's hard to look at the accumulated data and conclude Evans is somehow doomed. Evans can be taken down, but he's only spent 4.4% of the time in his UFC career on bottom - not a ton of time to do significant damage. Jones is clearly better at submissions, but Evans has never been submitted. Jones has never been taken down, but Evans has taken down everyone he's fought. Jones has the statistical wind at his back, but Evans has a demonstrated ability to rise to the occasion. There's also the x-factor of how much their perceived intimate knowledge of each others game plays a role.
What we have with Evans vs. Jones is a perfectly good case where relying on quantitative information for predictive insight can be tricky. I suspect whoever prevails at UFC 145 will do so by re-writing today's numbers, not fulfilling historical patterns.
The real test for both will be to get take downs where others couldn't; to score from spaces where others couldn't; to control position and times held in those positions where others couldn't; in short, to make the other fight in ways they haven't.
Jones is the odds-on favorite. He should be. He's got more ways to win and is statistically impressive almost everywhere. But Evans offers challenges in professional competition Jones has not faced.
The stats reveal that the game will ultimately come down to Rashad Evans' ability to take down Jones and also prevent Jones' takedowns. More from Thomas:
Evans has taken down everyone he's every fought. According to FightMetric, "Evans' average of 4.32 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting is the 2nd highest average in light heavyweight history. He's managed to takedown every single opponent that he has tried to get to the ground. His takedown accuracy is second only to Jon Jones, with a 53.3% success rate, 2nd best in division history."
But Jones is no slouch himself. FightMetric also notes Jones' "takedown accuracy of 63.6% is the very best in light heavyweight history. He's already scored 21 takedowns, 4th most in division history, and his 3.32 takedowns per 15 minutes average is the 4th highest in division."
Posted in: ufc, takedown, jone, evan, he
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones thinks Rashad Evans is “fake, arrogant, selfish, and self-centered”
If there’s one flaw fans have seemed to find with otherwise invincible light heavyweight champion Jon Jones it pertains to the perception he is a cocky athlete hiding behind a curtain of humility; that he’s a phony. The criticism first heated up a year ago when former teammate Rashad Evans labeled him along those lines, pointing to Jones’ attitude in camp and desire to fight him despite promising otherwise to his face.
Evans and Jones addressed the topic on last week’s Ultimate Insider during the second part of a segment seeing them go face-to-face over a variety of subjects. While Evans certainly didn’t stray from his belief, Jones was ready to defend himself, stating he felt the #1 contender is projecting the negative characteristics he sees in himself when it comes to dishing out insults.
“As an athlete, yeah I have a chip on my shoulder. There’s completely two different people. Jonathan Jones is a great person and I’ll say that about myself. ‘Bones’ Jones, yeah he’s a little high on himself. And I should be because that’s why I compete at the level I compete at and I train/believe that way,” admitted Jones before turning talk to Evans.
“I have no sympathy for Rashad whatsoever. I remember (him) leaving Greg Jackson’s and saying, ‘I needed a team that can just focus on me. I need something more based around me,’ and now (he) created the Blackzillians. I say it all the time – there’s no ‘I’ in team, there’s no ‘I’ in Jackson’s, there’s an ‘I’ in Blackzillians. So I really look at (him) as fake…arrogant…selfish…self-centered…and I think (his) biggest thing is to try to reflect it off on me and make me seem like I’m everything (he) is feeling inside of (his) heart.”
As might be expected, Evans didn’t take kindly to the matter and quickly fired back, starting a memorable exchange likely leaving host Jon Anik on edge based on the increasing intensity.
“The truth of the matter is you did wanna fight me and now we’re fighting, that’s just the bottom line,” snapped Evans.
“Why would I want to fight you if I’m the champ,” asked Jones in reply.
“Because you can’t be the champ unless you beat me,” Evans returned.
“I already am the champ, Rashad. I just choked out the guy who knocked you out. What are you talking about,” an smirking Jones answered, alluding to his submission victory over Lyoto Machida in December.
“You’ve got the belt but you ain’t the champ.”
“You had this long, ugly fight with (Quinton Jackson) where you almost got finished…I finished ‘Rampage’, I’m not the champ….Lyoto knocked you out silly and I just finished Lyoto…and I’m not the champ,” said Jones, his amusement in the debate dwindling. “I feel like the champ in every way and I feel like I’m gonna do the same exact thing to you (at UFC 145).”
Evans and Jones fight this Saturday night in Atlanta to settle their personal score with the added bonus of Jones’ championship being on the line.
Check out video of the interview below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: fight, jone, champ, ’m, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainThe Best of Rashad Evans: Exclusive UFC 145 Pre-Fight Photo Gallery
Take a look at some of the photographic highlights of the UFC's No. 1 light heavyweight contender and former champ Rashad Evans from HeavyMMA shooter James Law and Ryan Loco.
Posted in: ufc, rashad, rashad evans, evan, heavymma
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145: Rashad Evans Says Greg Jackson Brought In Jon Jones 'For Greg' Not The Team
UFC Light Heavyweight #1 contender Rashad Evans was one of the first big-time UFC fighters to join Greg Jackson's MMA team in New Mexico. Evans came out at the invitation of Keith Jardine after the two starred in the second season of The Ultimate Fighter together in 2005
A few short years later and Jackson coached Evans to the UFC LHW title. Then Evans lost the title and the decision was made to invite fast-rising LHW superstar Jon Jones into the camp. Accounts differ as to what agreements were made when that happened but the outcome is not in doubt: Evans left the camp in a huff after Jones took a title shot against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128 and won the title.
Now Evans has a different take on the events leading up to Jones joining the team. Per MMA Weekly:
"Like I told Greg at the time, I told Greg I don't think it would be a good idea, but Greg did what Greg wanted to do for Greg.
"That's why Greg brought him on because Greg wanted to do what he wanted to do for Greg.
"That's the thing about him. Greg talks about ‘for the team, for the team.' The team consists of ‘I' which is Greg Jackson. That's what the team consists of, it's about Greg Jackson getting the ‘Coach of the Year' awards. That's what it consists of."
I believe there's a song about this...Money Changes Everything. What do you think?
Jackson will be cornering Jones at UFC 145 on Saturday.SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
http://www.sbnation.com/admin/entries/new?community_id=117&entry_type=Story
Posted in: ufc, jackson, team, evan, greg
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowCounterpunch: Jones vs. Evans Part Two (Video)
With just a few days remaining before the highly anticipated grudge match between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans takes place, the two sat down to discuss that matchup and just how their rivalry came to fruition. On UFC: Ultimate Insider, host Jon Anik sat between the two as they presented their case on how they will win the fight, along with a few harsh words for the other every now and again.
UFC 145 takes place this Saturday, April 21st at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The championship fight will headline the event, which is the UFC’s first return to Atlanta since UFC 88, which saw Rashad Evans knock out former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell.
Part one was posted last week. You can check it out here.
Here is part two of Counterpunch: Jones vs. Evans:
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, championship fight, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyRashad Evans to Jon Jones: You're not the champ unless you beat me
The verbal warfare between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans continued in the second episode of Fuel TV's countre punch, just several days before their long-anticipated showdown at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia.
This time Evans claimed Jon Jones can't consider himself a legitimate champion unless he gets his hand raised at UFC 145, despite the fact that "Bones" has already defended his title two times. Jones responded with facts, bringing up the victories over Lyoto Machida and Rampage Jackson as an example for his
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad evans, evan, times jones
Read the full article at Low KickSuch a good article about Jones and Evan by MMA Fighting
submitted by daveox [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: mma, jone, evan, article, daveox
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - The War Of Words Continues On Part 2 Of Ultimate Insider
Ahead of UFC 145, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans spoke to Jon Anik and got into an intense war of words. That was Part 1 of "Counterpunch", a segment from UFC Ultimate Insider, and the talking didn't end there. Check out the extended interview on Part 2 where the tension gets even higher:
The war of words continues in Part 2 of "Counterpunch: Jones vs Evans" with UFC Ultimate Insider host Jon Anik. Were they really friends to begin with? Who's the rightful UFC light heavyweight champ? Will Bones really skip to Suga's lou? You be the judge...
Related: UFC 145: PART 1 - Jon Jones And Rashad Evans Get Heated On 'Ultimate Insider' | UFC 145 Fight Card: Jones Vs. Evans | UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans | UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Gets Another Muhammad Ali Reference
Check out the key quotes after the jump.
Rashad Evans: There's a part of me that will always go for Jon. Every single fight that he has been in, I have always rooted for Jon. Always rooted for him... I want him to win. I just say what I say about him being fake, because Jon is not the person he says he is, or tries to pretend that he is to be. He's setting himself up for a fall that I don't think he can take right now.
Jon Jones: I do feel as if it was Rashad's image, and it kind-of got thrown at me. It's like a "You know I'm not the baddest guy, Jon's a bad guy too" type of thing...
Jon Jones: ...And then you've got a guy like me, I treat people with the utmost amount respect, and that's a big part of who I am. As an athlete, yeah, I have a chip on my shoulder. There's 2 completely different people. Jon Jones is a great person. I say that about myself, but Bones Jones, he's a little high on himself. And I should be, cause that's why I compete on the level I compete at, and I train and beliveve that way.
Jon Jones: I have no sympathies for Rashad whatsoever. I remember you leaving Greg Jackson's and said that "I need a team that focuses on me. I need something based around me". And now you created the Blackzilians. I say it all the time. There's no I in team, there's no I in Jackson's, but there's I in Blackzilians. So I really look at you as fake. I look at you as arrogant. I look at you as selfish. I look at you as self-centered. And I think your biggest thing is to try and reflect it off me, and make it seem like I'm everything you're feeling inside your heart... The proof is in your lifestyle Rashad. You're loyal to no one but yourself.
Rashad Evans: That's the funny thing about it, and that's the part that you're immature and young. I would never have fought you. In a million years I would never have fought you. I was going to fight at 185. I would only do 'dream match ups'. I was only going to help you become a champion --
Jon Jones: That's not true.
Rashad Evans: I would never ever have fought you!
Jon Jones: That's not true Rashad.
Rashad Evans: ....When you got offered that title shot, and I told you to take it, Jon, I knew you were going to win. I wanted you to win, and I would never, ever, ever have fought you.
Jon Jones: That's when it really got started. That's when you said "Okay, it's official. Jon kinda called me out."
Rashad Evans: Truth to the matter is, you did want to fight me, and now we're fighting, that's the bottom line.
Jon Jones: Why would I want to fight you, when I'm the champ? You, want to fight me.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Has Some Strong Words For Former Coach Greg Jackson
Rashad Evans learned a lot from Greg Jackson, and “Suga” won’t discount that. However, Jackson has confirmed that he will corner UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones against Evans next Saturday night. Jones and Evans meet in the main event of UFC 145 from Atlanta’s Philips Arena. On a recent episode of Pro MMA Radio [...]
Posted in: jone, jackson, rashad evans, greg jackson, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones: Rashad Evans Trained with a Kid; Now He Meets the Man
Jon Jones is humble enough to admit that there were days Rashad Evans got the best of him in training, but that was in 2010. Is Evans ready to deal with the new machine that Jones is in 2012?
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad, evan, man
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyHistory in the Making: Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson finally collide at UFC 114
Quinton Jackson had just won a hard fought unanimous decision against Keith Jardine in the main event of UFC 96. It was his second consecutive win -- the first being a brutal knockout against Wanderlei Silva three months prior -- since losing the UFC light heavyweight title to Forrest Griffin.
It was supposed to be a moment for "Rampage" to enjoy, a moment where he stood inside the Octagon and made his intentions to get back the title he had lost less than a year earlier. He had bested a man who held wins over Griffin and longtime foe Chuck Liddell and figured out the riddle they could not.
But instead of celebrating, the PRIDE Fighting Championships veteran was too busy talking. He traded in physical sparring for verbal when fellow former champion Rashad Evans stepped inside the Octagon after seeing his teammate get defeated. The two light heavyweight titans stood nose to nose, trading barbs back and forth, whetting the appetite of every fight fan in the process.
To help promote their bout -- which would end up being one of the most successful in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) history -- the promotion pegged them both as The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) coaches and added internet street fighting sensation Kimbo Slice along to the already volatile mix.
Evans is no stranger to bouts with bad blood. He is currently six days away (April 21) from yet another, this time against former teammate Jon Jones. He will meet the 205 pounds champion at UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" in a fight with hype not unlike the UFC 114 bout with "Rampage."
Let's take a closer look at that bout.
Jackson takes the center of the Octagon as soon as the bout starts and throws out a quick jab. Evans answers back seconds later with his own. He doubles up on a left jab all the while bringing a right hook across. It's a right hook "Rampage" never sees coming.
It slams against the Memphis native's jaw and sends him staggering towards the mat. The fans in attendance explode in applause as Jackson tries to get back to a vertical base and reorganize his thoughts. Evans pounces, pressing his opponent against the cage. He looks for a quick takedown but momentarily begins working with punches before going back to working towards getting the fight to the mat.
Imposing his will on "Rampage," Evans begins kneeing his opponent's thighs and punching the body. Every attempt Jackson makes to reverse position is squashed by the TUF 2 winner. After a couple minutes of jockeying against the chain-link fence, the two are broken up and reset in the center of the cage.
Evans begins pawing his jab out, keeping Jackson at bay. He finally moves forward with a combination and changes level at the last possible second to avoid his opponent's counter. He latches onto Jackson's legs and dumps "Rampage" onto the mat. Jackson is able to get to his feet several seconds later but eats several punches in the process. And even though he's now vertical, Jackson still has Evans grinding against him, hoping to sap energy and will out of his opponent's body.
The second round begins with both men trying to size the other up. Evans finally wades in, getting tags by several of Jackson's punches but none land with consequence. "Suga" is able to grab ahold of his opponent and once again forces him against the cage. Jackson is able to force his opponent off in much quicker fashion this time around but not before eating more body punches and knees to the thigh.
The gameplan being employed by Evans goes unimpeded, however, and a stuffed takedown leads both men to the same position they were in only seconds earlier. A little over halfway through the stanza, they are broken up and reset. Throughout the rest of the round, "Rampage" lands basically nothing in the stand-up. His offense amounts to a couple of punches in the clinch combined with a handful of knees.
Evans is absolutely having his way with Jackson.
The final five minute period begins much like the previous did. Evans shoots in but is shrugged off by "Rampage." It seems Jackson isn't as tired as Evans' corner would hope. Still, though, he is down two rounds and needs something big to go his way if he hopes to come out victorious.
Then, a little over a minute into the round, it happens.
"Suga" dives in for a takedown which Jackson defends perfectly. As Evans begins to stand back up, "Rampage" nails him with a huge uppercut that sends the UFC 145 headliner straight to the mat. Much like they did in the opening round, the crowd lights up as Jackson begins to deliver ground and pound. Evans, for his part, is trying to simultaneously recover and avoid getting rocked for a second time.
Jackson stops the onslaught, likely to avoid gassing himself out or possibly because he's already exhausted. Regardless, he works to improve and then maintain his position on top of Evans as opposed to attacking. Evans uses this reprieve to get back to his feet a minute later. Although Jackson still has ahold of a leg, he releases it and resets in the center of the cage, hoping to use his boxing to secure the win.
At least, if this was Jackson's plan, he executes it horribly. He throws absolutely nothing in the next minute, allowing "Suga" to recover and then eventually nail a takedown. From there, Evans begins landing ground and pound until the round ends.
Evans would win the decision that night and earn a title shot but opted to wait out Mauricio Rua's injury. In doing so, he suffered an injury himself and saw Jones take on -- and defeat -- "Shogun."
Four fights and a ton of trash talk between them later, we're finally ready for the two to meet inside the Octagon.
Can Evans become a two-time champion or will Jones add another notch in "Suga's" loss column?
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jackson, round, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Central: Looking ahead to Jones vs. Evans
UFC Central this week recaps the action from Stockholm, previews UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans and shows the proper technique for landing elbows.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, week recaps
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones Vs. Evans
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former training partner Rashad Evans have been verbally clashing for over a year now, and they'll finally get the chance to fight in less than a week. UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans will go down on Saturday, April 21st in Atlanta, GA. The co-main event sees Canadian welterweight prospect Rory MacDonald face off with British striker Che Mills. In addition to that, Brendan Schaub will look to rebound from his loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira when he meets Ben Rothwell. Here is the full card (undercard after the jump):
Apr 21st, live on pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA:
Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
Brendan Schaub (8-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8)
Michael McDonald (14-1) vs. Miguel Torres (40-4)
Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. John Alessio (34-14)
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
FX Card:
Chad Griggs (11-1) vs. Travis Browne (12-0-1)
Matt Brown (13-11) vs. Stephen Thompson (6-0)
Anthony Njokuani (14-6) vs. John Makdessi (9-1)
Efrain Escudero (18-4) vs. Mac Danzig (20-9-1)
Facebook Card:
Chris Clements (10-4) vs. Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1)
Maximo Blanco (8-3-1) vs. Marcus Brimage (4-1)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowCrunching Numbers: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Could Buck Statistical Trends
There's not much either Jon Jones or Rashad Evans aren't good at in mixed martial arts. If the numbers tell us anything, it's that these are superb fighters and their impending bout at UFC 145 is something akin to a MMA all-star match-up.
Jones and Evans are statistically record holders in the stand-up and ground portions of the fight. Both have tasted championship glory. Both only have one loss on their record (though the complexions of their losses differ dramatically). Both have mutual opposition they've defeated. These two may be rivals, but they're more similar than each cares to admit in small part due to what they've accomplished and how they did it.
But neither light heavyweight is without shortcomings and the data demonstrates that quite clearly. The real question is can whatever statistical weakness that exist also offer blueprints for game plans or predict an eventual outcome?
Probably not. It's frankly hard to overstate just how good these bitter enemies really are. It's also had to walk away from these numbers and not consider the uphill climb for Evans may not be insurmountable.
Before we begin enumerating their superlative skills or accomplishments, it should be noted Jones and Evans have three opponents in common: Stephan Bonnar, Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson. Jones defeated all three, stopping Machida and Jackson by submission. Evans lost to Machida, but defeated both Bonnar and Jackson by decision.
Typically mutual opposition is the best way to compare to fighters' abilities or tendencies, but that's not necessarily the case here. In short, the Bonnar who fought Evans isn't the same Bonnar who necessarily fought Jones. And the Evans or Jones who fought Bonnar won't be the same Evans or Jones who show up Saturday night. The only commonality is both Evans and Jones landed seven takedowns against Bonnar, but that tells us more about 'The Ultimate Fighter' season one alum's takedown defense than anything else.
We should also resist trying to glean too much from the stats from each of their Machida fights. They lack a sufficient amount of information to make any sort of definitive conclusions. That Machida stopped Evans and yet was stopped by Jones is indicative of something. But what? Without overreaching, we can only safely say Jones was more effective striking in his bout with Machida than Evans. But relative to Evans, it's hard to say much else insofar as drawing conclusions from data is concerned.
The fights with Rampage, however, might be more helpful. For starters, the bouts took place in reasonably close proximity. And from Jackson's perspective, his performance against each was nearly identical. Against Evans, he landed 17 significant strikes, 27 total. Facing Jones, Jackson landed 16 significant strikes, 24 total. Against both Evans and Jones, Rampage attempted one takedown in each fight and was stuffed both times.
The only real differentiator is Rampage's knockdown of Evans. And that fact speaks to some larger trends in Evans' striking. Namely, his opponent's ability to land on him.
Let's keep things in perspective. Evans' striking - offensively and defensively - is very good. He has a 66.7% career striking defense, making it the third best in light heavyweight history and better than Jones' current defensive rate. But his striking differential - the number of strikes he lands relative to those he absorbs per minute - is only .23. Jones' mark, by contrast, is 2.40, the fourth best total in UFC history. In addition, Evans' measured striking accuracy is 39.5% to Jones' 51.9%.
Evans may have only been stopped once by strikes in his MMA career, but that it was by strikes is in concert with what the larger data set says of of Evans' striking ability.
Striking stats also tell us Evans is something of a head hunter. That isn't to suggest he doesn't enjoy body work, but he's gone to the head 84% of the time. As for the body and legs? Just 11.2% and 4.1%, respectively. The UFC light heavyweight champion is the much more diverse in terms of where he throws and subsequently lands strikes: 53% to the head, 25.4% to the body and 21.5% to the legs. When Jones is throwing, there's a lot more confusion about what might be thrown and where it might land.
None of this is to suggest Evans can't land on Jones. Instead, it's that while Evans is statistically speaking hard to hit, he has to throw a lot more to eventually find the mark and also gets hit more often per fight than Jones.
There is less of an advantage, however, for Jones on the ground. Again, that isn't to say he can't or won't win there. Jones is deadly essentially everywhere and my personal hunch is who dominates this space ultimately wins the contest. But Evans' comfort zone is historically on top on the ground after executing a takedown.
In fact, Evans has taken down everyone he's every fought. According to FightMetric, "Evans' average of 4.32 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting is the 2nd highest average in light heavyweight history. He's managed to takedown every single opponent that he has tried to get to the ground. His takedown accuracy is second only to Jon Jones, with a 53.3% success rate, 2nd best in division history."
But Jones is no slouch himself. FightMetric also notes Jones' "takedown accuracy of 63.6% is the very best in light heavyweight history. He's already scored 21 takedowns, 4th most in division history, and his 3.32 takedowns per 15 minutes average is the 4th highest in division."
Some will suggest even if we were to grant Evans and Jones are basically commensurate as takedown artists, Jones is more grappling and submission savvy. And they could be right.
Both are actually adept guard passers. Jones routinely passes guard: once on Machida, three times on Rampage, twice on Bader and so on; Evans accrued no guard passes against Rampage, Bonnar or Machida, but in the two fights since defeating Rampage - two wins over Tito Ortiz and Phil Davis - he managed 10 guard passes in a little over seven rounds.
Yet, Evans has not attempted a submission in his entire MMA career. He advances position, but only to facilitate ground and pound. Jones, on the other hand, has historically attempted 1.11 submissions per 15-minute fight. The reigning light heavyweight champion has tapped out 3 of last 4 opponents and has 5 submission wins in his MMA career. Submissions as a portion of his finishing arsenal is the clearest demonstration of Jones' superior offense given that Evans doesn't even try in this aspect.
Taking all of this information into account, what can we reasonably conclude about Jones' or Evans' chances on Saturday night? On balance, Jones has the advantages. That's especially true in striking and submissions. Yet it's hard to look at the accumulated data and conclude Evans is somehow doomed. Evans can be taken down, but he's only spent 4.4% of the time in his UFC career on bottom - not a ton of time to do significant damage. Jones is clearly better at submissions, but Evans has never been submitted. Jones has never been taken down, but Evans has taken down everyone he's fought. Jones has the statistical wind at his back, but Evans has a demonstrated ability to rise to the occasion. There's also the x-factor of how much their perceived intimate knowledge of each others game plays a role.
What we have with Evans vs. Jones is a perfectly good case where relying on quantitative information for predictive insight can be tricky. I suspect whoever prevails at UFC 145 will do so by re-writing today's numbers, not fulfilling historical patterns.
The real test for both will be to get takedowns where others couldn't; to score from spaces where others couldn't; to control position and times held in those positions where others couldn't; in short, to make the other fight in ways they haven't.
Jones is the odds-on favorite. He should be. He's got more ways to win and is statistically impressive almost everywhere. But Evans offers challenges in professional competition Jones has not faced. By the time Saturday night is over, the real story on the numbers behind these two fighters may be less how much they foreshadowed the future and more about how drastically they need to be amended.
All quantitative data provided by FightMetric.
Posted in: fight, takedown, jone, submission, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Believes Rashad Evans Is Not A True Martial Artist, Doesn’t Respect Him
When Jon Jones steps inside the Octagon next Saturday night to defend his UFC light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, there will be plenty of real emotion released from both fighters. After their fallout from being training partners, Jones and Evans have been attacking each other verbally for several [...]
Posted in: saturday night, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones: “The difference between me and Rashad is Rashad is not a martial artist by any means.”
Though he may have in the beginning, these days UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones doesn’t respect Rashad Evans. Jones and Evans have been on a long, winding road to the Philips Arena where they will meet in a week at UFC 145, going back-and-forth in heated interviews. Neither one seems to have positive feelings towards the other and that’s especially evident on the side of “Bones.”
“The difference between me and Rashad is Rashad is not a martial artist by any means,” said Jones, in a recent interview with Sportsnet.ca. “I think it’s funny when he does commercials in a meditation scene – he’s sitting there pretending to meditate. He doesn’t meditate. He’s a guy who grabs his crotch at people. He was actually talking while Lyoto Machida knocked him out. That’s not a martial artist to me. I don’t respect that guy.”
Jones worked with Evans at Greg Jackson’s gym in New Mexico, but when Jones won the UFC light heavyweight title and agreed to face Evans, “Suga” left the camp. The two have been bitter enemies ever since, including an altercation between them in a Las Vegas club and several exchanges through media.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, evan, artist
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 'Primetime' video for 'Jones vs Evans' on FX (Episode 2)
In cased you missed any or all of it last night (April 13, 2012), here is the second of three episodes of the "all access" behind-the-scenes look at the UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
To watch the first episode of UFC 145 "Primetime" click here.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and FX collaborated for the latest "Primetime" series, which follows former Light Heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and reigning 205-pound division kingpin Jon Jones as they prepare to settle their score in the UFC 145 main event at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., later this month (April 21, 2012).
In episode two, the angle shifts toward how the fighters are outside the Octagon, with "Suga" attending the recent Sony Ericsson Open to support female tennis star Victoria Azarenka, and "Bones" and his brother Arthur engaging in some high-dive shenanigans. Evans's recent promotional trip to Puerto Rico, including a visit with Felix Trinidad, is also included in the latest footage.
And, of course, training, training and more training.
The third and final episode of UFC 145 "Primetime" is set to air on April 20, also on FX.
For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" be sure to hit up our event archive right here. To check out the latest UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" fight card and rumors click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, episode, evan, primetime
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Primetime Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans: Episode 2 Live Discussion Thread
UFC Primetime returns to the airwaves Friday night, building anticipation for one of the sport's most anticipated grudge matches in UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones vs. No. 1 contender Rashad Evans.
UFC Primetime makes its second appearance on FX, focusing Evans vs. Jones at UFC 145, a fight that has been more than a year in the making. Former teammates at Greg Jackson's training center, both men had said they would never fight each other but that changed when Jones got a title shot against then-champion Mauricio Rua. The first episode was quite well done and it should be intersting to see what they do with this installment.
In an interview, Jones said he would fight Evans if he had to, setting off a chain of events that saw Evans leave the Jackson camp, verbal sparring and ultimately a long wait for the actual bout to happen.
Watch on FX and join us in commenting below on what you think.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, primetime
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Conference Call Audio with Jon Jones & Rashad Evans
Audio from today’s UFC 145 conference call via MMA Weekly.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, today, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones Explains UFC Sponsorship Ahead of Showdown with Rashad Evans
Jon Jones has a dream of one day being sponsored by Nike, but for his UFC 145 bout against Rashad Evans, he's actually being sponsored by the UFC. He explains....
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, evan, ufc sponsorship
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Conference Call (Audio)
Just over a week away from their epic showdown at UFC 145, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans fielded questions from the media about the fight and their long standing rivalry.
Posted in: ufc, jone, showdown, evan, epic showdown
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 Real Time Conference Call Highlights
In case you hadn’t already heard, it turns out UFC light heavyweights Jon Jones and Rashad Evans aren’t very fond of each other. The former training partners’ relationship started rapidly dissolving last year after Jones entertained the idea of facing then-teammate Evans in a way “Sugar” ‘Shad didn’t appreciate. Now, after countless clashes in the media and a handful of heated exchanges the talented 205ers will finally meet in a week at UFC 145.
However, before they settle their score inside the Octagon, divisional champ Jones and top contender Evans are set to link up today at 2:00 PM EST on a conference call with media where fireworks on the line are essentially guaranteed. As always, Five Ounces of Pain will be listening in throughout and reporting highlights/soundbytes as they unfold on the line.
Read below for a breakdown of action from today’s call:
Jon Jones
Rashad Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, champ jones, evan, time conference
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 conference call LIVE updates today (April 13) for 'Jones vs Evans'
Ultimate Fighting Championships will today (April 13, 2012) hold a media conference call to promote next Saturday's (April 21, 2012) UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" event which will air live on pay-per-view.
The conference call will begin at 2 p.m. ET. Scheduled to attend will be the main event fighters of the evening: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Jones is the current UFC light heavyweight champion, having defeated former champs Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida to both claim and defend the title in 2011. With Evans, he'll be looking to defeat his fourth straight former UFC light heavyweight titleholder. Oh, and there's some serious bad blood brewing between the two men.
His challenger, Rashad Evans is the former UFC light heavyweight champion. Evans lost his title to Lyoto Machida in 2009 and has been on the verge of getting it back ever since. "Suga" has been one of the unluckiest title challengers out there, routinely being in the wrong time at the wrong place which has delayed his quest to get his belt back. Now, the opportunity finally awaits.
And he'll have to battle a former friend and teammate to do it.
We'll have complete updates of the UFC 145 conference call after the jump:
Brian Hemminger here. The conference call is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, evan, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans: I'm been disrespected but I will get what's mine ()
As he prepares to face Jon Jones in UFC 145, "Suga" Rashad Evans warns that he will return from Atlanta with the title belt.
Posted in: ufc, rashad, evan, what, whats mine
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsJon Jones not worried about Rashad Evans’ wrestling
In past situations UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones has shown enormous amounts of respect to his adversaries. However, in the case of rival Rashad Evans the 24-year old hasn’t bitten his tongue regarding his upcoming challenger’s shortcomings. Jones’ demeanor has in large part been influenced by the overwhelming amount of negativity coming out of his former teammate’s mouth pertaining to his own ability as well as that of the coaches at Jackson’s MMA.
“Bones” recently blasted Evans in an interview where he made it clear he is hardly concerned with the former title-holder’s ability to take opponents down and control them from above.
“We know everything about him. I really don’t think he takes that seriously. I think he thinks him holding me down in practice means a lot when it doesn’t. Holding me down does nothing but kills time on the clock,” explained Jones in a conversation with Prickly Pear Studios. “It’s safe to say he lays and preys. Who has he finished from the top position? I think one fight when he was at heavyweight and then Forrest Griffin. His top game…I’m not afraid of it. He doesn’t go for submissions really.”
“When I get on top of people you see blood within the first few seconds. Instantly. He gets on top of people, people get back to their feet and start fighting again,” Jones joked, shrugging off Evans’ signature attack.
Jones-Evans Face Off in Heated Interview on Ultimate Insider
Fans can see how successful Jones will or won’t be in defending against Evans’ approach when they meet on April 21 at UFC 145 in Atlanta. The bout marks the culmination of almost a yearlong feud between the two talented 205ers.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: jone, ’t, people, doesn ’t, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Has Been Dragged Out Too Long To Sell One Million Pay Per Views
Imagine you're Dana White for a second. You wake up one morning in February 2011 and hear that Greg Jackson protege Jon Jones has stated in an interview that he would fight then-teammate Rashad Evans if necessary. Angels sing. Dancing commences. You know you have a surefire main event for a future show, because these are two of the best light heavyweights in the world and they're suddenly at odds. Guaranteed PPV buys in the hopper! Get Lorenzo on the phone! Joy! Rapture!
Time flies though. A full 14 months after the seeds were sewn, the two men are finally going to meet in the cage at UFC 145. Jones and Evans have been bickering back and forth since Evans made the decision to leave Jackson's camp right after Jones won the title at UFC 128. They were supposed to fight at UFC 133. Then UFC 140. They've been posturing for what seems like forever now. Has it been too long? Are people still willing to pony up 60 dollars to watch what amounts to a one-match show? Can the show hit the magical one million PPV buy mark that some expect?
Sure, Rashad has drawn a million buys twice. His UFC 114 bout against Quinton Jackson was drawn out for a while as well, and sold big. And Jones is steadily increasing as a PPV draw. Despite that, I don't believe that these guys, even with their seemingly bottomless bag of promotional tricks, are popular enough to carry this on their own anymore. Why? Fourteen months is too long for these two men, that's why. I know I'm not the only one that is sick of listening to both of them. The Primetime episode that hyped the bout did terrible ratings numbers and is a clear indicator that some fans might have tuned them out by now as well.
The UFC has actively encouraged the two grown men to squabble like children for months They act like ex-friends who hate each other and refuse to be in the same room together - yet they were able to sit down on opposite sides of Jon Anik and argue (ie. sell their fight) just a couple of days ago. Maybe I'm just burned out on pre-fight hype after falling for it so many times before, but this stuff seems pretty transparent to me. The fighters and the promotion are doing their very best to throw the wool over your eyes and get you to buy a one-match card where the champ is a prohibitive -500 favorite...eight months after the hype peaked. Are we all really that gullible? At least Rampage/Rashad at UFC 114 was an even fight. This one isn't even close.
I'm not trying to be the whiner in the corner, hoping that the card doesn't succeed. At the same time though, I'm getting kind of sick of the UFC promoting boxing-style cards that feature one "relevant" bout and a bunch of filler. That's certainly what this card looks like to me, and what happens if the one relevant bout has lost some of its luster? No one's going to buy this card to see Rory MacDonald or Brendan Schaub, right?
Well, a lot of people aren't going to buy it to see Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans either after this long. And it's not hard to figure out why.
Posted in: ufc, jone, month, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Is The Super Fight Of Our Generation. Do We Care?
Fight fans love the heavyweights.
Never has this been more evident than in the past week, as the MMA blogosphere has been innundated with the stories of Alistair Overeem and his testosterone ratios, Brock Lesnar's place in UFC history as he return's to pro wrestling and the "Mark Hunt Army Of Doom". You didn't know about the Army of Doom?
While I won't deny that these stories (that together intertwine into a singular narrative surrounding the UFC heavyweight title) are fascinating for various reasons, none of them catch and hold my attention the way the upcoming battle for the UFC light heavyweight title that is taking place in less than two weeks, on April 21st, in Atlanta. The fight will, of course, be contested between defending champion Jon Jones and challenger (and former champion) Rashad Evans.
The two have been embroiled in a rivalry that cuts deeper than most of the standard UFC fare for the better part of a year, making this fight a much anticipated grudge match that UFC fans love.
And in my opinion there is a good chance that this fight is the first superfight mixed martial arts has seen in years and is perhaps the biggest MMA superfight ever.
And yet, I get the feeling that this fight is going to come and go without garnering the attention that it deserves. In an effort to avoid that from happening, I thought I'd break down why I think this fight is so great and see if I can't rally any support for my views.
First I'd like to share my list of the five biggest superfights that have taken place in mixed martial arts since it hit the mainstream in 1993. If we can come to agreement that these fights are the standard that all superfights can be compared to, then I think you'll agree that Jones/Evans is bigger than any of these were.
Fedor Emelianenko (13-1) vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (19-1-1) Pride 25, 2003. When the two men met for the first time, they had a combined record of 32-2-1, which is exactly the same combined record that Rashad and Jones will enter the night with. The only problem? Fedor hadn't done much to this point in his career. When they met again the following year, they had both accomplished much more, but as it was a re-match it just wasn't quite the same.
Fedor Emelianenko (23-1-1) vs Mirko Filipovic (16-2-2) Pride Final Conflict 2005. Another superfight involving Fedor, this time against one of the most feared strikers in MMA history, Mirko Cro Cop. The two men brought a combined mark of 39-3-3 into the bout and both had defeated some of the best the division had to offer. This is probably the standard for MMA superfights, as both men were in the prime of their careers and the fight was supposed to have happened in 2003 but was delayed by Pride politics.
Quinton Jackson (27-6) vs Dan Henderson (22-5) UFC 75, 2007. This was the first of two Pride & UFC unification bouts that Henderson would participate in after coming to the organization from Pride with the middleweight (205) and welterweight (185) championships in his back pocket. While both men had significant victories in the division, they also had significant losses as well, (49-11 combined) which took a little bit away from the meeting.
Chuck Liddell (20-5) vs Wanderlei Silva (31-7-1) UFC 79, 2007. This fight would have been at the top of the list had it taken place a few years earlier, but it didn't come to fruition until both men had lost a step. At a combined 51-12-1, they had both lost two straight going into the bout and neither man had much success after. It was a great fight but it just didn't have the "it" factor that a fight between two men at the top of the game has. It wasn't even the main event of the evening, which instead went to Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes.
Georges St. Pierre (17-2) vs B.J. Penn (13-4-1) UFC 91, 2009. Arguably the most recent superfight the UFC has put on, a rematch between Penn and St. Pierre was highly anticipated but was largely disappointing. St. Pierre was bigger and stronger and used it to his advantage on his way to a dominant four round TKO. The two men carried a combined record of 30-6-1 into the match.
All of those fights had one or more special qualitys about them that just aren't present for most big name fights. These are:
An undefeated contestant. (Fedor did have a loss on his record going into his two fights on the list, but the loss was very much an asterisk, as he was cut by an illegal elbow in a tournament fight with Tsuyoshi Kohsaka early in his career. A winner was needed due to the tournament format, and Kohsaka moved on.) As such, he was widely considered to be undefeated prior to both fights.
Significant divisional relevance. The only fight that wasn't for a championship was the fight between Liddell and Silva. Had it been for the UFC title, it would undeniably have been a bigger fight than it was. Still, the fight was important because of the long stretch of time that both Silva and Liddell dominated the 205 pound division.
Long term dominance. This ties into the second quality, as a fight can't really be considered significant to the division if the two men contesting it haven't ruled the roost for some time. Other than the first Fedor/Big Nog fight, when Fedor was largely untested, each of the contestants had dominated their respective divisions for quite some time going into the matches.
So how does Jones and Evans stack up?Undefeated opponent? Check. Jones has a loss in the same way that Fedor had a loss. He beat Matt Hamill down, only to be disqualified due to illegal elbow strikes. Hamill would have been able to continue had he not hurt his shoulder earlier in the fight, thus many people consider this not an official loss.
Significant divisional relevance? Check. The fight is for a championship at a time when there is a distinct lack of contenders. Why? Because Jones and Evans have beaten them all down. Dan Henderson looms in the background but aside from him, it's pretty likely that the winner of this fight rules the roost for a long time to come.
Long term dominance? Check. Between the two of them, Jones and Evans have dispatched a ridiculous list of top fighters. In no particular order, they have defeated Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Lyoto Machida, Phil Davis, Quinton Jackson, Shogun Rua, Ryan Bader, Forrest Griffin, Thiago Silva and Brandon Vera. That includes all the 205 pound champions since 2005. In fact, the only 205 pound UFC champs that Evans and Jones haven't beaten are Randy Couture and Vitor Belfort, both of whom left the division before either of our hero's came onto the scene.
Now let's look at some of the issues that took away from these superfights of the past.
Two fighters in their prime. Fedor, Big Nog and Cro Cop were all in their prime when they met up. St. Pierre and Penn were also at the very best they would ever be. Jackson and Henderson were perhaps on the back end of their primes, while Liddell and Silva were undoubtedly on the way down.
Both Jones and Evans are in their prime. Evans is a little on the older side, but he's fought so rarely in the past couple of years that he truly is a young 32. Jones is a little on the younger side, but he is coming off a year described by many as the greatest calender year in MMA history, so if he isn't in his prime now, lord help us when he does actually reach it.
Lack of Accomplishment at the time of the fight. Looking back at the first fight between Fedor and Big Nog, we now know just how significant it was. At the time though, Fedor was an underdog to Nogueira, which suggests that his greatness hadn't been truly realized. Of course,after Fedor beat Nog down from within the Brazilian's guard, he would be looked at much differently.
Both Jones and Evans already have signature victories. For Evans, it's his knockout of Chuck Liddell. For Jones, it's difficult to separate his destructions of Shogun, Rampage and Lyoto and put one above the other two, but taken as a whole, it is definitely a statement that he is the division's present.
When you take all these elements into consideration, you are left with a pretty compelling argument that Evans/Jones could be, on paper, the greatest MMA fight of all time.
Will it play out that way? I think there is a good chance that it will. Neither man has what you would call one-punch power, although Evans does have a couple of big time knockouts. They both excel at getting the fight where they want it and dominating their opponent from there, which suggests that we might be in for a back and forth 25 minute war.
Think about the way Jones has looked up to this point. He has barely lost a round and has never been dominated for any extended period of time.
Imagine if Evans was able to get a takedown in the first round and do some damage to Jones. The electricity in the building, in bars and in the living rooms of fight fans around the world between rounds would be off the charts. And if Jones was able to come back and get Evans to the mat in the second round? I can barely contain my excitement when I think of the prospects.
Oh but wait, there is a chance Overeem could get licensed on April 24th?
Forget UFC 145, let's do a week long camp out in front of the NSAC hearing building.
Who's with me?
Posted in: ufc, fight, time, jone, evan
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendJon Jones and Rashad Evans get heated during recent face-to-face interview
As excited as fans are to finally see light heavyweight champ Jon Jones defend his title against former training partner Rashad Evans it appears both fighters are equally anxious to settle their score inside a cage. And, though the championship may be highly sought after, the personal satisfaction of beating the other seems to outweigh the value of any metal trinket given the animosity between the two.
Those feelings boiled over this week on Ultimate Insider when Jones and Evans came together to address the plethora of issues surrounding their April 21 scrap at UFC 145. Among the topics discussed in the segment were Greg Jackson’s decision to corner Jones, a fact “Bones” brought up was in part related to Evans’ negative remarks about the team.
“The history? I made that history. What are you talking about? I’m the one that helped make the history,” responded Evans after Jones mentioned he’d “bashed” Jackson MMA’s reputation. “You came into it. Don’t talk about the history when you have no roots in the history. I helped make Greg Jackson. I helped to make them the reason why you even wanted to come there and train. So don’t talk to me about the history of the team, bro. Don’t talk about the history of that program because motherfu*ker I made that program!”
Later in the conversation Jones also addressed Evans’ overwhelming confidence in his ability to win their fight based on the knowledge he gained while the two were teammates, smirking at the notion of Evans having any clue as to what he was working on more than a year after their split.
“Trust me, I know the ways I can lose and I’m training for that. You don’t think I’m training extensively on my bottom game and my takedown defense? You don’t know if I’m gonna shoot on you or if it’s gonna be a fake shot. You don’t know what you’re getting into. So you can say what you want but I KNOW just as much as you THINK that you know,” stated Jones on the matter while adding Evans was flat out “weird” based on the nature of his comments.
The remarks didn’t phase Evans who said other opponents had studied him as well and still come up short.
“When you’re in there with me I get you to skip to my Lou and you WILL skip to my Lou,” replied Evans confidently to Jones’ assessment.
Check out the first half of the interview with the second piece likely being made available later this week:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, ’t, history, evan, evans ’
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC Insider: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans talk about their mutual hatred
Once again, Jon Jones and "Suga" Rashad Evans discussed their conflict, which will finally come to conclusion (it's about time!) at next weekend's UFC 145 main event clash in Atlanta, Georgia. Jon Jones is currently on an amazing six-fight winning streak, with three title fight victories, against Shogun Rua, Quinton Jackson, and Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida. Jones is already the most consistent 205 champion in recent memory, but if victorious against Evans, he will come one step closer towards beating Chuck
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, evan, event clash
Read the full article at Low KickCounterpunch: Jones vs. Evans Part One (Video)
With just a few days remaining before the highly anticipated grudge match between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans takes place, the two sat down to discuss that matchup and just how their rivalry came to fruition. On UFC: Ultimate Insider, host Jon Anik sat between the two as they presented their case on how they will win the fight, along with a few harsh words for the other every now and again.
UFC 145 takes place on April 21st at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The championship fight will headline the event, which is the UFC’s first return to Atlanta since UFC 88, which saw Rashad Evans knock out former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell.
Here is part one of Counterpunch: Jones vs. Evans:
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, evan, atlanta georgia
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyVideo: UFC Primetime-Jones vs. Evans Episode 1
Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans feud gets uncomfortably intense on 'Ultimate Insider' in advance of UFC 145 title fight
Some people just don't like each other. Others just can't hang out together. Then there are those who can't even be in the same room together.
Such is the case regarding Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and the man he will defend his title against at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia, on Apr. 21, 2012, Rashad Evans.
But, this wasn't always so. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The two were former training partners together at famed trainer Greg Jackson's gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They even referred to each other as "brothers" at one point.
To discuss where it all went wrong, as well as their upcoming grudge match, "Bones" and "Suga" sat down with Jon Anik on "Ultimate Insider" for an intense -- and seemingly uncomfortable (for Jones, anyway) half-hour of back-and-forth verbal volleys.
And it was just as good as you would think it would be.
Jones began by responding to a question regarding whether or not he seriously thought he'd ever fight Evans when he first started training with him at Jackson's MMA:
"No. You know, I knew we were both top guys, and I knew it was kind of a possibility, but I really set it aside. I really ignored it. I was really honored to be a part of the program."
That was how things started; innocent enough. But the rivalry became a reality when Jones won the belt, by defeating Maurico Rua at UFC 128 in Newark, New Jersey, on March 19, 2011. It set the stage for a match up against his stablemate, causing Evans to pack up his things and leave Jackson's MMA.
According to Jones, the drama was avoidable:
"Greg, he said, basically, Rashad is always welcome back. You know, Rashad will always be like a brother to me. You know, he spoke so highly of Rashad. On numerous occasions, he really did everything he could to keep some type of rapport. On the other hand, you have Rashad, who's bashing the program and the history --"
It was here that Evans' fangs came out. In his mind, a correction was in order:
"--The history? I made that history! What are you talking about? I'm the one who helped make that history! You're the one who came into it. You came into it! Don't talk about the history, when you have no roots in the history! Don't talk about -- I helped make Greg Jackson! I helped make him the reason why you even wanted to come there and train. So, don't talk to me about the history of the team, bro! Don't talk to me about the history of the program because, motherf*cker, I made that program!"
Whether it was for the right reasons or not, Evans is gone and isn't coming back anytime soon. Jones stated that he's been more than happy to fill in the gap that was vacated by his one-time friend:
"What Rashad doesn't realize, and I bet he's gonna interrupt me, because it's gonna be true, there's more to Jackson's than the four or five or six UFC fighters that's in the program. It's the kids who aren't in the UFC. It's the kids who don't have anything to offer. Who don't have money in the bank. Who don't have popularity or a following. These are the kids that love me. I am their team leader, their team captain. They appreciate the person that I am. They appreciate my loyalty to the team. That team is MY team now."
The conversation turned back to the topic of loyalty and how Evans felt betrayed by Greg Jackson. According to Rashad, Jones should feel uneasy, having witnessed the events that have transpired:
"That's the big thing about it. That's why I feel so disrespected. It's like, 'So, now Greg, you're gonna go against me? You're gonna go against me, right? You gonna go against Georges St. Pierre? Oh, okay. You gonna bring in Carlos Condit? He helped make you too. So where does your loyalty lie?' So, if you're gonna go against the people that helped make you, and I was somebody like in Jon's position, I'd be like, 'Man, if he'll go against some people that were with him, to help him get his notoriety, to help him get where he is, then damn, what would he do to me?'"
At this point in the conversation, the two fighters began engaging in a constant bickering and talking over the other, offering reasons why each felt that they would emerge victorious in their upcoming bout.
Finally, Jones was able to seize control of the floor to announce why he believes he will be the last man standing:
"I tell you to your face. Rashad's way of winning this fight is his huge right hand or to try to get me down, round after round. I know the ways that I could lose this fight. I'm not naive to my weaknesses. But at the same time, I'm a wrestler too. I don't think he realizes that. And I have WAY more technique on my feet. It's only getting sharper and faster and cleaner. So, you say what you want to say and how you know that you're gonna beat me, but trust me, i know the way I can lose, and I'm training for that. You don't think I'm training extensively in my bottom game? My takedown defense? You don't know if I'm gonna shoot on you or if it's gonna be a fake shot. You just don't know what you're getting into. Say what you want, but I know, just as much as you think that you know."
Not to be outdone, Evans had an answer. He believes that he will be able to manipulate Jones and make him play his game...and that's putting it nicely:
"Jon, you just showed me exactly why you're gonna lose. Because you think you know. You don't think all my opponents watch me fight and say, 'Ah, Rashad, he does this. Oh he does that.' There's such a difference when you're in there with me, when you're in there with me, I can get you to 'skip to my Lou.' And you will 'skip to my Lou.' You're gonna do exactly what I want you to do."
After several minutes of heated bickering, the discussion turned back to the early days of the relationship between the two men. Evans stated that he has always been a fan of Jones, but that he feels his reign will soon come to an end:
"Yeah, I mean, there's a part of me that will always go for Jon. Every fight that he's been in, I've always rooted for Jon. No matter what. Always rooted for him. And I just say what I say about him being fake, because Jon is not the person that he says he is or that he tries to pretend to be. He's setting himself up for a fall that I don't think he can take right now."
The topic of image was presented, specifically in reference to Jones and how his public perception has possibly changed within the last year. He's aware of the negative transformation, but he blames Evans for a large portion of how things have gone down:
"I do feel as though it's something that was Rashad's image, and that has kind of been thrown at me. You know, it's kind of like, 'I'm not the baddest guy. Jon's a bad guy too.' You know, I remember Rashad started all the way back on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) with the gyrating and dancing and showboating in front of people. You know, Matt Hughes, somebody who's greatly respected, was one of the first to call it out. 'Hey, this kid's a little on the cocky side. Who is this guy?' You know, you got a guy like me, I treat people with the utmost respect. That's a big part of who I am. And as an athlete, yeah I have a chip on my shoulder. It's completely two different people. Jonathan Jones is a great person, and I'll say that about myself. 'Bones' Jones? Yeah. He's a little high on himself. And I should be. That's why I compete on the level I compete at, and I train and believe that way."
Not only does "Bones" feel that he gets a bum wrap about who he is, he also feels like Evans is the real villain. He didn't pull any punches:
"I have no sympathy for Rashad, whatsoever. I remember you leaving Greg Jackson's and saying, 'Oh, I need a team that can focus on just me.' You know, 'I need something that's more based around me.' And now you created 'The Blackzilians.' I say it all the time. There's no 'i' in team. There's no 'i' in Jackson's. There's 'i' in 'Blackzilians.' so, I really look at you as fake. I look at you as arrogant. I look at you as selfish. I look at you as self-centered. I think you're biggest thing is to try and reflect it off of me, and make me seem like I'm everything that you're feeling inside your heart."
Jones believes he isn't anything like Evans. He resents the comparison, and went into detail about the things that separate them as people:
"Your proof is in your lifestyle. I've done nothing wrong but follow my dream. I haven't insulted anyone. I haven't disrespected anyone. I haven't been a traitor to anybody. I came to this team. I took care of the coaches. I took care of the team. I kept winning. I kept getting better. And Rashad was like, 'Uh oh. I better go start my own team.' There's no sympathy for that."
There are two sides to every story, and in reference to the tale of Evans leaving Jackson's to start a new camp, he was determined to make his side known:
"That's the funny thing about it. That's the part where you're immature and you're young. See, I would have never fought you. In a million years, I would have never fought you. I was gonna fight at 185. I was gonna do dream match-ups. I was only gonna try and help you become the best."
At this, Jones and Evans became heated and began to dig up the details of "who said what" and who they said it to. After they finally cooled down a little bit, Evans tried to get in one last dig:
"The truth of the matter is you did want to fight me and we're fighting. That's just the bottom line. You can't be the champ unless you beat me. You got the belt. You got the belt, but you ain't the champ."
That's certainly an interesting way of viewing things. Sure, Evans is the top contender, as well as the guy that most fans feel "Bones' needs to beat to cement his legacy (whether that is true or not), but the champion doesn't feel like he has anything to prove to anyone...certainly not to Rashad:
"You had this long, ugly fight with 'Rampage' where you almost got finished. I finished 'Rampage,' but I'm not the champ. Lyoto (Machida) knocked you out silly. I just finished Lyoto, and I'm not the champ. I feel like the champ in every way. I feel like I'm gonna do the same exact thing to you in April."
This fight just keeps getting more interesting. As the heat continues to rise and the sparks keep flying, MMAmania.com will keep you updated on all the latest news, trash-talk and rumors as the drama unfolds.
Hopefully, it's as good as this.
Posted in: jone, rashad, evan, youre, dont
Read the full article at MMA ManiaNumbers Never Lie: UFC 145 Jones vs. Evans
The reputations of both UFC 145 headliners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans are well known, but what are the statistics that back up these two main event fighters?
Posted in: ufc, jone, fighter, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Good Friends, Better Enemies
NOV. 5, 2005An undersized Rashad Evans wins The Ultimate Fighter season 2 heavyweight tournament. He then drops to 205 lbs. and joins Greg Jackson’s Submission Fighting camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico.2008AUG. 9, 200821-year-old Jon Jones makes his UFC debut with a unanimous decision victory against Andre Gusmao, after only eight months of training.SEPT. 6, 2008Evans earns a UFC title shot with a one-punch knockout of UFC legend Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell at UFC 88.DEC. 27, 2008Driven by momentum, Evans knocks out Forrest Griffin in the third round to lift the UFC world light heavyweight title.JAN. 31, 2009Jones defeats fellow contender Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94. His spinning elbows and suplexes make him the talk of the MMA community.MAY 23, 2009Evans loses his UFC world championship to Lyoto Machida in a second-round knockout defeat, which was the lone reversal of his career.AUG. 22, 2009After promising not to fight any of his new teammates in the Octagon, Jones joins Jackson’s gym.SEPT. 30, 2009Evans predicts new teammate Jones will be champion some day. The pair comes to regard one another as brothers.MAY 29, 2010Evans wins a grudge match against Rampage Jackson and becomes the No. 1 contender to champion Shogun Rua.JUNE 10, 2010Rua suffers a serious knee injury. Rather than take an interim bout, Evans decides to wait for his title shot. The fight is eventually set for March 2011.FEB. 4-10, 2011News breaks that Evans is injured and will be unable to challenge the healed Rua for the UFC light heavyweight belt. The next day, Jones defeats contender Ryan Bader with surprising ease and—with Evans’ blessing—is offered the title fight against Rua. Evans predicts Jones will “destroy” Rua in the first round. Asked repeatedly, Evans claims he would change divisions before he would face Jones, should his “brother” win.MARCH 3-4, 2011During the broadcast of UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann, Jones said, “I respect (UFC President) Dana White a lot. If (the Rashad fight is) what he absolutely wanted to happen, then I guess that’s what would have to happen.” Asked to respond on MMA Live, a visibly upset Evans said, “I am no punk. If Jon wins the (title), I have to sit down with the team and decide what to do.”MARCH 19-22, 2011:Jones becomes the youngest UFC world champion in history, destroying Rua, before a intense meeting with Evans in the Octagon.Speaking with MMA Fighting, Evans stunningly announces he has left Team Jackson. “I’m done with Jacksons. And, I know how to fight Jon. I trained with him.” Evans then relocates his training camp to Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Florida to form the soon-to-be feared ‘Blackzilians’ camp.APRIL 25-27, 2011It is announced that Jones has torn a ligament in his right hand, forcing him to withdraw from a proposed title defense against Evans. This time, Evans does not want to wait for the champion, and accepts a fight with replacement Phil DavisMAY 12 & 15, 2011Evans and Jones nearly come to blows at a Las Vegas nightclub and they are separated by Georges St-Pierre. Evans questions the legitimacy of Jones’ hand injury. “Jon doesn’t need surgery,” he said. “No doctor will operate on him. They say he doesn’t need it.”JULY 13, 2011Another bitter pill goes down for ‘Suga,’ as Davis pulls out of his fight with Evans with a knee injury.AUG. 6, 2011:Eager to fight somebody—anybody—Evans eventually goes
on to defeat Tito Ortiz inside two rounds, looking better than ever.
But, two months later, Evans is forced to cancel another date with Jones
because of a dislocated thumb injury sustained against Ortiz.SEPT. 24, 2011Jones submits Rampage in the fourth round of his first UFC world championship defense.DEC. 10, 2011Jones caps off an incredible 2011 with a second successful title defense—this time against former champion Lyoto Machida.JAN. 28, 2012Evans easily defeats the previously unbeaten Davis over five rounds in an eliminator bout to determine the next UFC title challenger.FEB. 6, 2012Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans—perhaps the biggest 205-lbs. title fight since Liddell vs Ortiz II—is on. The fight is set for Atlanta in April.FEB. 16, 2012The former friends exchange insults at the official UFC 145 press conference. Jones accuses Evans of jealousy while ‘Suga’ says ‘Bones’ is “all fake.”APRIL 21, 2012Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will finally settle their feud, once and for all, at UFC 145 in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, evan
Read the full article at UFCJon Jones and Rashad Evans Face Off on “UFC Ultimate Insider” (Video)
The impending grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans may be fueled by more truly hard feelings than even Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen.
The former training partners under renowned coach Greg Jackson have been steadily stoking a rivalry that began when Jones was awarded a title shot and publicly agreed to defend the title against Evans, should he win. Win he did and would go on to do, defending the title twice against former champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida.
On the sidelines with injury, the timing has finally lined up to see Evans challenge for the belt. All of the resentment that Evans feels for having been edged out of Team Jackson by the younger fighter will come to a head. The intense desire that Jones has to prove himself over his former mentor will be realized. Though clearly packaged to sell, this is no manufactured beef.
Tonight, on UFC Ultimate Insider on Fuel TV, Jones and Evans will meet face to face for one of the last times before they do battle. Judging by the promo below, the blood is running hot through both men.
Jones and Evans will meet at UFC 145, which takes place on April 21 from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Posted in: title shot, title, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145: Jon Jones' Coach Winklejohn On Convincing Greg Jackson To Corner Against Rashad Evans
Rivalry, betrayal, and a friendship gone sour has the mark of a Hollywood movie, and if the actors really convey their parts well, you're pretty much assured a money maker. Now take out the actors, and replace them with fighters. Add some gasoline to the fire, in the form of a former coach, and now you've got a blockbuster to kick off the summer.
Does this storyline sound familiar? It should. It's happening right now. Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Rashad Evans, is locked in to fight current champ, Jon Jones at UFC 145, but their battle began over a year ago, when Evans left Jackson's MMA over a much publicized dispute with Greg Jackson and Jones.
Jackson's MMA head striking coach, Mike Winklejohn's recent comments to MMA Fighting took the tale up a notch. He states, in no uncertain terms, that because Evans "threw Jackson under the bus" numerous times, he helped Greg make up his mind to go ahead and corner Jones in his upcoming bout with Evans.
I find that the most telling quote of the interview was this one:
"I was always going to corner Jon because I was working with Jon since almost day 1 here, and Rashad had left camp, and Rashad is actually cool with that. We've spoken many times and he understands that everybody is out there to make a living, do their thing and we've got a good rapport."But he upset me in that he kept throwing Greg under the bus. Enough's enough. You have your disagreements, I understand that, but there's more important things out there and it's time for Greg to work in Jon's corner."
It shows me that the lines have been drawn, and choices were made. I have to wonder, if Evans defies the odds, and reclaims his title, will Jackson's coaches still be taking the hard line with Sugar?
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, evan, greg
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Talks About His Mom
Rashad Evans talks about his mother’s words of wisdom.
Posted in: rashad, talk, evan, word, wisdom
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans, Jon Jones address personal problems on UFC Primetime
The origin of the heated rivalry between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones is commonly linked to an interview where “Bones” expressed his openness to fighting then-teammate Evans if asked to do so by the UFC. While the 24-year old’s approach certainly aggravated the situation, according to Evans the seeds had already been planted based on an earlier exchange with Jones’ words simply causing a minor issue to blossom into a full-fledged problem.
Evans addressed the matter along with a number of other topics on a UFC Primetime special documenting the build towards his crack at winning Jones’ light heavyweight championship in a few weeks at UFC 145.
“He has a book of notes that he takes, like a book of moves. And he reads this book of moves so that when he fights the moves are fresh in his head. So I go over there in the locker room to wish him luck,” began Evans on the true origin of his falling out with Jones.
“I’m giving him daps and hugs. I’m going to warm him up,” he continued. “And I go and sit next to him when he’s looking at the book of notes and he covers it, he puts it down, and he looks at me. I’m like, ‘Damn, brotha? It’s like that? For real?’ So then I knew at that point I was next on the menu.”
However, as might be expected, Jones sees things differently than Evans, saying his former training partner has manufactured much of the involved drama based on his own inability to hold down his claim to the divisional belt.
“Rashad was the one who got bypassed through hard work. He was the one who needed to find a way to challenge me for the light heavyweight championship. And that’s why Coach (Greg) Jackson, Coach (Mike) Winkeljohn, and everyone on this team is backing me to the fullest in this fight – because I’ve done nothing wrong,” explained Jones.
Thanks to the UFC, fans who missed the original airing can now watch the episode of UFC Primetime online. Check it out below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, book, evan, ufc primetime
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145: Jon Jones Van Dammes Rashad Evans
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: ufc, van, jone, evan, mattyblayze
Read the full article at RedditUFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans, Episode 1
Did you miss Friday's first episode of "UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans"? No worries. Catch the full episode in full without the commercials at HeavyMMA!
Posted in: ufc, vs, episode, evan, primetime
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evan’s mom is a better MMA analyst than most MMA analysts
I’ve never met Rashad Evan’s mother, but I’m sure she’s lovely. If we ever got to hang out, I’d love it if she could teach me how to dress as well as her son. My sneakers are always dirty and every suit I have is run down from years commuting to work by bicycle. I should probably changed when I got to the office, but I didn’t and this is exactly the reason that Rashad’s mom and I need to sit down and have a talk. I’d also appreciate any advice she has on why I have this itchy rash on my forearm. It’s something a mother probably has a lotion for. There’s no way I could possibly walk into Bath & Body Works unaccompanied by an adult. Rashad clearly appreciates having an awesome mom who looks out for him. Check out this video where he shares some of her analysis Rashad’s next opponent, Jon Jones.
Those are some astute observations, Mrs. Evans. You should pat yourself on the back while I pour you a glass of chamomile tea.
Posted in: rashad, i need, evan, bicycle i, adult rashad
Read the full article at Middle EasyRashad Evans Looks Back on the Way Things Were, and Remembers When Everything Changed
It didn’t have to be like this. The more Rashad Evans thinks about the way the rivalry unfolded between himself and UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, the more he thinks that the whole thing could have been avoided. Maybe not the fight, which is now just over a week away at UFC 145 in Atlanta on April 21. Maybe one way or another, that was eventually going to happen. But all the other stuff -- the public rivalry, the whole friends-becoming-enemies narrative that the UFC sold and the media so eagerly bought -- maybe all that didn’t have to happen, at least not in this way. Then again, once the ball got rolling, it’s not as if Evans or Jones did much to try and stop it."I think it was a bit the media, but we definitely built it up as well," Evans told MMA Fighting in a recent phone interview. "It’s something that was brewing for a while before the media even caught it on camera."
For Evans, there are two separate, distinct rivalries at work here. One is with Jones, who Evans believes violated their agreement when he said in a Versus pre-fight interview that he’d fight his teammate if his job were on the line. The other is with Greg Jackson’s gym, and includes both Jackson himself and striking coach Mike Winkeljohn. That’s the one that’s been building for years, according to Evans. That’s the one that puts the hard edge in his voice when he talks about it."Greg kind of lost his way a bit," Evans said of his former coach and mentor. For years, it was a great team environment. But these days, according to Evans, "it’s just not the same as it used to be. It’s more transient, more commercial now."When you see Jackson in some fighter’s corner on nearly every big fight night, Evans pointed out, that means his fighters aren’t seeing him in the gym."Greg used to be the nucleus that held everything together. We used to spend a lot of time with Greg at his house, and he would bring everybody together. We learned that that was how it was supposed to be, so that’s what we started to expect. Once he got busier and started taking on these different fighters, the team suffered. ...We were about training. We were about hard work. Greg was a different person back then, and I guess we all were different people back then."It begs the question: when did then become now? When did everything change?
To Evans, it was right around the time of his first (and so far only) UFC light heavyweight title defense. As he prepared to take on Lyoto Machida at UFC 98, he felt like the team wasn’t exactly rallying to his aid. Jackson was busy, Evans said, and Winkeljohn was going through some medical issues. By the time he stepped in the cage that night in May of 2009, he didn’t feel quite ready. What happened next would become a fixture in UFC highlight reels. It would produce the memorable photo that still dogs him to this day. But more than anything, Evans said, it was his team’s response to his first (and, again, so far only) loss that bothered him the most."Mike Winkeljohn did not pick up the phone one time to give me a call, to check on me after the fight was over with. I was hurt by that. I was upset about it. Like he couldn’t even pick up the phone and say, ‘How are you feeling? You didn’t get it this time, but you’ll be back.’ Nothing. Not one time. People say that’s just how he is, but if you have a fighter who goes out there and fights for you, the least you can do is console him if he loses. That’s the least you can do. At least make a phone call."In a 2011 interview with MMA Fighting, Winkeljohn accepted some of the blame for that, and admitted that perhaps he let his own tendencies as a fighter get in the way of what Evans needed from a coach."He had a bad night, the night was over, and maybe I made a mistake by not consoling him enough," Winkeljohn said. "I know that I was the type who, when I lost a fight, I just wanted to be left alone. I kind of misread that a little bit, but he just didn't do any of our game plan at all. Then he left. He went on the Ultimate Fighter show, he didn't call, and that was it. Then Jon Jones comes in."Evans will tell you now that while he was wary of Jones joining the team at first, the two of them "got along great." They served as each other’s main sparring partners when they were together in the gym, and Evans can admit now that he almost wishes things hadn’t turned out the way they did, because "I kind of felt it with him for a while."But once Jones’ star started to rise, Evans knew from experience that both of them needed to be very careful about how they dealt with what would surely be a tricky situation."The thing about it was, we couldn’t let people get into our ear and tell us we should do this," said Evans. "That’s what happened with Jon. Jon let people get into his ear, and then he started to say things and act a certain way. That seeped into the relationship. You hear [UFC president] Dana White talking about, ‘Well, they’re not really that close anyway,’ and all this stuff about our relationship, planting those seeds. He’s not getting that out of nowhere. He heard that somewhere, so who’s telling him this? I’m thinking it was either Jon or his instigating manager, Malki Kawa."Evans felt like he knew how to handle the situation. After all, he’d done the same thing with Keith Jardine back when the two were both top light heavyweights in the UFC. Maybe he just needed to impart some of those lessons to the younger Jones, he decided. So he pulled him aside for a little heart-to-heart, he said."Before all this happened, I had to sit down with Jones and talk to him because I heard he’d been talking trash, saying he would whoop me. I told him, ‘Dude, people are running around saying this stuff, and I’m sure they’re not just pulling it out of nowhere.’"Some of that, Evans figured, was bound to happen. Two top guys sparring together? It was only normal for people to ask them afterward who would win in an actual fight. It was how you chose to answer that really mattered."I just told him to be careful what he said. If you don’t want to fight me, then don’t even entertain the idea," Evans said. "Don’t even let it go there. Sometimes people would ask me, when I would train with Keith, who would win if we fought. I’d say, ‘Keith will.’ And then people would ask Keith the same thing and he’d say, ‘Rashad will win.’ That defused the whole situation, because then there was no going back and telling the hot secret about what you guys said. That’s a humbling thing you have to do."The way Evans saw it, Jones did the opposite when he went on Versus and said that though he "would hate to have to fight my own teammate," he’d rather do that then get fired from the UFC. It provided just the slightest tear in the already strained team relations, Evans said, and that tear was enough to rip the whole thing apart.
Pretty soon, Evans was on TV declaring that since he was "no punk," he’d have to accept Jones’ challenge. Then he was in the cage after Jones’ win over "Shogun" Rua to claim the title, accepting the fight with his former teammate. Then he was on the arena floor, declaring himself "done" with Jackson’s gym. One thing led to another and another.But that’s all ancient history now, as far as Evans is concerned. These days he’s relocated to Florida, and he has the "Blackzilians" team at his side. This team is "what Greg Jackson’s used to be," he said. Now that he knows he’ll have to look across the cage on fight night and see Jackson’s face in his opponent’s corner rather than his own?"It doesn’t bother me," Evans said. "It just speaks volumes about his character."If this storyline of broken friendships and shattered trust all seems just a little too perfect and too sound byte-friendly to possibly be real -- and, let’s be honest, at times it does -- you need only ask Evans, who will tell you in a heartbeat that while the narrative has been packaged and distributed by both the media and the UFC, as far as he’s concerned it’s "definitely genuine.""When you train with somebody and you trust them, you accept that you’re not going to be fighting each other and you get to know them," Evans said. "There’s going to be hurt there when they violate the code that the two of you set."And hurt, in one form or another, is what this one is all about.
Posted in: ufc, fight, way, thing, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans Episode One (Video)
With the highly anticipated grudge match between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans just weeks away, the UFC has rebooted its immensely popular series ‘Primetime’ to feature the two as they prepare for their championship fight at UFC 145 on April 21st in Atlanta, Georgia.
The series, which has documented pre-fight camps for fights starting with Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn II at UFC 94 in 2009, has since shown coverage of training camps for other fights such as “Rampage” Jackson vs. Rashad Evans (UFC 114), Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez (UFC 121), and Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit (UFC 143).
Similar to HBO’s 24/7, which shows the routines and preparations for multiple sports, including boxing, NASCAR, and hockey, ‘Primetime’ has also been praised for its in-depth coverage inside the lives of UFC fighters.
The first episode for Jones vs. Evans premiered last week on Fuel TV. The episode details the beginnings of the relationship between the two, but focuses on the much-discussed split following Jones’ championship win in March 2011. The UFC has posted the entire video, which can be seen below:
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyWinkeljohn Convinced Jackson to Corner Jones After Evans 'Kept Throwing Greg Under the Bus'
While Greg Jackson initially struggled with the idea of training Jon Jones to fight his former fighter Rashad Evans, striking coach Mike Winkeljohn, who doesn't garner the same amount of attention as Jackson but is equally important to the Jackson-Winkeljohn team in New Mexico, had no such struggle. Winklejohn recently told Bleacher Report's Ari Leveaux that he ultimately convinced Jackson to corner Jones against Evans at UFC 145 after feeling Evans criticized his former coach one too many times. "I was always going to corner Jon because I was working with Jon since almost day 1 here, and Rashad had left camp, and Rashad is actually cool with that. We've spoken many times and he understands that everybody is out there to make a living, do their thing and we've got a good rapport. "But he upset me in that he kept throwing Greg under the bus. Enough's enough. You have your disagreements, I understand that, but there's more important things out there and it's time for Greg to work in Jon's corner." Winklejohn added that he is enjoying the challenge of preparing Jones to fight his former friend and training partner Evans. "It's actually kind of exciting. It's not that hard at all. Everybody's got a job to do at the end of the day. It's not life or death -- I know people could get hurt -- but I work with Jon Jones now. Rashad had left. I still consider him someone that I would welcome in my house, but Jon's the guy that I hope I keep training for the rest of his career." Check out the rest of the interview with the brutally honest Winklejohn below. He also discusses why he thinks the Jones-Evans odds are fair, how he sees the UFC 145 main event playing out, Melvin Guillard's departure from Team Jackson-Winklejohn, Donald Cerrone's next fight and much more.
Posted in: jon, jone, evan, corner, corner jones
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Rashad Evans' Mom
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [comment]
Posted in: ufc, evan, mattyblayze, mattyblayze link, mom
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - Episode 1
The production team behind the Ultimate Fighting Championship has just released the first episode of UFC Primetime which features the UFC 145 grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Watch the evolution of Jon Jones and Rashad Evans' rivalry, then go inside training camps as they prepare to meet again.... this time as opponents.
Related: UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Says 'Everyone Is a Fighter' | UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones 'Trains' With Brother Art Jones | UFC Video: Jon Jones Recreates Classic Muhammad Ali Photo
Check out the video below:
Quick thoughts:
- This episode of UFC Primetime, does an excellent job of hyping up this match up. I have already been excited about this bout, but the way they detailed the rivalry and history between the two fighters makes it even more compelling.
- I expected this UFC Primetime series to build on Jones' star power and to make fans more invested and attached to the dominant champion. After watching it though, it makes me want to root for the underdog in Evans even more. Both Jones and Jackson had the opportunity, but I felt like they weren't able to portray their side of the story well enough to make fans want to side with them on this whole 'betrayal' issue.
Episode 2 and 3 will air on FX on April 13 and April 20 respectively.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, video, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowVideo: Rashad Evans With Another Impersonation of His Mom, This Time Giving Tips On Fighting Jon...
Video: Rashad Evans With Another Impersonation of His Mom, This Time Giving Tips On Fighting Jon Jones
Posted in: time, evan, impersonation, mom, tip
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans thinks Jon Jones is finding confidence and style, but he is still fake
As the hype and trash talk between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones heats up in the days leading up to their epic UFC 145 clash, Evans was interviewed yesterday. He had many things to say about the young champion. At first, he had praise for his former training partner, stating the following on usatoday.com:
"He's gotten a lot better and he's gotten more confident,before he would just kind of do things randomly and just whatever, but now I see a bit of a pattern. I see that he's
Posted in: jon jones, rashad evans, evan, he, pattern i
Read the full article at Low KickUFC Primetime: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans (Episode 1)
On April 21st, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will finally collide, in what could be easily labeled as one of the biggest grudge matches in UFC history. The show goes behind the scenes of Jones and Evans' preparations for next weekend's fight, and tries to explore the roots of mutual hatred between the two. Jones and Evans will dispute the UFC Light Heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia. This will be the first UFC Pay-Per-View card since February, when Ben Henderson defeated
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, atlanta georgia, evans preparations
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Says 'Everyone Is a Fighter'
UFC Light Heavyweight #1 contender Rashad Evans declares that "everyone is a fighter" in this new video released by the Ultimate Fighting Championship to promote his title fight against champion Jon Jones at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Evans, a former LHW champ, lost the belt to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 in 2009. He had won the title from Forrest Griffin at UFC 92 in December, 2008. He made his UFC debut by winning the second season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2005 over Brad Imes at heavyweight.
Dogged by a reputation as a boring "lay and pray" fighter early on in his career, Evans put that reputation to rest with big KO wins over Chuck Liddell and Sean Salmon. Since then he's been criticized for holding out for a title shot which ended disastrously when he injured himself only weeks before his UFC 128 bout with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Jon Jones stepped up to replace Evans and took the title.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, fighter, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans Episode 1
The first episode of UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans. The series follows both Jon Jones and Rashad Evans as they prepare to face off at UFC 145 for the UFC light heavyweight title.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones 'Trains' With Brother Art Jones
UFC Light Heavyweight champ Jon Jones has released a new video showing him and his brother Art Jones, of the NFL Baltimore Ravens, "training" for his April 21 UFC 145 title fight with Rashad Evans. The training involves some Nerf guns and Nerf bullets. Hopefully no one was seriously hurt.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Jones, a former teammate of Evans' at Greg Jackson's Martial Arts in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has a bitter rivalry with Evans that resulted in the latter leaving Jackson's after several years training there. Greg Jackson has announced he'll be cornering Jones against Evans, despite earlier protestations that he would never do such a thing.
Evans had been one of the first high-profile UFC fighters to train under Jackson, joining the camp after his stint on the second season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2005 at the invitation of Keith Jardine. Since then the camp has become one of MMA's most legendary.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, training, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowCaught in the Middle: How Teammates Have Dealt with Jones vs. Evans (MMAWeekly.com)
What started as a rift between teammates has spawned into one of the biggest fights in UFC history, as Jon Jones gets ready to defend his light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans on April 21 in Atlanta. Before they were ever set to face off at UFC 145, Evans and Jones were both students of famed coach and MMA guru Greg Jackson at his camp in Albuquerque, N.M. The two light heavyweights trained alongside each other, and at one time promised to never let the fight game interfere with their friendship or team.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, light heavyweights, evan, ufc history
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsCaught in the Middle: How Teamates Have Dealt with Jones vs Evans
submitted by neokeynesian [link] [comment]
Posted in: vs, evan, middle, neokeynesian link, teamate
Read the full article at RedditCaught in the Middle: How Teammates Have Dealt with Jones vs. Evans
How has the battle between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans affected their teammates and friends as their rivalry reaches a fever pitch heading into UFC 145...
Posted in: jon jones, rashad evans, evan, teammate, fever pitch
Read the full article at MMA Weekly
UFC Primetime: Jones vs Evans Part 1
(via Iron Forges Iron)
Posted in: ufc, vs, evan, primetime, iron
Read the full article at FightlinkerUFC Ultimate Insider - Counterpunch: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans Preview
submitted by JRM2 [link] [4 comments]
Posted in: ufc, evan, jrm, insider, counterpunch
Read the full article at RedditRashad Evans Believes He Will Cement His Legacy With Win Over Jon Jones At UFC 145
Rashad Evans is a former UFC light heavyweight champion who owns victories over the likes of Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin.
“Suga” will seek to take back the title when he meets Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145 from Atlanta on April 21. The two former teammates have been feuding since “Bones” replaced Evans and won the title from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
Evans is writing a blog for Yahoo! Sports in the build up to the fight, and this week, he discusses his desire to complete his legacy in MMA with a win over Jones.
I’m one of the best light heavyweights out there and it’s time for me to cement my legacy. I’ve beat top guys for years and years – before Jon was even in the UFC – and in a sport where everybody loses big fights here and there, I’ve had one bad night ins even years.
Evans’ lone loss came at the hands of Lyoto Machida, as “The Dragon” scored a knockout and won the belt. Since that loss, Evans has been on the hunt to get another title opportunity, taking down the likes of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Ortiz and Phil Davis.
The anticipation of Evans-Jones has been building for so long that it is likely to spill over inside the Octagon. When these two collide, you can expect fireworks aplenty.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans dissects Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
Former Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans, who will challenge current title holder Jon Jones at UFC 145, sits cageside in Denver, Colorado to offer his analysis on "Bones'" first title defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Wired with a microphone, Evans discusses Jones' strengths and weaknesses, as well as where Jackson went wrong in his approach to the fight.
Posted in: jone, jackson, evan, microphone evans, denver colorado
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans: “It’s time for me to cement my legacy.”
UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans will enter the Octagon for the fifteenth time in his career when he faces off against Jon Jones on April 21 for the title. Since debuting in the organization the TUF 2 winner has compiled a 12-1-1 record including success against former champions Tito Ortiz, Forrest Griffin, Chuck Liddell, and Quinton Jackson.
However, at 33, Evans knows he likely only has a few more years left as an elite competitor which is in part why sees his UFC 145 match-up with Jones is so important. Though taking “Bones” belt and satisfying the personal score with his former training partner are important to him, beating the dynamic divisional king is also an opportunity for Evans to remind the world why he’s a future Hall of Famer.
“I’m one of the very best light heavyweights out there and it’s time for me to cement my legacy,” wrote Evans in a blog entry he penned for Yahoo Sports. “I’ve beat top guys for years and years – before Jon was even in the UFC – and in a sport where everyone loses big fights here and there, I’ve had one bad night in seven years. This is the perfect opportunity and perfect chance for me to show that I’m as good as my record says I am.”
To dethrone Jones, Evans believes he’ll have to avoid the mental mistakes past opponents have made by often taking a tentative approach to exchanging offense with the seemingly unbeatable 24-year old.
“The illusion of or the mythical Jon Jones that the other guys fought, it doesn’t exist for me. I know how weak he is mentally – all the doubts he has about himself. I’m going to be the first one to stop this kid,” explained Evans of his intentions. “I saw an interview where he says he’s not giving it to me. He don’t have to. I’m taking it from him…”
The bout will mark the climax of the longstanding rivalry between the two 205ers stemming from Evans feeling as though Jones slighted him while teammates. Now it appears Evans is ready to return the favor, showing a gross lack of respect come showtime in Atlanta.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, jon jones, i ’m, year, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 Primetime Jones vs Evans Episode 1 720p
submitted by ufcprimetime [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: ufc, vs, episode, evan, primetime
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 'Primetime' video for 'Jones vs Evans' on FX (Episode one)
In cased you missed any or all of it last night (April 6, 2012), here is the first of three episodes of the "all access" behind-the-scenes look at the UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and FX once again collaborated for this latest "Primetime" series, which follows the former friends and training partners as they prepare to settle their score at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., later this month (April 21, 2012).
This first installment digs deep into their rift, as well as introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) fans to Evans' new training environment at the Jaco MMA facility with the Blackzilians in Boca Raton, Fla., while "Bones" continues to work with Suga's early mentor, Greg Jackson, and the rest of his former team in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Drama.
Episodes two and three of UFC 145 "Primetime" air April 13 and April 20, respectively, also on FX. Get up to speed on the reaction to episode one of UFC 145 "Primetime" click here.
For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" be sure to hit up our event archive right here. To check out the latest UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" fight card and rumors click here.
Posted in: ufc, vs, evan, primetime, april
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Primetime Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans: Live Discussion Thread
UFC Primetime returns to the airwaves Friday night, building anticipation for one of the sport's most anticipated grudge matches in UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones vs. No. 1 contender Rashad Evans.
Debuting after The Ultimate Fighter Live on FX, the three-part series will kick off the road to Evans vs. Jones, a fight that has been more than a year in the making. Former teammates at Greg Jackson's training center, both men had said they would never fight each other but that changed when he got a title shot against then-champion Mauricio Rua.
In an interview, Jones said he would fight Evans if he had to, setting off a chain of events that saw Evans leave the Jackson camp, verbal sparring and ultimately a long wait for the actual bout to happen.
This will be the second run for Primetime this year as Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit were the focus of the seventh version of the series. Jones has never been on the show, while this is Evans' second appearance after his fight with Quinton Jackson was featured in the third installment.
The show debuts at 11 PM EST and the live discussion will be open. Watch on FX and comment below on what you think.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, carlos condit, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans: “This fight is not about proving a lot of people wrong about Jon Jones; it’s about proving me right.”
With only two weeks remaining before Rashad Evans (17-1) finally gets his hands on former training partner Jon Jones the former light heavyweight champion has heard it from all angles regarding the much-anticipated match-up. Though he may still have some press obligations to attend to before the actual fight, at this point the 32-year old has tuned out the talking and is focused purely on the task at hand come April 21 at UFC 145.
“Does it motivate me? At this point, not really,” wrote Evans in his blog for Yahoo Sports. “There’s really not much more (Jones) can say to me to motivate me. I’m already motivated for this fight; I’m motivated beyond reason. Yeah, I want to be the first guy to really beat Jon, yeah, I want my title belt back and I want to show my former trainer what’s what. But this fight is not about proving a lot of people wrong about Jon Jones; it’s about proving me right.”
Evans also isn’t buying into the hype surrounding Jones as someone who trained with him for a solid chunk of time. While many see “Bones” as invincible given his dominant performances against Quinton Jackson, Mauricio Rua, and Lyoto Machida, Evans knows the real deal and plans on informing the world in Atlanta.
“Sugar” ‘Shad Breaks Down Jones’ Win Over “Rampage”
“The illusion of or the mythical Jon Jones that the other guys fought, it doesn’t exist for me. I know how weak he is mentally – all the doubts he has about himself. I’m going to be the first one to stop this kid,” explained Evans. “I saw an interview where he says he’s not giving (the title) to me. He don’t have to. I’m taking it from him.”
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, i ’m, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 145 'Primetime' LIVE discussion thread for 'Jones vs Evans' on FX Channel (Episode 1)
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns with its "Primetime" preview show for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," featuring a behind-the-scenes look as current Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones prepares to defend his strap against former division kingpin Rashad Evans on April 21, 2012 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Part one premiers TONIGHT (Fri., April 6, 2012) at 11 p.m. ET on the FX Channel and talk, complain, whine, boast -- whatever it is you do -- about the program in the comments section below.
Parts two and three air April 13 and April 20, respectively.
"Bones" is currently hovering around the +500 mark on most of the major betting sites, compared to the +400 underdog line for "Suga," his former friend and training partner under Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, New Mexico. UFC 145 will mark the culmination of their feud, which began back in 2010 prior to the UFC 128 pay-per-view (PPV) event.
Expect a "Primetime" look at their heated rivalry.
For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" be sure to hit up our event archive right here. See the current fight card and rumors here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, april
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans breaks down Jon Jones’ win over Quinton Jackson from ringside
In the continuing promotion for this month’s much-anticipated match-up between UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and rival Rashad Evans, the UFC has given fans an intimate look into the mindset of the hungry contender by filming his reaction to Jones’ bout September scrap against Quinton Jackson. In the clip, featured on this week’s episode of Ultimate Insider, Evans provides real-time insight on what’s occurring inside the ring and how he would approach things differently.
“It’s like this – you’ve gotta either be in or you gotta be out,” explained Evans a few rounds into the one-sided affair. “Jon is long so (Jackson) has to be in or out. He can’t be taking those kicks from the outside, he can’t be at the end of his jab. If you’re at the end of his jab you’re in the wrong position because Jon is fighting very comfortable. Make him uncomfortable. Put your head right there on his chest.”
Evans Thinks Experience Will Make the Difference in Title-Fight
At the time, though they didn’t know it, Jones-Evans would each compete another time before finally facing off to settle their personal and professional scores. Jones went on to beat Jackson, then Lyoto Machida in December, while Evans returned to the ring in late January where he outpointed Phil Davis on FOX.
Jones-Evans meet on April 21 in Atlanta at UFC 145. The first episode of a three-part UFC Primetime series chronicling their journey to the event airs this Friday night on FX at 11:00 PM EST.
Watch Evans’ intriguing assessment of things below:
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, quinton jackson, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comRashad Evans: My whole career has been leading to UFC 145 with Jon Jones (Yahoo! Sports)
Jon Jones isn't the saint – or fighter – everything thinks he is, and Rashad Evans is out to prove it in UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, evan, saint –
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsRashad Evans: My whole career has been leading to UFC 145 with Jon Jones (Yahoo! Sports)
Jon Jones isn't the saint – or fighter – everyone thinks he is, and Rashad Evans is out to prove it in UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, evan, saint –
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Analyzes Jon Jones Vs. Rampage Jackson
Fuel TV has released this very interesting video of Rashad Evans analyzing Jon Jones' UFC 135 title defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Evans, of course, will challenge Jones for the title at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta Georgia. Evans famously beat Rampage by decision at UFC 114 after one of the bitterest feuds in UFC history.
Of course his feud with former teammate Jon Jones has, if anything, been even more bitter.
Some notes from Evans commentary:
He's critical of Rampage for letting himself get pushed into the fence, fighting at the wrong range and standing right in front of Jones "watching him" instead of attacking.
He's very complimentary of Jones' use of southpaw stance but also says he thinks that is the position from which Jones may be the most vulnerable.
Pre-fight he's very emphatic that Jackson needs to be "right in Jones' chest" and fight up-close and inside.
Rashad's tip for fighting Jones: "Put your head right on his chest, make him uncomfortable."
Praises Jackson's ability to escape mount.
It will be very interesting to see if Evans can execute on any of these points when he gets his shot at Jones.
As a bonus, some commentary from #1 contender Dan Henderson on the Jones vs Evans matchup, after the jump.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Henderson spoke to ESPN UK and here's what he had to say (HT MMA Mania):
"Don't count out Rashad Evans. Everybody's assuming it will be Jones, but Rashad is a good fighter too. Rashad got a lot of criticism for his last performance [against Phil Davis], but I thought he fought really well, really solid. Jon Jones is tough, but Rashad could definitely come out winning. He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad's the better wrestler, it's just that Jones is awkward. But Jones wouldn't be able to stop him taking him down for that long.
"They have two different styles, two different fights. Rashad is good on his feet, good with his striking, and he would definitely try to put me on my back more than Jon Jones would. Jones is longer, kicks a little bit more, stays on the outside and is awkward, and that is something I would have to deal with."
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Dissects Jones vs. Rampage
submitted by nooger [link] [11 comments]
Posted in: rampage, vs, rashad evans, nooger, evan
Read the full article at RedditGreatness Is: Rashad Evans – Everyone’s A Fighter
The UFC’s latest commercial, as part of their “Greatness Is” campaign. Rashad Evans describes his love of fighting, but also goes into why we all love fighting.
Posted in: rashad, evan, everyone, love, greatness
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans – Everyone’s a Fighter (Video)
As UFC 145 draws closer, the UFC has continued to roll out new and innovative commercials to showcase both Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon jones, rashad, evan, fighter video
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyDan Henderson: “Don’t count out Rashad Evans.”
With only a few weeks remaining before Jon Jones’ much-anticipated main event match-up with Rashad Evans at UFC 145, opinions on the likely result have been rolling in at an increased pace from fans, media, and fighters alike. One man with a significant interest in how things will unfold is Dan Henderson, a top contender seemingly set to face whoever emerges victorious in the April 21 bout.
While it seems most people are picking Jones to retain his belt, shrugging off notions of Evans’ ability to contend with the dynamic champion’s diverse skill-set and size, Henderson isn’t so sure such will be the case and envisions a scenario where Evans emerges with the title in tow.
“Rashad got a lot of criticism for his last performance but I thought he fought really well, really solid. Jon Jones is tough but Rashad could definitely come out winning,” said Henderson in an interview with ESPN. “He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad’s the better wrestler. It’s just that Jones is awkward. But Jones (won’t) be able to stop him taking him down for that long.”
“Don’t count out Rashad Evans. Everybody’s assuming it will be Jones, but Rashad is a good fighter too,” concluded Henderson on the topic.
Henderson’s next move involves waiting for Jones-Evans to face off, possibly even holding out for a few more months after being promised a shot at the middleweight strap as well if he so desires. The decorated veteran holds an overall record of 29-8 with wins in his last four fights including an instant classic against Mauricio Rua this past November.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, ’t, henderson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainIs Jon Jones what ‘Greatness Is?’ (Cagewriter)
In hyping up the UFC 145 championship bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, the UFC has started a campaign called, "Greatness Is." You may have seen their ad with Evans talking about why he pushes himself to fight. Now, they released this video of Jones showing what greatness is.
Note: Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson both defended the light heavyweight belt since Chuck Liddell. Nonetheless, Jones' quick ascent to the top of the 205-lb. heap has been impressive. Will Evans stop him on Apr. 21? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter .
Posted in: jone, jon jones, evan, greatness, ‘ greatness
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsRashad Evans meets Felix Trinidad in Puerto Rico to promote UFC 145
Top Light Heavyweight contender Rashad Evans, who will challenge division champion Jon Jones at UFC 145, hooks up with Puerto Rican boxing legend Felix Trinidad to host a meet and greet with fans in Puerto Rico. Evans speaks highly of Trinidad and says that touring the island was one of the "craziest" experiences of his UFC career.
Posted in: ufc, evan, puerto, trinidad, craziest experiences
Read the full article at Low KickThe Morning News For Wednesday, April 4, 2012
After a weekend of packing and unpacking, I'm back with the news of the MMA world for the past 24 hours.
If you are like me and haven't been on the net for a couple days, yesterday's news post from Cory Braiterman is a good place to start. Otherwise let's get right to it:
INSIDE THE CAGE:
Matt Wiman has been forced to pull out of his bout at UFC 145 with Mark Bocek, due to a knee injury. John Alessio will take his place, after a big win last month on Canada's all sports channel "The Score's" Fighting Series, over former UFC fighter Ryan Healy. For a card that was supposed to be in Montreal, this is a nice job by Joe Silva in getting two Canadian guys together on short notice.
More fight bookings and other news after the jump.
Spencer Fisher and Sam Stout will fight an Octagon rubber match at UFC on FX 4. Stout won the first fight, Fisher the second. I have to think that Stout will be the favorite going into this one, as he is the younger man and has had some pretty reasonable success lately, while Fisher has struggled as he moves into the twilight of his career.
Tom DeBlass will make his UFC debut on short notice at UFC on FUEL TV 2, taking place in Sweden next weekend. He'll be facing Cyrille Diabate in place of Jorgen Kruth. DeBlass is a pretty highly regarded LHW prospect, coming in at 3rd spot in the 2012 Bloody Elbow Scouting Report. He is a terrible match up for Diabate, as DeBlass has been a Ricardo Almeida BJJ black belt since 2008 and Diabate is a singularly stand-up fighter. According to his twitter, DeBlass has signed a four fight contract with the UFC.
OUTSIDE THE CAGE:
Dana White will accept the challenge extended to him by Kick.com founder and former MLS player Jimmy Conrad to participate in some pick-up soccer. I can't wait to see the results, although I suspect Dana is going to come off looking a little silly here. Dana probably knew that he was sticking his foot in his mouth when he made the comments to begin with, but I have to give credit where credit is due for accepting the challenge. Soccer is not easy.
Mike Chiapetta of MMAFighting.com wrote a fantastic day-in-the-life piece on Bjorn Rebney, following the Bellator CEO from morning til night at Bellator 63. It's a reminder of just how much goes into putting on a top rate MMA show and is a must read for anyone with ambitions of greatness in any pursuit.
Nick Diaz will be competing in a superfight at the upcoming world jiu jitsu expo, in the first of what I suspect will be a string of non-MMA related activity for Nick this spring/summer. He doesn't have an opponent yet and as you can see in the link, Cesar Gracie has taken to twitter to ask about potential match-ups. Personally I'd like to see Diaz roll with one of the Gracie Breakdown brothers, Rener, Ryron or Ralek.
Dan Henderson is picking Rashad Evans to at least take Jon Jones down and potentially score an upset victory at UFC 145. I'm not sure where this comes from, as Henderson has never trained with either man (as far as I know), but perhaps it's no surprise that the man waiting in the wings wants to see Evans have success.
Here is a nice video about Stephen Thompson's debut in the Octagon. It's great stuff. Thompson doesn't look like a fighter in the least, so he's a great fit for the UFC to promote going forward and it looks like they plan on doing just that.
It was a bit of a slower news day yesterday, as a lot of stuff from the weekend was still being re-hashed. We're also just getting going with this feature and I didn't want to throw everything and the kitchen sink in. We'll be back tomorrow with another set of tidbits to munch on but that's all for now.
I personally thought the comments from Dan Henderson were the most interesting and intriguing story of the day. I'd like to see Evans defeat Jones, so anything that supports that idea I'm going to gravitate towards. I'm not sure that takedowns are the way to go for Rashad, as a failed shot could easily end up with him on his back, a place he desperately wants to avoid. That being said, if he can get the champion to the mat, he can probably keep him there for the duration of the round, so an early takedown just might be exactly what Evans needs to put some doubt in Jones mind and make it a real fight.
What do you guys think of these stories?
Posted in: ufc, place, news, evan, deblas
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendRashad Evans Takes Tour Of Puerto Rico To Help Promote UFC, MMA
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans recently returned from a trip to Puerto Rico to help promote the UFC and MMA in general in the country.
Evans, who will face Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans later this month, talked about his trip in a recent press release.
The visit to Puerto Rico was one of the craziest things I’ve done in my UFC career, and I’ve been here since 2005. The fans went crazy, it was so cool to be part of that. I couldn’t believe the response.
While on the trip, Evans met up with a native of the country, former world boxing champion Felix “Tito” Trinidad. Despite his boxing roots, Trinidad seems to have found a passion for MMA.
The truth is, MMA and UFC is something that’s taking over the world and we love it in Puerto Rico. We are what they call ‘hot-blooded’ – we love fighting and love watching UFC events. I’ve never thought about training an MMA fighter, but honestly, I’d love to help if it’s a Puerto Rican fighter.
Evans held an open workout for the fans and media, allowing them special access to a former champion. Evans gets a bad rap from some, but he always seems willing to go the extra mile for the UFC and MMA fans in general.
Photo credit: UFC
Posted in: ufc, mma, evan, puerto, puerto rico
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Video: Former Champ Chuck Liddell Makes His Pick For Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
UFC Hall of Famer and long-time Light Heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell spoke to MMA Weekly about the upcoming UFC 145 LHW title fight between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. Evans, of course, KO'd Liddell at UFC 88 back in 2008.
Liddell, who retired from MMA in 2010 after a KO loss to Rich Franklin at UFC 115, currently works for the UFC in a promotional capacity. He describes his every day duties as "whatever they need me to do."
Liddell says "If you're a betting man you've got to take Rashad at those odds (6-1). I think Evans presents problems that other fighters haven't (to Jones). As long as both guys come in in good shape it should be a pretty even fight."
Liddell also discusses his plans to open an MMA gym near his new house within the year and his post-retirement diet and work out regime.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, rashad, evan, liddell, fighters havent
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowDan Henderson: Rashad Evans will definitely put Jon Jones on his back and could score upset at UFC 145
Now that Dan Henderson knows he will likely get the winner of the highly-anticipated Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title fight between current Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, he can start breaking down each potential opponent.
One of the most decorated wrestlers in mixed martial arts (MMA), Henderson -- a former Olympic-level wrestler --knows a good mat man pedigree when he sees it.
And that is exactly what he sees in "Suga," who was a NCAA Division I wrestler at Michigan State University. Evans' skills were on full display in his last outing against former NCAA Division I national champion, Phil Davis, at UFC on Fox 2 this past January.
Evans outclassed "Mr. Wondeful" in all facets of the game, not just wrestling, en route to a unanimous decision victory, securing his title shot against "Bones" in the UFC 145 main event later month (April 21, 2012). The young champion, Jones, has yet to be taken down inside the Octagon, but "Hendo" believes all that can change in Atlanta , Ga., predicting that the 205-pound kingpin won't be able to fend off the relentless wrestling attack of Evans.
Not only that, the multi-division champion also feels that Evans has what it takes to come out victorious, despite Jones being the heavy favorite from fans and odds makers alike.
Make the jump to see what Henderson told ESPN.com about the upcoming title fight and the contrast in styles that he would have to deal with when it's his turn to vie for the title:
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
"Don't count out Rashad Evans. Everybody's assuming it will be Jones, but Rashad is a good fighter too. Rashad got a lot of criticism for his last performance [against Phil Davis], but I thought he fought really well, really solid. Jon Jones is tough, but Rashad could definitely come out winning. He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad's the better wrestler, it's just that Jones is awkward. But Jones wouldn't be able to stop him taking him down for that long."
"Dangerous Dan" also gave his take on what he can expect to see form either competitor when he gets his chance to compete for the 205-pound strap:
"They have two different styles, two different fights. Rashad is good on his feet, good with his striking, and he would definitely try to put me on my back more than Jon Jones would. Jones is longer, kicks a little bit more, stays on the outside and is awkward, and that is something I would have to deal with."
Henderson will likely be the most eager observer come fight night, as he will definitely be doing some homework in the form of scouting his next opponent for later this year.
Will Evans be the first man to ever put the "awkward" champion on his back? Or will "Bones" utilize his length and keep his former training partner at bay, preventing any chance of a possible takedown?
Let's remember: Jones doesn't have the collegiate-level wrestling credentials like those of his counterpart, but he isn't exactly a slouch in the field, winning a JUCO wrestling championship at Iowa Central Community College.
Just saying.
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaEvans meets 'Tito' in visit to Puerto Rico
Rashad Evans was mobbed by fans in a visit to Puerto Rico and also had a chance to meet former world boxing champion Felix (Tito) Trinidad.
Posted in: tito, evan, visit, rico, puerto rico
Read the full article at sportsnet.caGreg Jackson: 'It’s my responsibility and duty to corner Jon Jones against Rashad Evans at UFC 145'
The much-publicized bitter feud between current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones and number one contender Rashad Evans has been going on for a little more than one year now.
Throughout that time, words have been said, feelings have been hurt and friendships have been ruined. "Bones" and "Suga" were not only training partners at Jackson-Winkeljohn Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Albuquerque, N.M., they were also good friends.
However, Evans and Jones wasn't the only relationship strained during the 12 months of verbal warfare. Famed trainer Greg Jackson, was also caught in the crossfire.
After taking Evans to the top of the mixed martial arts (MMA) game in 2008, winning the world title from Forrest Griffin at UFC 92, Jackson, a few months later, decided to bring in the young prospect Jones into his stable of MMA stars.
Three years later, Jones is the one holding the 205-pound title and Evans bolted the "505" for sunny Florida to join "The Blackzillians" over at Imperial Athletics. Now, the three will once again be reunited as Evans and Jones will finally meet inside the Octagon on April 21, 2012 at UFC 145, and Greg Jackson will be cageside, giving his young champion orders on how to defeat his former student.
Appearing on "The MMA Hour" today (April 2, 2012) Jackson says the decision to corner Jones against Evans wasn't easy, but it came down to the simple fact that Jon is still with the team and Rashad is not.
Check it out:
"I felt I had kind of a duty to the team. What I mean by that is Jon Jones is on the team, Rashad has left the team and has made it pretty clear he's not coming back. My personal feeling, if I wanted to be a little selfish, I would say, 'I don't want to deal with any of it. I don't want to be there at all.' But it has to mean something to be on a team. It has to mean something, and I felt I had a duty to do that, because Jon's on the team, so it's my responsibility to corner him. Even though it's a really hard decision, I decided to go with it. It's not fun. I wouldn't call it weird, it's just not fun. I love Jon to death, but I love Rashad, too. And so it's not a position I enjoy at all. It's not something I like, but it something I think I have to do."
Once the dust settles in Atlanta, Georgia, Jackson says he hopes the former friends and training partners will find a way to leave their differences inside the Octagon and squash their beef:
"In a perfect world, they have a great fight and everybody squashes it and moves on from there, but we'll see. Life is not a perfect thing. Everyone makes mistakes. I make mistakes, everybody else does as well, so yeah, I hope it gets squashed and everything works out after that. That's my hopeful scenario."
Indeed life isn't perfect, but as we have seen countless times, once two rivals exchange leather inside the Octagon for a few rounds, the majority of the time, peace prevails and difference are settled.
Just look at Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock, or Wanderlei Silva and Quinton Jackson. The once bitter rivals aren't exactly the best of friends, but the respect factor is there and it is safe to say the animosity is gone. Then again, Ronda Rousey didn't seem to care too much to squash her beef with Miesha Tate shortly after nearly breaking her arm at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey a few weeks ago.
Which route will Rashad and Jones take after their title fight, remains to be seen.
What's your opinion Maniacs, right call on Jackson's part to go ahead and corner Jones in his upcoming title fight against someone he still considers a friend?
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, team, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaChuck Liddell Wants to Help Improve Judging; Makes His Jones vs. Evans Pick (Video)
UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell goes one-on-one with MMAWeekly.com to talk retirement, judging, reffing, and makes his pick for Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
Posted in: vs, chuck, chuck liddell, evan, liddell
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyDan Henderson: ‘Rashad Evans Will Definitely Put Jones on His Back’ (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
Former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Dan Henderson looked good in his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, putting up an instant classic against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139. Henderson will face the winner of the Rashad Evans vs.
Posted in: ufc, henderson, dan, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsBecause I'm curious...(Rashad Evans hate...WTF?)
I personally like seeing Rashad Evans fight, and he seems like a reasonably humble dude, but I see posts of people hating on Rashad; I simply wonder why when he doesn't seem to have acted like half the jackass I've seen some fighters personify. I can't call the Evans/Jones fight, and I think it's going to be insane, but I figured I'd have Reddit weigh in. Opinions? submitted by d0ta [link] [5 comments]
Posted in: fight, evan, rashad i, evansjones fight, jackass ive
Read the full article at RedditRashad Evans turns down request to sign picture of him getting knocked out (Cagewriter)
UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans turned down a fan for an autograph in a video uploaded over the weekend.
Can you blame him? Though Evans has a stack of signature cards on the table, the fan wants him to sign this:
It's from his one loss. In that bout, Evans lost the UFC light heavyweight belt to Machida by knockout. It's a bad memory, and he does not want to be reminded of it as he prepares to try to get that title back from Jon Jones at UFC 145.
Though Evans is often booed by fans, he still rarely turns down an autograph. In an interview with Cagewriter in 2010, he talked about it.
"If they didn't boo me, that would be strange. It's funny, I'll sign autographs all day, and everyone's my number one fan. Then they'll show me on the screen, and I'll get booed. I think, 'I just signed a million autographs. Who is booing me?'"
He can bet that one fan he turned down is joining in the boos, but since he was carrying around a picture of Evans getting knocked out, he wasn't much of a fan in the first place.
Thanks, Middle Easy .
Posted in: ufc, fan, evan, autograph, sign
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsDan Henderson Feels Rashad Evans Has What It Takes To Defeat Jon Jones
Count Dan Henderson among the minority around MMA, as “Hendo” feels Rashad Evans can take Jon Jones down and defeat the UFC light heavyweight champion.
Evans will face Jones at UFC 145 on April 21, with the winner likely to meet Henderson later this year barring any serious injury.
In a recent interview with ESPN’s United Kingdom staff, Henderson explained why he feels “Suga” has a chance against the phenom that is “Bones.”
Don’t count out Rashad Evans. Rashad is a good fighter too. He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad’s the better wrestler, it’s just that Jones is awkward. But Jones wouldn’t be able to stop him from taking him down for that long.
Henderson earned his shot at a UFC belt by defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year. He has waited on the sidelines for a chance to cash in his opportunity, and will do so as soon as possible. Henderson against either Evans or Jones would make for an exciting fight, as all three are sound wrestlers who hold power in their strikes.
Photo credit: James Law/MMA Fighting
Posted in: jone, henderson, rashad, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJones, Evans want MMA legal in New York
Both light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and ex-champ Rashad Evans have personally lobbied New York lawmakers to legalize MMA.
Posted in: mma, jone, evan, york lawmakers, jones evans
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones says Rashad Evans is out for a “rude awakening” at UFC 145
One point light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans has consistently made during the build up to his much-anticipated bout against Jon Jones at UFC 145 relates to the way he used to handle “Bones” in training sessions when the two were teammates at Greg Jackson’s gym in New Mexico. Rather than be annoyed by Evans’ assessment, Jones has embraced the notion of Evans seeing him as the same fighter he last worked with more than a year ago.
“He’s talking about a fighter that in training in 2010 he used to beat. In 2011, I wasn’t the same fighter and I was starting to beat him. And with that same work ethic in 2012, you’re going to see I’m not that same kid he held down in practice,” Jones confidently stated to the London Free Press. “I love that he talks so much crap because the more crap he talks, the sillier he’s going to look when he loses that fight.”
For an example of how he’s preparing for Evans’ grappling and top control, Jones has brought in a number of larger training partners including a number of heavyweights.
“I’m fighting from the worst position he could put me in and if he’s banking on breaking me mentally, he’s going to have a rude awakening when he realizes that’s just not going to happen,” explained Jones.
Jones Wants to Put Evans “Out of His Misery”
Evans-Jones will face off on April 21 in Atlanta. The fight will mark the third time Jones has put his belt on the line after finishing both Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida in previous defenses.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, training, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones Feels Like Rashad Evans Can’t Get Inside His Head
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will make his first title defense of 2012 against an ex-teammate and past champion, as “Bones” collides with Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 later this month.
For several months now, Jones and Evans have verbally sparred, as the two have had matches cancelled due to injuries to both men. Now, with their date set for April 21 from Atlanta, the stars appear aligned.
Evans, who missed out on a title chance back in March of 2011, has done all he can to try and get inside the head of Jones, who became the youngster UFC champion ever when he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in place of Evans. As “Bones” told the London Free Press recently, Evans will not control his thoughts.
I love that he talks so much crap because the more crap he talks, the sillier he’s going to look when he loses that fight. Rashad’s just a pawn in this game that I’m playing. Nothing more.
Jones knows that he will be facing a stern test in Evans, but if the former NJCAA national wrestling champion can avoid getting trapped in Evans’ mental game, he should be able to earn another victory over a former champion.
Photo credit: Esther Lin/MMA Fighting
Posted in: jone, champion, rashad, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones encourages Rashad Evans to continue trash-talk
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have been on a collision course since Jones won the UFC light heavyweight title last March. Jones replaced Evans in a match with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and immediately the idea of the two now-former teammates squaring off became a great possibility. After having a pair of matches cancelled due to injuries, “Bones” and “Suga” are destined to dance at UFC 145 on April 21 from Atlanta.
Evans has done his best to try and use his experience as well as their personal history to gain a psychological edge on Jones, but the younger fighter doesn’t believe he has achieved anything in that regard.
“I love that he talks so much crap because the more crap he talks, the sillier he’s going to look when he loses that fight,” said Jones in an interview with the London Free Press. “Rashad’s just a pawn in this game that I’m playing. Nothing more.”
Since taking the belt from Rua, Jones has defended it successfully against former champs Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida. In Evans he’ll get another ex-UFC light heavyweight champ familia with what it takes to succeed in the spotlight.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, evan, lyoto machida
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones: Rashad Evans can't break me mentally at UFC 145
When UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones defends his 205-pound title against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on Sat., April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, he will do so as a heavy favorite. In fact, the champ initially opened as a -600 favorite.
But to hear the challenger tell it, he's got what it takes to dethrone the division deity. Not just in the sense that he'll do his best and he's training hard and all the usual tired old cliches, but because he once trained with Jones when they shared a gym at Greg Jackson's in New Mexico.
And he got the better of his former teammate.
"Bones" denies this, of course, and goes all Allen Iverson when it's brought up to him. Because, after all, we're talking 'bout practice, man.
Outside of that, though, Jones has brought in some big guns, literally, to put him through the ringer before he ever climbs inside the cage later this month. And, as he tells The Sun, there's just no way for Evans to break him mentally.
"Rashad talks about the time he held me down in practice and how he was getting me to break mentally. I've eliminated all possibilities of that happening. I have my older brother here, I have Travis Brown here and I have a whole bunch of heavyweights that are a lot more powerful and big than Rashad and I'm having these guys hold me down in practice and try their hardest to break me mentally. Basically, I'm fighting from the worst position he could put me in and if he's banking on breaking me mentally, he's going to have a rude awakening when he realizes that's just not going to happen."
These two have been on a collision course since Jones won the title from Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 last year, an opportunity he was afforded thanks to Evans getting injured and giving him his blessing.
But Jones turned around and said he would fight his teammate, which Rashad didn't respond well to and after months and months of trash talk, it was clear they were destined to meet inside the cage.
"Bones" defended his belt a few times and "Suga" just kept winning to bring us to today, just 20 days out from what should be one of the biggest fights of the year.
Sound like Jones is ready and raring to go. Are you?
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, evan, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans: “Fighting is not just about fighting – it’s about life.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans has dealt with plenty of adversity throughout his career. Often criticized for his antics inside and outside of the cage, Evans understands exactly with friend and occasional training partner Muhammed Lawal is going through at the moment after being released by Strikeforce on top of a nine-month suspension for steroid use.
“I think that everything happens for a reason. I’ve been in a situation where I had to ride out a dark cloud a little bit in my career. I think Mo’s just going to have to ride the dark cloud in his career. I went about a 14-month period of not having a fight and just riding out some of the waves in my life, and that happens,” explained Evans in an interview with MMAFighting.
“Fighting is not just about fighting — it’s about life,” the 32-year old continued. “Sometimes you have those ups and downs in life, just like in your career. But as long as you keep your mind right and on what you really want, and you stay hungry, then you’ll prevail and make it through the storm.”
Evans will certainly be pulling for Lawal will come out on top in the end, growing from the experience rather than letting it diminish his drive.
“I feel bad for him. He’s a champion at heart, and I’m sure he’ll find a way to make it back to (Strikeforce) or find a way to make it in another organization as a top guy,” concluded Evans on the topic.
Lawal will be out until September based on his suspension though it is unknown when he will actually fight again after losing 30 pounds due to a serious staph infection that could’ve been fatal.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE
Posted in: life, career, evan, career i, life ”
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainVideo: UFC 145's Rashad Evans Reacts To Fan Giving Him KO Pic To Autograph
Rashad Evans, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, is on the upswing. He lost the title to Lyoto Machida in May of 2009 at UFC 98. He's been angling for a title shot ever since but a combination of bad luck, injuries and poor timing has forced him to wait until this coming April 21 when he'll challenge Jon Jones at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia.
In the meantime, he's still got to suffer the slings and arrows of obnoxious fans who won't let him forget the painful moment when Lyoto Machida knocked him out and took his title. In the video above we see Rashad react when an impertinent fan in Puerto Rico presents him a photograph of the KO moment from UFC 98 to autograph.
Evans manages to respond in a relatively restrained manner the first time the fan presents the photograph, but when the man makes a second run...
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, title, fan, evan, lyoto machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Offers a Little Friendly Advice for 'King' Mo Lawal
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans was sad to see Mo Lawal’s situation go from bad to worse this past week, he told MMA Fighting. The two are colleagues in the fight game, but they’re also friends, which made it hard to watch as Lawal was released from his Strikeforce contract shortly after being fined and suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Tuesday."It’s unfortunate, man. Mo’s probably one of the best guys I’ve ever met in the sport, and even outside of the sport," said Evans. "He’s so much different than the character, or what he comes across as. People get the wrong take on Mo."
The way Evans sees it, many people fail to see the distinction between the real Lawal and the "King Mo" persona he’s adopted for the purposes of a little pre-fight entertainment. What they don’t realize is that, whether on Twitter or in person, they’re getting a much more genuine response than they get from many other fighters.Sometimes, however, that’s a personality trait that comes with certain consequences."Mo’s so real," Evans said. "When someone says something to him, it’s hard for him to divorce the fact that they’re saying it to his character and not who he really is as a person. When you say something to him, he gets offended deeply because he’s such a real dude. I feel bad for him. He’s a champion at heart, and I’m sure he’ll find a way to make it back to [Zuffa] or find a way to make it in another organization as a top guy."The question for Lawal is what he’ll decide to do next. Will he sign with another organization? Will he try to wait out Zuffa’s wrath and then sign a new contract when tempers have cooled? If Evans had to lay odds on it, he said, he’d bet that Lawal will eventually end up back in one of the two Zuffa-owned organizations. In the meantime, it’s just a matter of making it through the rough times ahead. That’s something Evans knows a little something about, he said."I think that everything happens for a reason. I’ve been in a situation where I had to ride out a dark cloud a little bit in my career. I think Mo’s just going to have to ride the dark cloud in his career. I went about a 14-month period of not having a fight and just riding out some of the waves in my life, and that happens. Fighting is not just about fighting -- it’s about life. Sometimes you have those ups and downs in life, just like in your career. But as long as you keep your mind right and on what you really want, and you stay hungry, then you’ll prevail and make it through the storm."
Posted in: evan, something, mo, lawal, career i
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseA ballsy fan approaches Rashad Evans with the hopes of him signing the famous photo of him being KO'ed by Machida. This is Evans reaction..
submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [2 comments]
Posted in: fan, evan, machida, reaction, evans reaction
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones, Rashad Evans Sound Off Before UFC 145 Main Event
One of the most anticipated fights in UFC history is now less than three weeks away. Take a look at what light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and bitter rival Rashad Evans have been saying in the weeks...
Posted in: ufc, week, rashad evans, evan, ufc history
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans: Time away from fighting was tough, but it was for the better (Yahoo! Sports)
In his exclusive Y! Sports blog, Rashad Evans talks about the long road back from recovery and how he's better because of it.
Posted in: sport, rashad, evan, he, yahoo sports
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsPhil Davis Pegs Rashad Evans To Defeat Jon Jones For UFC Title
Phil Davis has been inside the Octagon with Rashad Evans, so “Mr. Wonderful” is a pretty reliable source when it comes to talking about the ex-UFC light heavyweight champion.
Davis, who lost to Evans earlier this year, was a recent guest on The MMA Hour. He was asked to give his take on the upcoming Evans-Jon Jones bout for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in April.
They’ve trained together and Rashad knows Jon Jones’ game like a teammate would. That’s something only a teammate would know, so I’m going to go with Rashad. A lot of people don’t give him a fair shake in this fight, but it’s a pretty tough fight for both guys.
As for Davis, the former Penn State University wrestling standout continues to work to get back into contention himself. Davis feels like having battled an experienced fighter like Evans is a positive for him to build on.
I definitely wasn’t happy about it. But right away, I was excited to get better. I got back in the gym right away. I’m glad he poked holes in my game because I can now know where and how to fill those holes. Losing is not the worst thing in the world. The worst thing in the world is not getting better.
Davis will need to show he has improved in his next bout, as it is likely to come against a quality 205-pounder. The UFC’s light heavyweight division is loaded with viable contenders, but nothing has been made known as far as an opponent for Davis.
Photo credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ConvertPhil Davis ‘happy’ Rashad Evans poked holes in his game ()
When Phil Davis was put on the UFC's second Fox card against Rashad Evans, he knew the pressure was on. Not only did he need to keep his undefeated streak going, but he also needed to create an exciting bout for network fans tuning into the UFC for the first time.
The result? A fight dominated by Rashad Evans as Davis struggled to find a rhythm. Davis told the MMA Hour that he couldn't slow down in the bout, which ended up exhausting him.
"I got myself into one of the situations where you've got to go all out to get out of that, and put out a lot of energy," he said. "That kind of put me behind on momentum, and from there, Rashad was just the calmer guy. He eased into the fight better. More and more, I was trying to do more to gain momentum and he was just calm and collected."
It was the first loss of Davis' MMA career. He ended his NCAA wrestling career with a championship, so it's the first time Davis has lost in at least four years. A loss like that can shake a man, but Davis took a different view of it.
Posted in: rashad, rashad evans, evan, davi, rhythm davis
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsPhil Davis talks losing for the first time, picks Rashad Evans to defeat Jon Jones
One of the hottest Light Heavyweight prospects in recent times, Phil Davis, burst onto the mixed martial arts (MMA) scene reeling off nine straight victories. Five of those came inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ranks against top stars such as Alexander Gustafsson, Tim Boetsch, Brian Stann and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
On Jan., 28, 2012, "Mr. Wonderful" faced his toughest competition to date in former 205-pound champion Rashad Evans. The two former NCAA Division-1 wrestlers headlined the promotions second foray into primetime television, UFC on FOX 2 in Chicago, Illinois.
After five rounds of action, Evans proved his experience and skill-set were too much for Davis to handle, as he went on to score a unanimous decision victory and secure his title shot against division champion Jon Jones.
Now that he has had time to reflect on his first professional MMA loss, Davis opens up about what went wrong and the holes he can now see in his arsenal, which he directly attributes to his time inside the Octagon with Evans.
Make the jump to see what he had to say today (Mar., 26, 2012) on the The MMA Hour:
"A lot of things did not go right. What didn't go right was, I was doing ok in the first period and then I got myself into one of those crucifix positions. Was I in danger? Not necessarily, but they look bad to referees. I was in danger of losing the fight if he throws ten elbows at my head. I got myself into one of the situations where you've got to go all out to get out of that, and put out a lot of energy. That kind of put me behind on momentum, and from there, Rashad was just the calmer guy. He eased into the fight better. More and more, I was trying to do more to gain momentum and he was just calm and collected. He was an opportunist. He just took advantage of everything that came his way."
On handling losing for the first time in his young fight career:
"I definitely wasn't happy about it. But right away I was excited to get better. I just can't live with knowing, Hey Rashad is better than me. That does not sit well with me. So I got to get better now so that statement is no longer true. I got back in the gym right away. I'm glad he poked holes in my game because I can now know where and how to fill those holes. Losing is not the worst thing in the world. The worst thing in the world is not getting better."
"Mr. Wonderful" gives his thoughts on the upcoming title fight between Evans and Jones in Atlanta, Georgia at UFC 145, as well as who he thinks will prevail:
"They've trained together and Rashad knows Jon Jones' game like a teammate would. That's something only a teammate would know, so I'm going to go with Rashad. A lot of people don't give him a fair shake in this fight but it's a pretty tough fight for both guys."
With the Light Heavyweight division being the most crowded it has ever been, Davis might have a long road to propel himself back into title contention with plenty of hungry challengers to confront along the way.
With so many potential opponents waiting in the wings, who do you feel is a good foe to test the resolve of the former Nittany Lion?
Have at it, Maniacs.
Posted in: fight, time, rashad, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Rashad Evans "The Payback" Commercial
submitted by BreakfastGuru [link] [24 comments]
Posted in: ufc, rashad, evan, breakfastguru, payback
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Rashad Evans ‘The Payback’ Promo
Just a couple of weeks removed from UFC 145, JMH Films is back with another great promo, this time featuring #1 contender Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, week, rashad, promo, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Rashad Evans ‘The Payback’ Promo
Just a couple of weeks removed from UFC 145, JMH Films is back with another great promo, this time featuring #1 contender Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, week, rashad, promo, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans featured in video to help promote upcoming bout with Jon Jones
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans has been in pursuit of reclaiming the title for more than a year now, as injuries have kept him from taking advantage of the #1 contender position he earned by defeating Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Now, barring anything happening over the next month, Evans will finally face off with Jon Jones for the divisional strap. The two are set to compete in the main event of UFC 145 on April 21 from Atlanta.
After the UFC released a video highlighting Jones, a similar entry for Evans was promised and it debuted Friday night during the TUF 15 broadcast.
“We were never even suppose to entertain the idea of fighting each other,” Evans said in the clip. “This is a lot deeper than any other fight that I had. It is definitely code broken.”
Check out the video below, set to the song The Payback by James Brown:
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, friday night, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainRashad Evans: I'm motivated beyond belief to defeat Jon Jones
Next month, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will finally meet inside the Octagon, headlining the stacked UFC 146 fight card in Atlanta, Georgia. Evans will be looking to back up his promise to expose Jon Jones, who he considers unworthy of having the UFC Light Heavyweight title around his waist.
In his recent hype-up video, Evans talks about his motivation to defeat Jon Jones, and the "payback" state of mind he will be looking to bring into the cage on April 21st. "Suga" currently trains at Imperial Athletics
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad evans, evan, payback state
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans UFC 145 "Payback" Promo
submitted by lukeh15 [link] [comment]
Posted in: ufc, promo, evan, lukeh, payback
Read the full article at RedditRashad Evans UFC 145 video promo for Jon Jones fight: The Payback
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones was the first to get a stylized promo all for himself in the lead up to his title defense against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Now "Suga" gets one of his own.
Jones' promo focused on his killer skills, showcasing in slo-motion his standing guillotine submission win over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140. Combined with the soft music, it felt like such an artsy farsty piece of work from the UFC.
This promo with Evans marks a return to form. Not that that's a bad thing. Rashad is showcased hard training, hitting heavy bags and shadow boxing with the intensity of a man out for blood. Out for payback. Hence the James Brown song and title of the promo itself, "The Payback."
Within the video, Evans explains the bad blood:
"Jon Jones was a friend, like my little brother. We were never even supposed to entertain the idea of fighting each other. This is a lot deeper than any other fight that I had. It is definitely code broken. When I'm out there tired, I think about Jon thinking he's better than me, thinking that he's going to expose me. I'm motivated beyond belief. I'd give my life for it right now. I'm Rashad Evans fired up by something -- you better get out the way. It is about payback."
Whose promo was better, Maniacs?
To stay up to date with all the latest and greatest on "Jones vs. Evans" click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, promo, evan, payback
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Star Rashad Evans And Women's Tennis Star Victoria Azarenka Meet In Miami
With the WTA in Miami for the Sony Ericsson Open, the rare opportunity for women's tennis and the UFC to cross over presented itself. Victoria Azarenka, currently ranked #1 in the world and the winner of the Australian Open earlier this year, met up with Rashad Evans at the MMA Masters facility.
A UFC press release explains the meeting:
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship® light heavyweight champion and current No. 1 contender, "Suga" Rashad Evans took time from training for UFC® 145: JONES vs. EVANS to meet Women's Tennis Association (WTA) World No. 1 superstar Victoria Azarenka. The top athletes visited the MMA Masters facility in Miami and traded tennis and UFC gifts and expertise. Evans showed Azarenka some moves in the cage while Azarenka shared a few tennis tips with Evans. The Belarusian beauty is currently in Miami playing in the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament.
Azarenka had a bye in the first round of the singles draw and won her second round match 6/3 7/5. She is 24-0 in 2012 with four tournament wins, demolishing lingering doubts held by some about her quality as a #1 player.
Rashad had the following to say about the meeting:
"This was a nice break from training. It lets your mind go free and gives you a chance to not think about the fight. It was cool that she's another pro athlete, one who goes out there and competes, mano-a-mano. It was fun."
"I can tell she's genuinely interested in MMA - it was impressive how she grasps the concepts. I didn'tshow her too much except for kicking, but she knew a lot more than I thought she'd know. There were times she really looked like she knew what she was doing."
"I love women's tennis. It actually dominates men's tennis in my opinion. You know they're out there giving it everything they've got. They go through the same anxiety we do of not wanting to lose, and I respect that a lot."
Azarenka added:
"It was a great experience to meet Rashad. He seems really nice - I'm sure he's a little bit meaner in the cage, but he's a great guy and it's always great to meet somebody from a completely different field. I love to follow UFC. I invited him to tennis so I hope he can come cheer me on."
"I wish I had time to train more. I'm curious about how these athletes train. I could pick up something interesting for myself."
I'm a very big tennis fan and fully agree with Rashad's assessment that the WTA beats the ATP in terms of overall quality. So seeing two sports that I have a deep appreciation for come together, even if for a PR/marketing moment, is pretty cool.
Here are a few photos of the meeting:
Posted in: ufc, rashad, evan, tennis, azarenka
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans trains with No. 1 Women's Tennis star Victoria Azarenka
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans, who will challenge Jon Jones for the title at UFC 145, meets number-one ranked women's tennis star, Victoria Azarenka, at MMA Masters for a one-on-one training session. The two athletes trade tips of their respective trade, as Azarenka sharpens her striking and Evans shows-off his swing.
Posted in: jon jones, evan, azarenka, evans showsoff, mma masters
Read the full article at Low KickEvans meets No. 1 in the World
The UFC and Women’s Tennis Association teamed up today for a grab and grin opportunity. The WTA’s Victoria Azerenka and Rashad Evans met and exchanged jabs and serves.
Azerenka is playing in the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami and is doing pretty well. Evans is training for his showdown with Jon Jones in April.
Via UFC press release:
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship® light heavyweight champion and current No. 1 contender, “Suga” Rashad Evans took time from training for UFC®145: JONES vs. EVANS to meet Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) World No. 1 superstar Victoria Azarenka. The top athletes visited the MMA Masters facility in Miami and traded tennis and UFC gifts and expertise. Evans showed Azarenka some moves in the cage while Azarenka shared a few tennis tips with Evans. The Belarusian beauty is currently in Miami playing in the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament.
A video of their meeting is here.
Payout Perspective:
A nice crossover event for both Evans and Azerenka. I think the photo op helps both sports as the UFC hopes to breakthrough to more of a mainstream audience. Moreover, attract mainstream sponsors. It also allows someone else in women’s tennis besides the Williams sisters and Maria Sharapova get some publicity. Did you know who was the number 1 women’s tennis player in the world? So, this opportunity for Azarenka helped attract some of the male dominated UFC demo.
Posted in: evan, tennis, ufc, women, azarenka
Read the full article at MMA PayoutRashad Evans shrugs off notions of jealousy regarding Jon Jones
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans has been sitting atop the list of contenders for quite some time now. Due to injuries and bad timing, however, “Suga” has been forced to wait for his shot at taking back the heavyweight title he lost to Lyoto Machida.
Now, Evans is on a collision course with Jon Jones for that belt on April 21 at UFC 145 in Atlanta.
The two former teammates have had some choice words for one another, leaving many – including the hosts of MMA Uncensored Live – to wonder if Evans is jealous of how far “Bones” has come in such a short time.
“I’m not jealous of Jon Jones. You know, whatever Jon Jones has in life and whatever he’s accomplished, he’s earned,” Evans said in an interview on this week’s show. “I can’t want what another man has, because when it’s time for me to have something, undeniably, it will happen for me.”
Evans left Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico to help form the Blackzilians in Florida. He then fought in the summer of 2011, defeating Tito Ortiz, though hand surgery prevented Evans from taking on Jones later in the year and Machida received the shot instead. Now, with a win over Phil Davis in January and clean bill of health, Evans is ready to focus on the task at hand instead of outside issues.
As for all the hoopla and trash-talk between Evans and Jones, Evans revealed none of it is scripted based on the true feelings involved.
“Unfortunately, it’s 100-percent real,” Evans explained of the dynamic between the two 205ers.
“We had that connection with each other. A lot goes into that, so, there’s a lot of emotion that’s still there and still raw,” the 32-year old concluded, alluding to the lost friendship and training partnership he once shared with Jones in New Mexico.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, evan, ” evans
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainMMA Uncensored Live – Rashad Evans, TRT Controversy, Silva/Sonnen II
Spike TV’s MMA Uncensored Live from March 22nd, 2012. The panel is joined by Rashad Evans to discuss his upcoming bout with Jon Jones. The show also takes a look at the TRT usage controversy in MMA.
Props to the crew over at IronForgesIron for the video.
Posted in: mma, jon jones, rashad evans, evan, mma props
Read the full article at MMA ConvertMMA-Tennis Crossover – UFC 145′s Rashad Evans and Victoria Azarenka
There have been lots of crossovers in MMA recently, but the latest is one of the more unusual... UFC 145's Suga Rashad Evans recently met up to swap trade secrets with the No. 1 tennis player in the world, Victoria Azarenka.
Posted in: ufc, rashad evans, evan, victoria, victoria azarenka
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyOdd MMA Crossover: Rashad Evans with #1 Ranked Tennis Star Victoria Azarenka.
In one of the more odd pairings in the sports world, UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans pairs up with top ranked tennis player, Victoria Azarenka, to swap swap trade secrets.
Posted in: evan, swap, tennis, victoria, azarenka
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans: Beating Jones Is 'Even More Important' Than Being UFC Champion
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans will finally get his chance to take the title back when he faces champion Jon Jones at UFC 145 in Atlanta on April 21. The two former teammates have some bad blood as a result of the way Jones got his title shot at UFC 128 after Evans was injured. That led to Evans leaving his long-time training home at Greg Jackson MMA and Jones staying with the camp.
Evans blogged about his thoughts on the upcoming bout for Yahoo! Sports:
In one month, on April 21 in Atlanta, I'm getting my title back but, to me, beating Jon Jones up and proving I am the better man and better fighter is even more important than waking up the next day as a two-time UFC champion.
He also talked about his opponent and makes a case for why he is the man to beat Jones:
For someone who says he doesn't talk a lot, Jon talks a hell of a lot. If there's any validity to what he's saying, if there's any truth to him being the "Muhammad Ali of MMA," then he's got to deal with me. It's not a fight he is taking lightly, I'm sure. Jon always trains hard, and I know he will be training extra hard for this fight against me.
I heard a stat about Jon that he's never been taken down in the UFC. But I've taken him down plenty, and I know he can't fight off his back. I think my takedowns will be a key to this fight. I know Jon can take me down, too - he's done it - but I've taken down every single fighter I've ever wanted to get down, and I took Jon down time and time again in the gym. I think style-wise I am all wrong for him.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC and WTA collide as 'Suga' Rashad Evans meets tennis star Victoria Azarenka
Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight number one contender and former division champion Rashad Evans took a little hiatus from his current training camp to rub elbows with Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) world number one superstar Victoria Azarenka.
The unlikely tandem marched into the MMA Masters facility in Miami to talk shop, throw around some swag and exchange skill sets. Evans, of course, is gearing up for his UFC 145 headliner opposite reigning division champion and former teammate Jon Jones.
The "Evans vs. Jones" pay-per-view (PPV) extravaganza goes down on Sat., April 21, 2012 LIVE from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
More from the former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) coach and champion as he dishes on his recent experience:
"This was a nice break from training. It lets your mind go free and gives you a chance to not think about the fight. It was cool that she's another pro athlete, one who goes out there and competes, mano-a-mano. It was fun. I can tell she's genuinely interested in MMA - it was impressive how she grasps the concepts. I didn't show her too much except for kicking, but she knew a lot more than I thought she'd know. There were times she really looked like she knew what she was doing. I love women's tennis. It actually dominates men's tennis in my opinion. You know they're out there giving it everything they've got. They go through the same anxiety we do of not wanting to lose, and I respect that a lot. I'd be alright in a tennis match because I'm pretty agile - I'm not too fast, but I'm very agile, so I might have a better chance at winning in a tennis match, but she might win in MMA because I don't hit women."
Azarenka returns the pleasantries after the jump.
"It was a great experience to meet Rashad. He seems really nice - I'm sure he's a little bit meaner in the cage, but he's a great guy and it's always great to meet somebody from a completely different field. I love to follow UFC. I invited him to tennis so I hope he can come cheer me on. I wish I had time to train more. I'm curious about how these athletes train. I could pick up something interesting for myself."
I hear the Strikeforce promotion is hunting for new female fighters ...
For more on Evans and his preparations for next month's fight against "Bones," check out all the latest and greatest UFC 145 news and notes by clicking here.
Posted in: ufc, evan, im, i respect, tennis
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans would rather beat Jon Jones' ass then be his friend for life
On Apr. 21, 2012, the main event at UFC 145 will feature a grudge match unlike any we've ever seen, as "Hotlanta" will play host to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
The former training partners have been engaged in one of the most widely publicized disputes in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community, and they will finally get their chance to settle things, once and for all, inside the cage at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georiga, next month.
"Suga" appeared tonight (March 22, 2012) on Spike TV's "MMA Uncensored Live" to discuss his upcoming bout and some of the bad blood between he and the man he seeks to dethrone. First, he spoke to Jones' accusation that Evans is "fueled by jealousy:"
"I'm not jealous of Jon Jones. You know, whatever Jon Jones has in life and whatever he's accomplished, he's earned. I can't want what another man has, because when it's time for me to have something, undeniably, it will happen for me. It's really foolish for me to be jealous of anybody because being jealous isn't gonna bring anything faster for me."
After the jump, check out what else Evans had to say about his former teammate, as well as the man he used to call "Coach."
Evans was asked about the difference between his former training environment and his new life in Florida where he exchanges leather with the "Blackzillians." Rashad says his new home reminds him of the early days training at Jackson's MMA:
"The difference between training there and training here is...there's more attention, and the fighters here are how the fighters were there when I first started training at Jackson's. That's hungry and vicious and helping each other out. So, the environment here mimics what it was at the beginning at Jackson's."
With that said, Evans has mellowed his tone a bit within the last year or so, regarding his stance toward Greg Jackson. Here's what he had to say when he was asked if he thinks Jackson's is a great gym because of the fighters who train there, or if the fighters are great because they've trained with Jackson:
"You know, I will never take anything away from Greg Jackson as a coach. Greg Jackson is an amazing coach, and he's one of the best coaches that I had. But, to that fact, there are a lot of guys who flock there because he is a great coach and that is a great training environment. It's a little bit of both. He has produced some great fighters, and, at the same time, great fighters have come and trained underneath him."
One of the areas that many are expecting Evans to look exploit is the use of the takedown. To date, no one has taken Jon Jones down. Evans believes he can get him to the mat if he wants to, but he's not overly preoccupied with that aspect of the fight:
"No, it's not playing in my head, the fact that he's never been taken down. I know how to get him down. There's been time to take him down in practice and stuff like that. But, practice is practice. When it comes to real time, we'll see what I can do, but for the most part, I'm not really worried about the fact that somebody has been taken down or not."
Sometimes, a feud as over the top as the one between Jones and Evans can come off as scripted or rehearsed. According to Evans, you can believe that the venom, in this case, is completely sincere:
"No, everything is 100-percent real. Unfortunately, it's 100-percent real. It's like one of those things where we had that respect for each other. We had that connection with each other. We were on the same team and everything. There's a lot that goes into that when you're training and sweating with somebody and you're giving everything you have to that person. A lot goes into that, so, there's a lot of emotion that's still there and still raw."
Finally, Rashad was posed the question of whether or not he'd choose to be able to go back in time, change things and be lifelong friends with Jones, or if he'd rather just beat his ass:
"At this point, uh...I'd rather beat his ass. To be honest. I'd rather beat his ass. But you know, it's kinda crazy 'cuz I'm goin' off the emotion that I'm feelin' right now. You know? But, I dunno. A friend for life is a pretty good friend, so I guess maybe the friend for life would be one that lasts longer 'cuz a friend in the cage is just for in the cage, but a friend for life is something you'd always have."
One thing is for sure. When the cage door closes at UFC 145, the talk won't matter anymore and fans will finally get to see just who is the superior fighter in this bitter rivarly.
Does the talk get you Maniacs excited for Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans? Or are you ready for the chatter to end and for each fighter to put their money where their mouth is?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: jone, jackson, fighter, training, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaEvans Meets Azarenka in the Cage, on the Court
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship® light heavyweight champion and current No. 1 contender, “Suga” Rashad Evans took time from training for UFC® 145: JONES vs. EVANS to meet Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) World No. 1 superstar Victoria Azarenka. The top athletes visited the MMA Masters facility in Miami and traded tennis and UFC gifts and expertise. Evans showed Azarenka some moves in the cage while Azarenka shared a few tennis tips with Evans. The Belarusian beauty is currently in Miami playing in the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament. In a few weeks, the most bitter and long-running UFC feud since perhaps Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz II in 2006will come to a dramatic conclusion. In the main event of UFC 145, undefeated UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones collides with former friend turned bitter rival ‘Suga’ Rashad Evans. UFC 145 goes down on April 21, live on Pay-Per-View from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Evans and Azarenka had the following to say about their experience on Wednesday: “Suga” Rashad Evans, former UFC light heavyweight champion and current No.1 contender, said:"This was a nice break from training. It lets your mind go free and gives you a chance to not think about the fight. It was cool that she's another pro athlete, one who goes out there and competes, mano-a-mano. It was fun." "I can tell she's genuinely interested in MMA - it was impressive how she grasps the concepts. I didn'tshow her too much except for kicking, but she knew a lot more than I thoughtshe'd know. There were times she really looked like she knew what she was doing." "I love women's tennis. It actually dominates men's tennis in my opinion. You know they're out there giving it everything they've got. They go through the same anxiety we do of not wanting to lose, and I respect that a lot." "I'd be alright in a tennis match because I'm pretty agile - I'm not too fast, but I'm very agile, so I mighthave a better chance at winning in a tennis match, but she might win in MMAbecause I don't hit women." Victoria Azarenka, WTA’s World No. 1, said, “It was a great experience to meet Rashad. He seems really nice – I’m sure he’s a little bit meaner in the cage, but he’s a great guy and it’s always great to meet somebody from a completely different field. I love to follow UFC. I invited him to tennis so I hope he can come cheer me on.” "I wish I had time to train more. I'm curious about how these athletes train. I could pick up something interesting for myself."
Posted in: ufc, evan, im, tennis, azarenka
Read the full article at UFCRashad Evans tired of the drama with Jon Jones, ready to get it on at UFC 145
The personal animosity between UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and former training partner, current top contender Rashad Evans has been well-documented over the past year. However, with only a month remaining before the two finally fight in the main event at UFC 145, Evans appears ready to tone down the trash-talk and focus on the task at hand – winning his championship back while smashing the mystique surrounding the seemingly unbeatable “Bones”.
Evans recently spoke about his annoyance at the ongoing drama with Jones, also adding he’d reunited with Keith Jardine in the past few weeks and was extremely happy with how his career was currently going.
“Things are going so good for me right now,” said Evans in a conversation with Five Ounces of Pain. “I feel good since my last fight and it’s just continued on with this training camp. I’d really like to fight three or four times a year. I like to have that feeling where I want to fight. As long as I have that feeling I’ll fight as much as possible.”
On the topic of tussling, Evans’ focus quickly turned to his upcoming outing against Jones where he explained, “I’m just looking forward to fighting him to be honest. A lot of the back and forth and a lot of the drama is so old. I’m tired of hearing people say Jon is going to do this to you and he said this about you. It seems everyone has their own opinion. For me, I am just looking forward to getting it on. I had a good experience in Atlanta when I fought Chuck Liddell and hopefully it’ll turn out the same.”
Evans Thinks Experience Will Be Key to Beating Jones
“Sugar” ‘Shad knocked Liddell out cold at UFC 88 in 2008 to earn a shot at Forrest Griffin who he later beat to become 205-pound champion.
“It’s crazy the way things are now and how they were when I first started. I thought things would always be the same, but now things have changed so much,” reflected Rashad before brightening up at the thought of another familiar name from his past. “Keith Jardine just came down to train with us for awhile and seeing him was nice. Keith and I said we would never fight and that’s the way things were supposed to be with John, but I guess he didn’t feel the same way.”
The UFC long lobbied to have Jardine and Evans face off inside the Octagon while both were considered contenders but their friendship prevailed, fending off any matchmaking attempts despite the pressure.
Now Evans will deal with the pressure of a different teammate from yesteryear in Jones. However, as Evans has shown in the past, when he’s an underdog he’s especially dangerous and clearly he’ll be foaming at the mouth come April 21 in Atlanta.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, thing, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comRashad Evans: “A lot of the back and forth and a lot of the drama is so old.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans has come a long way since winning The Ultimate Fighter 2 back in 2005. Since then he has turned into one of the more recognizable athletes in the UFC today and has elevated his game from that of just a wrestler to a well-rounded Mixed Martial Artist who can beat anyone put before him in the cage. “Sugar” ‘Shad has proven time and time again no matter how tough the opponent he is always game for a big fight and will never let anyone tell him he can’t win.
He wasn’t supposed to win TUF as a small light heavyweight competing for the heavyweight title yet in the finale he defeated 6’7”, 265 lbs Brad Imes, impressive considering the size difference. After defeating a few fighters who were thought to be on par with his talent, Evans finally got his big chance against Tito Ortiz and gave the former champ all he could handle in what would go down as a Draw.
Soon thereafter, Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin, the latter of whom he defeated for the divisional title, would find out just how far Evans had come. He had dynamite striking and was adept at using his wrestling to get the fight to the floor when necessary. In his nearly seven years with the UFC, Evans has lost only once and the stumble came in a title defense to accomplished 205er Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. That was nearly three years ago, though due to injuries and inactivity Evans has fought only four times since, winning against Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson, Ortiz, and most recently Phil Davis.
The Davis victory set him up for a much anticipated shot at current champion and former training partner/friend Jon Jones next month at UFC 145 in Atlanta. The world already knows the history between the two and how Evans left Greg Jackson’s camp because of the animosity between him and Jones. However, there is much more to Evans than just the fight with Jones. He is as passionate about this sport as anyone else. He is a devoted family man who misses his best friend/big brother Lance Evans, presently stationed in Afghanistan. Evans knows that this fight is important, but he also knows that this one fight will not define his career. He is happy where he’s at and ready to reclaim the UFC championship.
“Things are going so good for me right now,” explained Evans in an interview with Five Ounces of Pain. “I feel good since my last fight and it’s just continued on with this training camp. I’d really like to fight three or four times a year. I like to have that feeling where I want to fight. As long as I have that feeling I’ll fight as much as possible.”
Evans had a lot riding on his fight with Davis this past January. If he had fallen he wouldn’t have received a chance to not only fight Jones but to also win back the title he lost to Machida. On top of all of that pressure, his bout with Davis was occupying the main event slot of a UFC on FOX card. It’s not that Evans hadn’t been in big fights before, but there were high expectations from all involved to produce an entertaining show after the UFC’s first foray on FOX lasted just a minute.
“It felt like there was a little bit more pressure,” Evans said. “Then again I really put the added pressure on myself because I wanted to put on a show and put on a good fight for the people of Chicago. The actual show itself was pretty much the same as any of the other fights I’ve been in. One thing I was worried about was the title shot, I really wanted to win and go after the title so that added some pressure as well.”
It seems all people want to do these days when they talk to Evans or Jones is get them to trash talk one another. For some, it’s gotten to the point where they want to tune it all out, anxious to simply see the fight to happen so the sport can move forward while the involved fighters move on to the next stage of their careers. Evans can relate to such a mindset, also having had his fill of people telling him what Jones is saying.
“I’m just looking forward to fighting him to be honest,” offered Evans. “A lot of the back and forth and a lot of the drama is so old. I’m tired of hearing people say Jon is going to do this to you and he said this about you. It seems everyone has their own opinion. For me, I am just looking forward to getting it on. I had a good experience in Atlanta when I fought Chuck and hopefully it’ll turn out the same.”
No longer training with Jackson in New Mexico, Evans has found a new home and a new family with the Blackzilians in Boca Raton, Florida. There, under the tutelage of Mike Van Arsdale, Evans feels comfortable and has formed a bond with many of his new teammates. Following him down to Florida thus far, amongst others, have Melvin Guillard and UFC heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem. Managed by Authentic Sports Management, Evans is at peace with his surroundings.
“Down here it’s more organized and there are a lot more talented guys,” Evans elaborated on his current circumstances. “There’s just a better overall atmosphere down here. I’m a silly dude and I like to joke around. I like to make things a little lighter and funnier. It’s crazy the way things are now and how they were when I first started. I thought things would always be the same, but now things have changed so much. Keith Jardine just came down to train with us for awhile and seeing him was nice. Keith and I said we would never fight and that’s the way things were supposed to be with John, but I guess he didn’t feel the same way.”
Should Evans get by Jones next month and recapture the light heavyweight title the UFC already has an opponent waiting in the wings. 41-year-old Dan Henderson, fresh off of his thrilling five round Unanimous Decision victory over former 205-pound champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, is next in line for the winner of Evans-Jones.
“I definitely think Henderson is next in line,” Evans proclaimed. “I heard he’s going to wait and face the winner of my fight with Jones. I mean it makes sense for him to wait. At his age he has every right to sit out and wait to fight for the belt. These opportunities don’t come around every day. He’s still going strong; he’s out there and still doing his thing.”
Evans is one of many UFC fighters who will be attending the MMA Show Live in Birmingham, England in May. Others scheduled to join him are Brendan Schaub, Frank Trigg, Stefan Struve, Stephen Thompson, and Brittney Palmer. No doubt happy to focus on something other than the Jones rivalry and get away from the spotlight of America, Evans is looking forward to meeting the English fans and seeing some old friends as well.
“I am going to be doing a seminar and a meet and greet with the fans,” revealed Evans. “I had a good time the last time I was in Birmingham to watch the fights. It’s definitely a different vibe over there, but I had a good time. I’m looking forward to spending some time with Schaub; it’ll be good to hang out with some of my old friends again. I watched Brendan go from a guy who came into the gym to get into shape and look where he is now, it’s nice to watch his progression.”
Also outside of the regular realm of the fight business, Evans brother Lance, who once tried out for The Ultimate Fighter and has fought for some regional shows in Michigan and the surrounding areas, has since gone on to enlist in the United States military and is stationed over in Afghanistan. Rashad will miss having his brother around come fight time, but he’s happy to see his sibling doing something he loves.
“He’s in Afghanistan right now, in fact he just went back,” Evans explained. “He won’t be able to attend the fight as he’s going to be there for awhile. He likes what he’s doing, it’s tough being over there and there’s a lot that they don’t show on the news over here. There’s a lot of violence and you never know what’s going to happen. Being away from your family is hard and you never know what you’re going to come back to, it’s tough on the soldiers. The thing about America is we follow fads and it goes that way as far as the troops are concerned. If it’s not cool to support them then people don’t support them and that’s a shame. I miss having my brother around and it’ll be nice to have him home when his time is up.”
Until Evans-Jones meet on April 21 you can keep up with Evans on his Twitter account (@SugaRashadEvans).
Posted in: ufc, fight, time, jone, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones Believes Rashad Evans “Doesn’t Even Have My Area Code”
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones knows that to remain atop his division, he needs to work harder than anyone else out there.
With a bout planned against Rashad Evans for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans on April 21 fast approaching, “Bones” continues to train as if he is still on the attack – instead of being the one everyone else is hunting.
As part of the build up to his collision with Evans, Jones will be posting a blog on the Fox Sports website. In the latest entry, Jones talks about ignoring the hype and focusing on his training to better prepare for Evans.
You’ve see it in other sports, when a young guy comes on the scene and does well, people get excited and start writing and saying, ‘This guy can’t be beat.’ There’s a lot of hype about me right now; some media experts are saying I am unbeatable, but I know it’s not true. I wouldn’t bust my tail so hard in the gym if I was unbeatable.
Jones has successfully defended his UFC belt against former champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida since claiming the title from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. In Evans, he will be facing an ex-teammate and a former champion, as well.
To try and get under the skin of Jones, “Suga” has taken to constant verbal attacks, claiming to have dominated Jones during practice sessions at the gym in New Mexico. Jones doesn’t remember it the same way.
On April 21 he’ll realize he doesn’t even have my area code.
Jones has been able to finish Rua, Jackson and Machida, so the champion has proven himself already at such a young age. In Evans, however, he’ll be facing someone that does know him better than most, and the grudge-factor cannot be overlooked.
Photo credit: Esther Lin/MMA Fighting
Posted in: jone, champion, doesn, evan, media experts
Read the full article at MMA ConvertKnockout of the week: Rashad Evans shows his kicking game ()
The knockout of the week goes back to 2007, when Rashad Evans was still a rising prospect. His game was still so raw that he hadn't shown much in the kicking department. Unfortunately for Sean Salmon, Evans pulled out a head kick at the exact right time.
Five years later, Evans will get another shot at the UFC light heavyweight belt on Apr. 21 against Jon Jones. Will he be able to pull out another knockout? Tell us in the comments, on Twitter or Facebook .
Posted in: jon jones, head kick, rashad evans, evan, right time
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsKnockout of the week: Rashad Evans shows his kicking game (Yahoo! Sports)
The knockout of the week goes back to 2007, when Rashad Evans was still a rising prospect. His game was still so raw that he hadn't shown much in the kicking department. Unfortunately for Sean Salmon, Evans pulled out a … Continue reading →
Posted in: week, rashad evans, game, knockout, evan
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsPro's Picks: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [comment]
Posted in: vs, evan, mattyblayze, pro, mattyblayze link
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Video: Pros Pick Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his belt against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21, 2012. It's one of the most anticipated bouts of the year and probably the toughest test Jones has faced in his young career.
Evans and Jones are former training partners at Greg Jackson's famous MMA camp in New Mexico and the two ex-friends have approached the fight as a very personal matter. Evans left Jackson's camp permanently after being unhappy with the way the camp handled the fight booking process.
Despite Evans' formidability, Jones is a 6-1 favorite with the oddsmakers. In this video a number of UFC and MMA fighters including Forrest Griffin,Mike Pierce, Kyle Kingsbury, Urijah Faber, Dominick Cruz, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Muhammed Lawal and Jay Hieron speak their piece about the match-up and the odds.
What do you think? Is Evans being overlooked here? What do you think the right line should be? Poll after the jump.
More SBN Coverage of UFC 145
Poll
What's the right betting line for Jones vs Evans?
6-1 Jones
5-1 Jones
4-1 Jones
3-1 Jones
2-1 Jones
Even
2-1 Evans
3-1 Evans
6 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, camp, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowSomeone explain to me why Evans is such a big underdog to Jones.
I mean......people are acting like Evans is some unknown. I understand Jones is apparently the second coming of christ in MMA at the moment but have we really seen enough to cement him as the best thing since bruce lee? I am not saying the kid isn't amazing and very talented, but so is rashad evans. So can someone break this down for me as to why jones is such a heavy favorite. submitted by Manler [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, underdog, kid isnt
Read the full article at RedditRashad Evans Says Jon Jones is Mentally Weak
Rashad Evans says he knows the real Jon Jones and he's not going to be mentally strong enough to handle the pressure that this fight will present.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Extended Preview Video
UFC 145 will host one of the most highly anticipated light heavyweight bouts of all time when Jon Jones defends his title against former friend and training partner Rashad Evans. See how the beef...
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, heavyweight, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAPros Pick “UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans” Main Event
One of the biggest grudge matches in UFC history goes down next month at UFC 145, when light heavyweight champ Jon Jones takes on rival Rashad Evans.
The former training partners have become bitter enemies over the course of the past year and, after several derailments due to injury incurred by either party, will finally get to settle things in the Octagon.
Having run roughshod over the UFC light heavyweight division and impressively defeated two former champions during his title run, the 24-year-old Jones opened as a huge favorite over Evans. Some lines have the champion as much as a 6:1 favorite over Evans, a former champion.
Check out the video below, courtesy MMA:30, to hear what some of Jones and Evans’ fighting peers, as well as a few MMA pundits, give their take on the fight and the opening line.
UFC 145 goes down on April 21 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Posted in: ufc, jone, champion, training partners, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones ready to put Rashad Evans “out of his misery”
Though UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and former teammate Rashad Evans are seen as rivals, as far as the 24-year old title-holder is concerned their issue is professional rather than personal no matter how Evans or media spin it. Jones recently elaborated on his mindset a month out from facing Evans at UFC 145 where he credited his satisfaction with the important things in life for preventing him from being drawn into his adversary’s game.
“I have no problem with him. Right now I have my kids, I have my girl. We have our place together. I’m following my dreams. I’m doing the right things in life. I’m on the right track,” said Jones in an interview with the UFC. “Rashad is the one who looks at this whole story like, ‘This guy went off and created his own team. He’s left the people that were there for him at the beginning.’”
Evans Thinks Knowledge Will Be Key to Beating Jones
“He’s the one who is going through this whirlwind in life and I just can’t wait to put him out of his misery and solidify me being the light heavyweight champion, telling him to go have a seat somewhere,” Jones added.
However, just because “Bones” doesn’t have a bone to pick with Evans outside of the Octagon, he’s also not blind to the state of their relationship in comparison to where it was while both trained at Greg Jackson’s gym. Jones hasn’t ruled out some sort of reconciliation between the two once they’ve squashed things on April 21 but he also isn’t expecting it.
“Whether me or Rashad will ever be friends again in the future, only God knows; only time will be able to tell,” explained Jones before concluding, “One thing that is inevitable is respect.”
Jones-Evans will headline UFC 145 in Atlanta where other featured bouts include Che Mills-Rory MacDonald and Brendan Schaub-Ben Rothwell.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comForrest Griffin, Dominick Cruz and King Mo talk Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
MMA fighters and media members shared their predictions for the upcoming UFC Light Heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. The fight will headline next month's UFC 145 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Rashad Evans is currently a 6 to 1 underdog to defeat his former "best friend" and Jackson's teammate Jon Jones.
Further Reading: Submit your picks for UFC
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones vs Rashad Evans UFC 145 fight video predictions with the pros
We're still about one month away from UFC 145, which takes place at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on Sat., April 21, 2012. And as times ticks away, the odds for the main event between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans appear to get wider and wider.
"Bones," the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion, opened as a heavy favorite, but now it appears that sportsbooks have him as a 6 to 1 favorite over "Suga," his former friend and training partner.
It's a curious line, considering Evans' familiarity with Jones, as well as the fact that he has lost just once in his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career. Jones is coming off the most impressive year on record, perhaps for any fighter in the history of the sport, which likely has much to do with current odds.
Unsurprisingly, it has a few fighters scratching their heads. On the flip side, some of them think it's justified. In the video above, Forrest Griffin, Mike Pierce, Kyle Kingsbury, Urijah Faber, Dominick Cruz, Quinton Jackson, Muhammed Lawal and Jay Hieron share their thoughts on the 6 to 1 odds.
Surprisingly, Jackson and Lawal agree on something: Evans will pull off the upset.
Agree or disagree?
In addition to the Jones-Evans 205-pound showdown, UFC 145 will also feature a welterweight match up that pits rising star Rory MacDonald against British banger Che Mills. Heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are also scheduled to collide.
For the latest UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" fight card and rumors click here. For the latest UFC 145 news and notes click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, odd, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans looking all Urkel
(Source: thatsshaq)
Posted in: rashad evans, evan, source, thatsshaq, urkel
Read the full article at FightlinkerUFC 145 Jones vs. Evans Extended Video Preview
Check out the extended video preview of one of the most highly anticipated light heavyweight fights in UFC history... UFC 145's Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, video preview, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones: “I’m trying to solidify a legacy and beating Rashad Evans right now is the biggest piece to the puzzle.”
The animosity between former teammates Rashad Evans and Jon Jones is well-documented. The heat stemming from what seemed to be a misunderstanding has since snowballed into one of the premier rivalries in MMA today and well come to a head on April 21 when the light heavyweights face off in headlining action at UFC 145 with Jones’ divisional championship on the line.
With the event essentially a month away the hype has been amped up with a recent preview for the match-up where the world is offered a reminder of how little the wound has healed on the broken friendship the two shared in the not too distant past.
“A lot of my mentors have been talking to me, saying, ‘You know what, Jon, don’t let him get in your head.’ But the truth of the matter is he is in my head and I want him in my head, I like him in my head – that’s when I train better, that’s when I focus more, that’s when I study his fights more,” said Jones of Evans’ personal jabs at his attitude, labeling him as being an exceptionally cocky individual whose number he has.
“Let’s not beat around the bush here. I’m the champ, he’s the challenger. He wants what I have. I’m not giving it to him,” explained a frank Jones, adding, “I’m trying to solidify a legacy and beating Rashad Evans right now is the biggest piece to the puzzle.”
Watch the full preview below where bouts between Rory MacDonald-Che Mills and Brendan Schaub-Ben Rothwell are highlighted:
Posted in: jone, i ’m, head, ’m, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will attempt to make the third defense of his title next month against former friend and training partner Rashad Evans.
Jones and Evans once held each other as brothers, training under the same roof at Jackson-Winkeljohn’s renowned academy in Albuquerque. The two had made a pact never to fight one another, but as soon as the title was thrown into the picture, that pact dissolved.
23-years-old at the time, Jones stepped up for an injured Evans to challenge Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the title last year. Before dismantling Rua to capture the belt, Jones did an interview where he said he’d be willing to fight Evans if he had to — leading to the rift which separates the fighters to this day.
Evans parted ways with Greg Jackson’s camp and a rivalry was born, with each man publicly disparaging the other. In the main event of UFC 145, which takes place on April 21 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Jones and Evans will finally settle their long-burning feud.
Check out the extended preview video of UFC 145 below and start getting excited.
<iframe width=”640″ height=”360″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/vIVLYXJaBR4″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, evan, preview video
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyThe Moment Everything Supposedly Changed for Jon Jones and Rashad Evans
Last February, I flew to Albuquerque, N.M., to interview then-No. 1 contender Jon Jones at Jackson-Winkeljohn Mixed Martial Arts for the UFC on Versus 3 pre-fight show, which would air on March 3. Jones was days removed from his win over Ryan Bader at UFC 126 and was getting ready to fight Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128 for the UFC light heavyweight title. As you may recall, Jones got the title shot after his then-friend and training partner Rashad Evans had to pull out of the fight due to a knee injury. At the time of the interview, which you can watch here, Jones and Evans were still friends, but it seemed more and more likely that they would someday have to fight each other. I asked Jones (8:50 mark) what he planned on doing if UFC president Dana White asked him to fight Evans. "It's Dana's world when you're a UFC fighter and we live in it," Jones said. "So, I respect Dana a lot, and if that's what he absolutely wanted to happen, I guess that's what would have to happen. Me or Rashad would not want to get fired over the situation. It would just be majorly awkward for us. Rashad and I have a lot in common: we're both young, African-American men with families. We both like to sing, have fun. We're both elite MMA fighters. We have a lot in common, and we both really clicked really well. There's just so many other great fighters in the world that we could compete against. And you know, we're not animals. We're friends, we're human beings. I would hate to have to fight my own teammate. I would never want to." So, why am I bringing this up now? Well, ever since the Jones-Evans fight became a reality, Evans has pointed to this response as the moment everything changed. In fact, the latest UFC 145 preview video, which can be seen below, credits this moment as the beginning of the end of their friendship. Now, I'm not trying to rehash a year-old interview. I'm just a little surprised that this is the moment that created the rift heard around the MMA world.
So I'll turn to you, our loyal readers. Do you think Jones' answer was really that disrespectful? Should he have been a little more emphatic in expressing his desire to never fight Evans, or was he only being a good company man weeks before his first title shot? Was Jones being a bad friend or is Evans being too sensitive? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, moment
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Extended Preview (Video)
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones will return on April 26th, facing his arch-nemesis "Suga" Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 21st. The fight between Jones and Evans can be easily labeled as one of the biggest grudge matches in UFC history, with both fighters looking to finally solve their never-ending conflict inside the Octagon.
UFC 145 is headlined by the Welterweight clash between Che Mills and Rory MacDonald, while Mark Bocek vs. Matt Wiman, Mark
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, atlanta georgia, neverending conflict
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans In-Depth Preview
UFC 145 will be hosting one of the most anticipated grudge matches in recent memory in that light heavyweight championship bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. Zuffa has released an in-depth and extended preview for the event, and it did a great job of veering away from their traditional style and instead focusing on the story of these two former friends and teammates who's relationship has gone sour.
Related: Photo: Jon Jones In Drag? Rashad Evans Tweets Controversial Photo Of UFC Champion | UFC 145: Jon Jones Thinks 'Jealousy Fuels Rashad' | UFC 145: Rashad Evans Talks About How He Can Defeat Jon Jones
Also featured on the 9-minute video, the supporting bouts Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills and Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell. Check out the video below:
Got hyped for the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans bout? I can only imagine how their UFC Primetime special would be.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones vs. Evans Video
Posted in: jone, video, vs, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhousePhoto: Jon Jones In Drag? Rashad Evans Tweets Controversial Photo Of UFC Champion
Ahead of their UFC 145 clash, the Rashad Evans and Jon Jones saga continues as 'Suga' tweets a photo of his rival and former teammate allegedly in drag. Here's the tweet that came with the photo:
@SugaRashadEvansRashad Evans Damn! Jon Jones is always trying 2 one up me! I take a pic with a wig on & he goes full drag on me! Fine bro http://t.co/FF5lN9mE Mar 17 via Instagram Favorite Retweet Reply
Photoshop? You decide. Either way, these sorts of things are only guaranteed to fire up their rivalry even more.
More UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Coverage
Related: UFC 145: Jon Jones Thinks 'Jealousy Fuels Rashad' | UFC 145: Rashad Evans Talks About How He Can Defeat Jon Jones | Jon Jones Vs. Anderson Silva? Jones Says He'd Rather Have Him As A Mentor | Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Gets UFC Primetime Treatment
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jones vs Evans Extended Preview
The extended preview of UFC 145 with an in-depth look at Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans, Rory MacDonald vs Che Mills, and Brendan Schaub vs Ben Rothwell.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, preview, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans says Jon Jones is not unbeatable, plans to reclaim UFC light heavyweight title
The personal issues between Rashad Evans and UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones are well known by most. For the few who aren’t aware, the two were once teammates at Greg Jackson‘s gym in New Mexico. After Jones won the title, replacing an injured Evans to score the bout, “Bones” said he was fine with facing “Suga” ‘Shad if so required by the UFC. The 24-year old’s ease with fighting a supposed friend angered Evans, prompting him to leave Jackson’s MMA and found “The Blackzilians” group in Florida.
Now, with both men on the cusp of finally facing off with one another inside the Octagon instead of through media appearances, Evans is taking the approach he of all people understands what it will take to defeat the dynamic title-holder.
“I know I will beat Jon Jones,” said Evans in a recent interview with UFC. “He can talk about improvements he’s made, but there are still some things in his game he can never change. He’s a long, rangy fighter and I’m going to get inside, unleash my stuff, take him down and ground and pound him. I’m at a level in my career where I can take down and ground and pound anyone.”
“I’ve got the advantage mentally, too,” Evans continued on the topic of taking out Jones. “He’s not, ‘Jon Jones unbeatable champion,’ to me. I know the real Jon, the nervous kid who would ask me to tell him how to dress, how to talk and how to fight.”
With their fight scheduled for next month at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in Atlanta, expect plenty more talk from both men before Evans can prove his experience is the key or Jones once again wows by taking out a former champion.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainRashad Evans feels knowledge will be key to beating Jon Jones
Even though UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones has looked unbeatable since coming onto the scene a few years ago there’s one man who knows otherwise – Rashad Evans. A former training partner of Jones and next challenger to the 24-year old’s title, Evans will enter their headlining tilt at UFC 145 with supreme confidence based in large part on his familiarity with Jones as both a fighter and regular person.
Evans elaborated on his mindset in a recent interview with the UFC where he listed off the countless things he “knows” about the divisional king and how they’ll carry him to victory come showtime on April 21.
“I know I will beat Jon Jones,” began Evans. “He can talk about improvements he’s made, but there are still some things in his game he can never change. He’s a long, rangy fighter and I’m going to get inside, unleash my stuff, take him down and ground and pound him. I’m at a level in my career where I can take down and ground and pound anyone.”
“I know all about him, all about his coaches and all about his camp,” the animated former champion continued. “I could probably tell you what he’s doing in the gym right now. He’s in the exact same environment doing the exact same things with the exact same people. But I’m in a different environment, I knew I had to learn, had to mix things up and I had to change. Jon has no idea what I will do on the night.”
Jones Says He’s Evolved Since Last Training with Evans
Were that not enough, Evans also pointed to his maturity and experience as being crucial aspects of why he’ll be successful in Atlanta.
“I’ve got the advantage mentally, too. He’s not ‘Jon Jones unbeatable champion’ to me. I know the real Jon, the nervous kid who would ask me to tell him how to dress, how to talk and how to fight. I know how he reacts when things don’t go his way, how he can’t handle it mentally,” said Evans before adding, “And I’ve been through these types of pressure fights. I’ve been in these situations where emotions are involved with my fights with guys like Michael Bisping and ‘Rampage’ (Quinton Jackson). Jon has never been in this type of situation and he’s never faced a fighter like me. I know I will get my title back at UFC 145.”
“Sugar” ‘Shad holds an overall record of 17-1-1 and has won his last four fights including those against Jackson, Thiago Silva, Tito Ortiz, and most recently Phil Davis. Likewise, Jones is 15-1 with the lone defeat involving an unnecessary disqualification and six straight instances of success since. If he defeats Evans it will mark his fourth consecutive victories over former title-holder.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, thing, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comWatch how Jon Jones and Rashad Evans got to UFC 145 title bout ()
With UFC 145 coming quickly, take an extended look at how the two main event fighters worked towards the title match. In it, Jon Jones admits that Rashad Evans is in his head. He's constantly thinking about Evans, how he's training, how he's improving, and how Jones can beat him.
But Evans thinks his knowledge of Jones is exactly what gives him the edge.
"I've got the advantage mentally, too. He's not 'Jon Jones unbeatable champion' to me. I know the real Jon, the nervous kid who would ask me to tell him how to dress, how to talk and how to fight. I know how he reacts when things don't go his way, how he can't handle it mentally," Evans said.
Who will walk away with the UFC light heavyweight belt on Apr. 21? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter .
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, evan, he
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsWatch how Jon Jones and Rashad Evans got to UFC 145 title bout (Yahoo! Sports)
With UFC 145 coming quickly, take an extended look at how the two main event fighters worked towards the title match. In it, Jon Jones admits that Rashad Evans is in his head. He's constantly thinking about Evans, how he's … Continue reading →
Posted in: jon jones, rashad evans, evan, event fighters, head hes
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC 145: Why Counting Rashad Evans out Is a Dangerous Thing to Do
Rashad Evans can beat Jon Jones. In the sport of MMA it's easy to say "anybody can beat anybody," but in this case, Evans has a very real and legitimate shot at dethroning the phenom Jones. A powerful wrestler with devastating knockout power, Evans is a tall order for anybody.
Posted in: jon jones, rashad evans, evan, anybody, case evans
Read the full article at Low KickUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones can't wait to put Rashad Evans out of his misery
"Jealousy fuels Rashad, to some degree. I think it's safe to say, yeah, absolutely safe to say. I think it's very weak emotionally on his part. That's why I can't wait for this fight to be over. I have no problem with him. Right now, I have my kids, I have my girl, we have our place together, I'm following my dreams. I'm doing the right things in life. I'm on the right track. Rashad is the one who looks at this whole story like, you know, this guy's went off and created his own team and he's left the people who were there for him in the beginning. He's the one who is going through this whirlwind in life right now. And I just can't wait to put him out of his misery and solidify me being the light heavyweight champion and telling him to go have a seat somewhere."
-- UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has just about had it up to here (cue hand near head) with his ongoing feud with his former friend, teammate and training partner Rashad Evans. On top of no longer exchanging pleasantries and maintaining a decent relationship with each other, the two have needlessly bickered back and forth for months on end via Twitter, interviews, on pay-per-view; you name it, they've bickered through it. Now "Bones" tells UFC.com he's just ready to finally put Evans out of his misery. If he wins, especially in emphatic fashion, it's likely the last time he'll ever have to deal with "Suga" in any capacity. Then he can tell Rashad to go have a seat somewhere and there's nothing he can do about it. But is that the outcome we'll see at UFC 145 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21, 2012? Or will Evans walk out champion as he vows to do? Sound off, Maniacs.
Posted in: right, rashad, i cant, evan, life im
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Jones vs. Evans – A Deeper Look
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is about to put his belt on the line against former teammate Rashad Evans. Take a deeper look as the two prepare for their UFC 145 title fight.
Posted in: ufc, jone, champion, evan, teammate
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC Quick Quote: Improved Rashad Evans vows to take title from stagnant Jon Jones
"I know how to beat him. There are things about his game which he can't change. The fact that we used to train together gives me a lot of confidence. I know where I need to get to with Jon in order to fight my game. Jon's a tall guy, I can't, obviously, fight on the outside. I gotta get inside where I can fight my game. I see a lot of spaces in Jon's game for a lot of different things. I'm to the point where it doesn't matter who you are, if I take you down, I'm going to unleash my ground and pound on you. I think I've improved more since the last time we trained together. I'm in a new environment, I had to learn. He's in the same environment, same coaches, learning the same thing. I will defeat Jon Jones and become UFC light heavyweight champion."
-- Rashad Evans tells UFC.com he knows exactly what he needs to do to take the light heavyweight championship from current titleholder Jon Jones when the two lock horns inside the Octagon at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. His knowledge comes from the fact that he spent extensive time training with "Bones" at Greg Jackson's Gym down in New Mexico but Evans has a different source of confidence. He believes the split from his old gym has led him to grow as a fighter in a way Jones has been unable to thanks to staying in the same place with the same coaches. Will a supposedly stagnant champion run into an entirely new beast when the two finally settle their differences in the cage? Or is Evans overstating the importance of his travels since leaving his old fight team? Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, game, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans Out to Right Wrongs at UFC 145
The chain of events that will eventually lead us to Atlanta on April 21 and allow the world to witness a battle for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship between current title holder Jon Jones and former champion Rashad Evans was set in motion long before Jones ever stepped foot inside the Octagon. You may agree with this assessment or not, but in my opinion UFC President Dana White is a master puppeteer and saw an opportunity to pay Evans back for his refusal to fight former teammate Keith Jardine the minute Jones joined Greg Jackson’s camp and started making his way up the ranks of the light heavyweight division.
After recently speaking with Evans it became apparent very quickly that he is fiercely loyal and steadfast in his beliefs. While many will say MMA is an individual sport most of those people haven’t had the opportunity to spill blood, shed tears, and sweat alongside a teammate day in and day out. Evans values his relationships amongst his teammates more than he does a championship or a paycheck. That’s not to say he doesn’t desire to hold the UFC light heavyweight title or make a good living and be able to support his family. It just means he isn’t willing to sacrifice the relationships he has forged along the way and alienate the men who have helped get him where he is today.
Evans and Jardine quickly developed a bond when the two men were contestants on the Ultimate Fighter 2 back in 2005. They actually fought on the show with Evans winning by decision. As soon as taping was over Evans joined Jackson’s gym and quickly strengthened that bond with Jardine, one that is still going strong today. As the two fighters slowly but surely climbed the light heavyweight ladder talk began to grow that they could possibly face one another if their success continued. Beginning with his fight with Tito Ortiz at UFC 73 in July of 2007, Evans started to fight a higher level of competition. After the Ortiz bout he would go on to defeat Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and then Forrest Griffin at UFC 98 in December of 2008. With his ensuing knockout over Griffin, Evans became the new light heavyweight champ.
Jardine on the other hand was going through a period of inconsistency and because of this talk of him fighting Evans seemed to temper off a bit, but that doesn’t mean that White would forget that both men publicly refused to fight one another. If Jardine had continued on with the success he had after the show had ended both he and Evans would have found themselves in a very difficult position. Jardine had defeated both Griffin and Liddell before Evans did, but lost to Houston Alexander and Wanderlei Silva after those wins. While those losses may have spared the two friends and training partners the headache of either fighting one another or risk losing their position with the UFC it remained in the back of White’s mind and would rear its ugly head the minutes Jones started making a name for himself.
Evans has gone on record as saying that he was not comfortable with Jackson bringing Jones in to the camp. He felt as though it would ultimately lead to the same drama that he and Jardine were forced to deal with. Eventually Evans gave in and agreed to train alongside Jones. It didn’t take long for the two men to develop a strong bond in and outside of the cage. Evans took Jones under his wing and didn’t hold back when it came to helping Jones become the best fighter he could be. Somewhere along the way they made an agreement not to fight one another or allow White to come in between them. Jones seemed to value his relationship with Evans in the same manner Rashad did with Jardine.
After beating Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 114 the UFC announced Evans would go on to face then champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua once the champion had recovered from knee surgery. The bout was to take place at UFC 128. As it turned out, while training for the match-up Evans injured his knee and was forced to pull out of the fight. In a surprise move, White awarded Jones the opportunity to face Rua after he defeated Ryan Bader at UFC 126. The move in itself wasn’t what upset Evans as he knew the UFC needed to find a replacement; it was the fact that Jones spoke out in an interview during the promotion for his fight with Rua and stated he would face Evans if the UFC offered him the fight. Obviously upset with Jones, Evans left Jackson’s camp and moved south to Florida.
Stung by Jones betrayal and for what he perceived to be a lack of support from Jackson, Evans needed to pull himself together quickly and regroup. He and a team of Brazilian fighters who used to train with American Top Team joined forces with some respected fighters to create The Blackzilians and began training under the tutelage of Mike Van Arsdale at Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton. Since he began working there Evans has defeated Ortiz and Phil Davis. These days “Suga” seems to be more at peace, and although he is still hurt by what went down he is forced to deal with the fact that this is a business; that not everyone abides by the same values he does.
In just six short weeks Evans will get the opportunity to punish Jones for stabbing him in the back and in the process he can win back the belt he lost to Lyoto Machida. The veteran has a chance to prove to the young lion that he made a colossal mistake by breaking the pact they made. Evans also gets to show Jackson that he chose to stand behind the wrong fighter. There is much more at stake here than the UFC title. Everything Evans believes in is on the line. Never has a fight been more personal and never before has a fight created such controversy. As if fighting Jones wasn’t difficult enough, Evans also has to fight the naysayers who have criticized him for taking this too personal. None of us know what went on behind closed doors between Jones and Evans, but we will get to see the fallout from it all come April 21.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, ’t, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain“UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans” Official Televised Lineup
Nine bouts on the “UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans” fight card have been scheduled for broadcast on FX and pay-per-view.
A four-fight preliminary card will air on FX, featuring an intriguing bantamweight contest between Miguel Torres and Michael McDonald at the top of the broadcast. Battles between the Stephen Thompson and Matt Brown, heavyweights Travis Browne and Chad Griggs, as well as Anthony Njokuani and John Makdessi will fill out the rest of the FX-aired portion of the card.
The FX preliminaries will lead into a five-fight main card on pay-per-view headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between rivals Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Three preliminary card bouts have yet to be officially assigned a home, but are expected to be shown on Facebook. Check out the full lineup below:
MAIN CARD
(C) Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Mark Bocek vs. Matt Wiman
PRELIMINARY CARD (FX)
Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres
Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs
Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson
John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani
PRELIMINARY CARD
Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero
Chris Clements vs. Keith Wisniewski
Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage
Posted in: jone, fx, vs, card, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyLooking Ahead to the Highlights of April
As winter ends and spring approaches the MMA community can look forward to a plethora of great fights. The first two months of 2012 have been both busy and entertaining, culminating with the thrilling main event of the UFC on FX 2 in addition to the show’s excellent 125-pound pairings. If Thiago Alves-Kampmann doesn’t sum up the meaning of MMA I don’t know what does. No matter how close you are to losing there is always an opportunity to turn things around and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
If Alves-Kampmann wasn’t thrilling enough then the introduction of the flyweights had to get your attention. Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall laid it all on the line for fifteen minutes and were it not for a scoring error fans would have gotten to witness the first ever “sudden victory” round during a live UFC event. Fans and both of these great fighters were robbed, but the UFC will more than make up for it given some of the action to come. Let’s take a look forward and see what lies ahead in the world of Mixed Martial Arts.
For this particular article I am only going to cover the UFC. The next installment will go over what they have going on in May, as well as feature the fantastic fights that Bellator has lined up in April including the Eddie Alvarez-Shinya Aoki rematch.
Papy Abedi vs. James Head – UFC on Fuel TV 2:
Abedi headed into his UFC 138 match-up against former welterweight contender Alves undefeated in eight bouts. I realize he was choked out, but he was making his debut at 170 pounds and there was something about him that caught my attention. I could be totally wrong, but I have a feeling we will see some special things from the Zaire native. Head also lost his UFC debut back in June at UFC 131 against Nick Ring though he had tasted defeat before. With seven finishes in his eight wins I am looking for Abedi to make a statement here.
It should also be said the bout between Alexander Gustafsson and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira would have made the cut though Nogueira has since been replaced due to injury.
Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres – UFC 145:
Torres is back in the UFC after being fired for a few weeks based on some outlandish remarks he made via Twitter. Torres does not appear to be the same fighter he was when he was the WEC bantamweight champ, or maybe it’s just the fact that the competition has gotten that much better. Case in point with McDonald, the 21-year-old has won his last seven fights and looks better in each one of them. This could be his breakout fight and vault him towards title contention. Then again, perhaps it’ll be Torres who has a rebirth and makes a run towards the top of the division. Either way it’ll be fun to watch.
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills – UFC 145:
MacDonald is the future of the UFC welterweight division. The man has one loss and that was to current UFC Interim Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit. He trains alongside Georges St. Pierre and, similarly to his friend/mentor, has been steamrolling over his opponents. Who can forget the way he manhandled Nate Diaz at UFC 129? The sky is the limit for the British Columbia native. Meanwhile, Mills is on a five-fight winning streak and won his UFC debut against Chris Cope at UFC 138. No disrespect to Mills, but this is MacDonald’s fight all the way. I would expect to see Rory in title contention by the spring of next year.
Matt Brown vs. Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson – UFC 145:
Thompson certainly lived up to his hype at UFC 143. He nearly kicked Dan Stittgen’s head off with what he calls “The Moneymaker,” and earned himself the Knockout of the Night bonus in his UFC debut (lending credit to the move’s nickname). Firas Zahabi and GSP both have said Thompson has the best striking of anyone in combat sports. However, don’t sleep on his ground game as his brother-in-law is former world masters champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Carlos Machado. Brown is definitely a step up in competition, but his striking is nowhere near the level of Thompson’s and his ground game is not evolved enough to the point where he could possibly try and take advantage of Thompson’s inexperience on the ground. In my opinion, another breakout performance for Thompson is in store for the fans in Atlanta.
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans – UFC 145:
This one has been in the works for over a year, though after speaking to Evans I know he is tired of the talking and ready to get inside the Octagon to fight. Jones has looked unbeatable and up until this point no one has even hurt him. Lyoto Machida landed a nice punch in the first round of their UFC 140 bout, but all that seemed to do was wake up a sleeping giant.
Evans is coming off of wins against Tito Ortiz at UFC 133 and the previously undefeated Phil Davis in January at UFC on Fox 2. Not many are giving this former champion a chance simply because no other fighter has been able to break “Bones”, but don’t sleep on Evans. He is a very proud man and feels he was wronged by not only Jones but by former trainer Greg Jackson as well. I think this fight will be the first time that we see Jones with his back against the wall and in some trouble. I’m not saying Evans will win, but rest assured he will gain some payback come April 21 in Atlanta, the very place where he knocked Chuck Liddell out cold.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, evan, thompson
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones says attempting to harm Rashad Evans will be "kind of trippy"
Known for vicious elbow attacks, spinning back fists, and flying knees, Jon Jones appears to throw each of his strikes with bad intentions - against Rashad Evans, however, things might be "a little different." Set to meet at UFC 145, "Bones" will put his Light Heavyweight title on the line when he meets Evans in the headlining bout...
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan, elbow attacks
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones Vs. Evans
Finally, it seems that the most talked-about grudge match in MMA over the last year is going to come together. Former training partners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans are scheduled to meet for the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event on UFC 145, which takes place on April 21st from Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. The card also features two big heavyweight bouts, with Brendan Schaub taking on Ben Rothwell, and Chad Griggs making his UFC debut against Travis Browne. Check out the current card below:
Apr 21st, live on pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA:
Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
Michael McDonald (14-1) vs. Miguel Torres (40-4)
Brendan Schaub (8-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8)
Chad Griggs (11-1) vs. Travis Browne (12-0-1)
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. Matt Wiman (14-6)
Anthony Njokuani (14-6) vs. John Makdessi (9-1)
Efrain Escudero (18-4) vs. Mac Danzig (20-9-1)
Chris Clements (10-4) vs. Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1)
Maximo Blanco (8-3-1) vs. Marcus Brimage (4-1)
Matt Brown (13-11) vs. Stephen Thompson (6-0)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowBelieve Your Eyes: Jon Jones UFC 145 promo for Rashad Evans fight (Video)
Far be it from the UFC to get all artsy fartsy on us but this promo for Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and his upcoming title defense against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, in Atlanta, Georgia, is incredible.
It's a far cry from the in-your-face, assault on your senses style we've come to know from the world's largest fight promotion. It's clear they want to showcase "Bones" as the next big star in mixed martial arts (MMA). It's tough to blame them when the 24-year-old phenom has accomplished more in a few years than most do in a lifetime.
If you're worried UFC is showing some favoritism here, don't be. Company co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta tweeted word that Rashad Evans will get a similar treatment before we see the most highly anticipated match-up of the year.
Sign us up.
For all the latest news and notes for the UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" event be sure to hit up our complete archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, fight promotion, rashad evans, evan, inyourface assault
Read the full article at MMA ManiaNew previews surface for UFC 145, Ultimate Fighter 15
The UFC production staff has been working overtime as of late but you certainly wouldn’t know it based on the quality of the material surfacing from their offices as of late. Over the weekend the team unveiled two new previews attached to the Ultimate Fighter 15 and UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans.
As might be expected the UFC 145 clip focuses heavily on the fractured relationship between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former title-holder Rashad Evans. The two face off on April 21 in Atlanta where they will not only fight for the divisional belt but to settle a personal score created when Jones, then a teammate of Evans, expressed a willingness to fight him for the belt.
Emotions Run High at UFC 145 Press Conference
Meanwhile, TUF 15 features 135-pound king Dominick Cruz and rival Urijah Faber coaching teams of lightweights/welterweights on FX in a new “real time” format including live fights every Friday night. Much as the sport has evolved so has the show, a point made in the attached preview. The first episode airs March 9.
Check out the videos below:
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, preview, evan, belt emotions
Read the full article at Fighters.comVideo: UFC 145 trailer for 'Jones vs Evans' on April 21 in Atlanta
Let's be real for a second here, Maniacs. This promo for the UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" event set for April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the best the promotion has ever put out.
It does a good job of telling the story of former friends Jon Jones and Rashad Evans being torn apart by the lust for gold and fame without either of them saying a word. All this in just the 30-second spot, accomplishing exactly what it's supposed to in quickly getting fans up to speed on the situation while hyping the light heavyweight championship showdown.
There is another version, just like this one, except with quotes from Evans and Jones over the top of it. It's just as good, if not better, than the one you see above. Watch it after the jump.
And remember to hit up our complete archive for all the UFC 145 news and notes you need to know right here.
Seriously, folks, are you not hyped for this fight or what?
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, atlanta georgia, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones Vs. Evans
Finally, it seems that the most talked-about grudge match in MMA over the last year is going to come together. Former training partners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans are scheduled to meet for the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event on UFC 145, which takes place on April 21st from Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. The card also features two big heavyweight bouts, with Brendan Schaub taking on Ben Rothwell, and Chad Griggs making his UFC debut against Travis Browne. Check out the current card below:
Apr 21st, live on pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA:
Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
Michael McDonald (14-1) vs. Miguel Torres (40-4)
Brendan Schaub (8-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8)
Chad Griggs (11-1) vs. Travis Browne (12-0-1)
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. Matt Wiman (14-6)
Anthony Njokuani (14-6) vs. John Makdessi (9-1)
Efrain Escudero (18-4) vs. Mac Danzig (20-9-1)
Chris Clements (10-4) vs. Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1)
Maximo Blanco (8-3-1) vs. Marcus Brimage (4-1)
Matt Brown (13-11) vs. Stephen Thompson (6-0)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans exchanges verbal jabs with Jon Jones on talkshow
They may have been teammates before but it’s clear UFC light heavyweight king Jon Jones and ex-champion Rashad Evans have no love for one another anymore.
After working together in New Mexico under the guidance of Greg Jackson, Evans departed the camp once Jones said he would have no problems facing “Suga” down the road for the title. His stance, in addition to having not spoken to Evans directly about it, angered the Ultimate Fighter 2 winner and the two have been on a path to fight ever since.
Finally, after having the bout called twice due to injuries, Jones and Evans will tangle on April 21 in Atlanta at UFC 145. Before they exchange blows in the Octagon, however, the two have been battling in a verbal sense and got into a word-based brawl recently while appearing on Canadian sports-show SportsNite.
When the topic of a training session came up where Evans claims he held Jones down, the streaking champion responded by saying, “You’re talking about a day where you held me down for may be 30 seconds and said, ‘OK Jon, work to get up.’ You didn’t strike me. You didn’t submit me. You held me down.” Evans obviously had a different take on the matter.
Check out the complete interview below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, evan, training session
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainGreg Jackson Will Corner Jon Jones Against Rashad Evans At UFC 145
After months of speculation and denial, Greg Jackson will corner Jon Jones in his match against Rashad Evans at UFC 145, after all. Following Jones’ win at UFC 128, Jackson vowed he would not train or corner Jones for his matchup with Evans (if they were to be matched up against one another), due to being the head trainer for both over the two years prior.
However, Jones confirmed on Twitter that he will indeed have his head trainer in his corner for his championship fight against Evans at UFC 145in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21st.
Animosity began once Jones admitted he would be open to fighting (teammate at the time) Evans, if it was desired by UFC brass. Evans took offense to this, maintaining that teammates should not fight each other. This came to the forefront once Jones replaced Evans following Jones’ win at UFC 126. Evans sustained an injury, forcing him to withdraw from his scheduled championship fight against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128. Jones went on to win the light heavyweight title against Rua.
This seemingly forced Greg Jackson’s hand, who was stuck in the middle of two fighters whom he both groomed into UFC champions. Following Jones’ win, Jackson repeatedly stated he would not train or corner Jones once a matchup with Evans was announced.
Evans eventually left Jackson’s MMA, choosing to instead train at Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Florida.
But this was all nearly a year ago, and Jackson has since changed his stance. Now he confirms that he will train Jones for the matchup in two months, along with cornering the champion during the fight at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
This was the beginning of a great news weekend for Jones, who was named the honorary race official of this weekend’s Daytona 500 in Daytona, Florida on Sunday.
UFC 145 takes place April 21st in Atlanta, Georgia. Other announced matchups include Rory MacDonald against Che Mills and Brendan Schaub taking on Ben Rothwell in a heavyweight showdown.
For complete coverage of UFC 145, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, evan, matchup
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyGreg Jackson changes tune and will corner Jon Jones at UFC 145
Though it may be with a heavy heart, it appears renowned coach Greg Jackson will indeed be in the corner of light heavyweight champion Jon Jones when “Bones” faces Rashad Evans. Previously Jackson had stated he would only assist Jones with training for the April bout rather than work the fight from cage-side based on his past professional relationship with Evans.
Jones confirmed Jackson’s decision on Twitter over the weekend, adding he felt, “Fortunate to have him.”
Emotions Run High at UFC 145 Presser
As recently as last week Jones had stated he didn’t believe his longtime coach would be in his corner at UFC 145. However, Evans came forward in the same press conference to say he hadn’t spoken to Jackson in a year.
The April 21 bout will mark the culmination of a conflict dating to comments Jones made regarding his willingness to face then teammate Evans if required to do so by the UFC. While the words did not necessarily upset Evans, Jones’ lack of accountability on the topic rubbed him the wrong way and resulted in Evans departure from Jackson’s gym in New Mexico. The two have exchanged verbal barbs numerous times since with Evans even calling into question Jackson’s role in the matter, having originally been opposed to his mentor’s interest in bringing Jones on board based on the probability of an eventual fight between the two.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, evan, comments jones
Read the full article at Fighters.com108 Days Out: Evan Dunham Vs Edson Barboza Booked For UFC 146
The first few fights for UFC 146 are starting to make their way down the pipe, first with Jason Miller announcing on his twitter that he'd be fighting C.B. Dolloway at the event, next with Dana White taking to his own twitter to make Evan Dunham vs Edson Barboza an official match up for the card. After taking the UFC on the road for a good stretch, they are looking to return to Las Vegas and the MGM grand for the Memorial Day weekend. There is talk that they will book the heavyweight championship between Junior Dos Santos and Alistair Overeem and perhaps Cain Velasquez against Frank Mir in a number one contenders fight, which would make it quite the card.
Dunham and Barboza are both coming off Fight of the Night performances, (Barboza is actually coming off of three straight) Dunham putting on the best fight of the entire UFC on FOX 2 event, a second round TKO over Nik Lentz, while Barboza used a spinning heel kick to earn a KO of Terry Etim in the third round at UFC 142.
Dunham is 6-2 in the organization, having bounced back with two straight wins after a controversial split decision loss to Sean Sherk and a not so controversial knock out loss to Melvin Guillard removed him from the unbeaten list in an hurry. Barboza is still on that list, having notched the same four straight wins that Dunham had before meeting Sherk.
This fight is a great candidate to be the first bout of the night on pay per view. Barboza has yet to face a grappler of Dunham's calibre, while Dunham has probably never faced a technician like Barboza. Dunham has felt the wrath of a powerful striker in Guillard, so that may give him some clarity in terms of where he wants to keep the fight.
My early pick is Evan Dunham by decision.
Evan Dunham is the 20th ranked lightweight in the world. He fights out of Xtreme Couture.Edson Barboza is unranked. He fights out of The Armory.
Posted in: ufc, fight, dunham, barboza, evan
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendJon Jones and Rashad Evans discuss their conflict on CSS SportsNite
The fight between Jon Jones and "Suga" Rashad Evans is two months away, but it already looks like the cold war between the two former teammates gets hot.
Jones and Evans sat to discuss the origins of their mutual hatred, once again promising MMA fans around the world a grudge match for the ages. Evans called Jon Jones "fake" and a "fraud", claiming that he knows the "real Jon Jones" is not even close to his public image. From another side, Jones claimed his match-up with Evans is just a small part of his
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, evan, ages evans
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones & Rashad Evans Get Into It On SportsNite; Greg Jackson Will Corner Jones
Rashad Evans has accused Jon Jones of being fake in plenty of interviews. Turns out he doesn’t have a problem of saying it to his face either, because that’s exactly what happens in this face-to-face interview on CSS SportsNite.
Related: Greg Jackson says he will corner Jon Jones for the Evans fight out of loyalty to his team.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, evan, evans fight, css sportsnite
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145: Rashad Evans calls Jon Jones a fake and a fraud, 'Bones' tries to keep it classy (Video)
Is it April yet?
UFC 145 is more than two months away, but former training partners and bitter rivals who are set to headline the pay-per-view (PPV) event, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on April 21, 2012, continue to verbally spar prior to the championship clash.
It apparently gets even more dicey when the pair have to share a stage.
This is one must-see exchange that "Suga" attempts to instigate throughout, while "Bones" attempts to remain cool and collected.
Call me crazy, but Evans' incessant poking, as well as admittedly having no respect for Jones as a person, has to be having some sort of impact, whether the Light Heavyweight champion wants to admit it or not. Or, perhaps, he just doesn't realize yet.
That will likely change, for better or worse, as fight night draws closer.
Check out part two of the heated exchange on the set of "SportsNite" after the jump: For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" and their volatile history be sure to hit up our complete event archive right here. Thanks to BloodyElbow.com for the assist.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, evan, fraud bones, suga attempts
Read the full article at MMA ManiaEvan Dunham vs Edson Barboza booked for UFC 146
submitted by brettawesome [link] [4 comments]
Posted in: ufc, vs, barboza, evan, edson
Read the full article at RedditGreg Jackson Will Corner Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Greg Jackson, the MMA coach who has long sought to foster a team-first environment at his gym and claimed he would never participate if two of his students planned to fight against each other, has made a difficult decision: He has decided to corner Jon Jones at UFC 145, when Jones will defend the light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans, a longtime member of Team Jackson.
Evans left the Jackson team only after it became clear that he and Jones were on a collision course at the top of the light heavyweight division, and there's some lingering bitterness between Evans and Jones. Jackson's decision will do nothing to lessen that bitterness, and it will undoubtedly lead to some hard feelings for Evans toward Jackson as well.
But it's the right decision: Jackson is Jones's coach, and Jackson needs to do his job as Jones's coach and be there for Jones at UFC 145.
It's easy to see why Evans is unhappy. He came up under Jackson's wing and always subscribed to Jackson's teachings about teammates not fighting each other. For a long time, the question Evans faced wasn't whether he would fight Jones, but whether he would fight his friend and training partner Keith Jardine. Evans and Jardine always insisted they would never fight each other, and Jackson always insisted that was the right course of action.
Things started to change a year ago, when Evans suffered an injury while training at Jackson's gym for his planned fight with Shogun Rua, and Jones stepped in to take Evans' place. Jones became the champion, Evans remained the No. 1 contender, and although it's taken a year to get the timing right, the Jones-Evans title fight is now going to happen. In the mean time, Evans left Jackson's gym in large part because he wasn't happy about the way things transpired between himself and Jones.
Jackson never wanted Jones and Evans to be in a position where they were fighting each other, but the reality of the business is that the UFC needs its best fighters to be willing to fight. They may be friends or teammates or training partners, but if one is the champion and the other is the No. 1 contender, they need to fight. Jackson has long supported an ideal in which teammates never fight teammates, but that ideal just isn't realistic at the highest levels of the UFC. Sometimes the two best fighters in a weight class just have to suck it up and fight each other.
And when those times come up, a coach who has a relationship with both fighters will face a difficult decision. Jackson was faced with a difficult decision as soon as Jones and Evans were identified as likely future opponents, and now Jackson can't delay that decision any longer. He's made his decision about where he'll be at UFC 145, and he made the right decision. He'll be in Jones's corner, doing everything he can to help Jones beat Evans.
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, decision, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseEdson Barboza vs. Evan Dunham on Tap for UFC 146 in May
A lightweight bout has been added to the upcoming UFC 146 card in May as undefeated knockout artist Edson Barboza faces Evan Dunham.
Posted in: ufc, dunham, barboza, evan, edson
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jones and Evans on CSS - Full Video
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, mattyblayze, cs
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Calls Jon Jones Fake To His Face
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and his UFC 145 opponent Rashad Evans were guests on CSS SportsNite and didn't hold anything back. Jones plays his usual humble young sportsman role but Evans, a former teammate and friend of Jones, calls him on it.
The drama peaks when Jones starts talking about being a young man who doesn't have a lot of wealth and Evans points out that Jones owns a Bentley. Jones has to note that its a 2012 Bentley. From there the conversation degenerates.
Jones compares himself to Muhammad Ali and Evans points out that Ali was humbled. Evans does concede that Jones has earned his fame but insists that "there ain't nothing new under the sun" and tells Jones, "you're just a drop in the bucket, bro." Evans concludes that Jones is "preaching to the choir."
Part 2 of the segment is after the jump.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, sbn coverage, evans points
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jon Jones Confirms That Greg Jackson Will Corner Him Against Rashad Evans
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jone tweeted last night that his coach Greg Jackson will indeed corner him against former teammate Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jones had said at last week's UFC 145 press conference that he didn't expect Jackson to corner him.
Evans trained at Jackson's MMA long before Jones and originally the two had vowed never to fight. That all fell apart when Evans had to bow out of a UFC 128 title shot against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Jones stepped up and took the title.
Evans and Jones quickly ceased being friends and Evans left Jackson's MMA as part of the fall out.
Jackson originally had said he would never corner one of the two against the other, but recently rethought his position. Essentially Jackson concluded that since Evans left the team that he owed it to the team to corner Jones.
ESPN Magazine recently did an in-depth feature on the Jones-Evans rivalry and how Dana White and other UFC officials egged it on.
Here's Jones' tweet:
@JonnybonesJon Bones Jones Greg Jackson confirmed today he will be in my corner for UFC 145 Feb 19 via TweetCaster for iOS Favorite Retweet Reply
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, evan, jacksons mma
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRankings: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans is a top-10 match to savor (Yahoo! Sports)
With emotions running high, this year's fight between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and ex-champ Rashad Evans should be one for the ages.
Posted in: jon, jone, evan, yahoo sports, years fight
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Tickets On-Sale Press Conference Video
The UFC held a tickets on-sale news conference Thursday in Atlanta for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans. You can now watch the entire event, with Dana White, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, evan, onsale
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Press Conference: “Jones vs. Evans”
The UFC is finally returning to Atlanta. After a three year wait, fans will once again pack Philips Arena for a UFC pay-per-view at UFC 145 on April 21st. With that comes one of the most anticipated matchups of 2012 with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones taking on Rashad Evans.
Jones and Evans’ history has long been discussed, after it took a negative turn when Jones replaced Evans at UFC 128 in March 2011. Teammates at Jackson’s MMA, Jones mentioned fighting Evans if the situation should arise; something Evans did not take so kindly to. After Jones defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to win the title, Evans left Jackson’s MMA and began training in Florida. Since then, the possible matchup of the two has been mentioned non-stop.
Jones (15-1) last fought in December, defeating Lyoto Machida in the second round via submission. Evans (17-1-1) fought a month later at UFC on FOX 2, defeating Phil Davis by decision. The matchup between Jones and Evans was announced for UFC 145 shortly thereafter.
Other official matchups at the event include Rory MacDonald taking on Che Mills, a heavyweight battle between Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell, and a lightweight clash between Mark Bocek and Matt Wiman.
On Thursday, the first press conference for UFC 145 took place, with both Jones and Evans in attendance.The UFC released video of the event, which can be seen below.
For complete coverage of UFC 145, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com
Posted in: ufc, jone, phil davis, evan, matchup
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Press Conference Video
Yesterday saw the official press conference for UFC 145, an event which sees the long awaited light heavyweight championship bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. The trash talk between the men was clicking as most expected it to be with the way the rivalry between the two men has built over the last year.
Here is the video of the presser:
MMA Fighting has some notes from the conference:
"I'm going to be cliche and say I'm going to go out there with great intentions and train really hard and just have fun," he said. "I realize when I have fun great things happen. Magical things happen."
But as he finished his thought, Evans interjected, saying "What do you really think, though?"
"You remember what I told you," Jones said.
"I remember what you told me, but I remember you didn't mean it," Evans said.
Some rowdy fans in the crowd yelled out, asking Evans what Jones said, and Evans mimicked Jones nervously saying, "Rashad, I'm going to be the first one to finish you in the first round...," stuttering his way throughout the less-than-flattering imitation.
Posted in: jone, conference, rashad, evan, im
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans on Jon Jones: ‘Anybody Can Lose, He’s Going to Find That Out’
Rashad Evans scoffs at the idea that Jon Jones is destined for greatness. He says he's seen a lot of past champions say the same thing, and they don't have the title any longer either.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 press conference recap: Jon Jones not expecting to be cornered by Greg Jackson
Ultimate Fighting Championship held a public press conference today (Feb. 16, 2012) to officially announce UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," which will take place this Saturday (April 21, 2012).
The press conference which began at 1 p.m. ET and took place the Luckie Marietta District of downtown Atlanta, the home city of the event. Attending were the headlining fighters of the evening, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans as well as UFC President Dana White.
Jones, the UFC light heavyweight champion, and Evans, the former champ, are former teammates and have been having a war of words for the past year ever since a dispute led to Evans leaving Greg Jackson's gym and moving to Imperial Athletics in Florida. Coach Jackson, one of the best trainers and cornermen in the business, was one of the first topics discussed during the presser.
We've got Jon Jones' response about Jackson and much, much more after the jump:
Jones on Greg Jackson cornering him:
I don't expect [Greg Jackson] to be in my corner. Greg has taught me this whole thing about being an artist and being a great artist and he said, 'In order to be a great artist, you need a great coach and a great teacher. You need someone who's always giving you new paintbrushes.' That's what he'll do leading up to this fight. He's gonna give me lots of new tactics, lots of new ways of thinking and approaching the sport and then I'm gonna have the canvas on April 21st to paint a new masterpiece."
This is an emotionally charged fight, as Evans has had a post-fight staredown with "Bones" twice now after his victories only to see their bout scrapped due to injuries. With both men fully healthy and a date finally set, it appears that Jones is expecting to use his emotions as fuel in preparing for Evans.
"I think my opponent will be in my head for this fight and I want him in my head. I think my opponent getting in my head, that really brings out the best in me."
Evans, on the other hand, feels he needs to keep his emotions in check. In doing so, he'll get back to the same old rhythm he used to have when him and Jones were training together.
"There's always emotions in each fight. I am gonna have to be a little conscious of it, not get carried away with it. Me and Jon, we competed against each other before and we always bring it every time we competed even in practice. It was always like we've always been there before. I'm thinking we're gonna find our rhythm like we always do, like when he wouldn't want me to take him down and I wouldn't want him to take me down. We'd just go at it back and forth. It's gonna be the same."
As one reporter pointed out, Jones was very confident in himself during his big network analyst gig at the second UFC on FOX event following Evans' victory in a five round battle over Phil Davis. He explained why he felt confident, admitting that he can't help being honest about what he saw.
"There was this whole Rashad 2.0 thing that was getting started and in his first fight in a new camp, his body looked better, I saw some differences in his game and in the last fight, I didn't see any progression whatsoever. It inspired me. It made me really happy with what I saw. It made me think, 'Wow! If that athlete shows up on April 21st, it's gonna be an interesting night.' ... It's like you're competitor reporter is not doing his job well and you're just like, 'Oh, this is gonna be great.'"
Evans, though, got the last laugh, mocking Jones' appearance on national television and poking fun at his erratic movement and inability to sit still, even comparing him to a famous musician.
"I read body language a little bit and I studied psychology and if you see Jon and the way he was swiveling that chair, he couldn't keep still. It was like he was Stevie Wonder for a minute. He couldn't keep still. I don't know. He can say what he wants to, but he already knows what time it was. He knows it won't be an easy fight. He knows it's gonna be the hardest fight of his career. He already knows that coming into this fight because he competed against me before. He already felt what I have. He can say whatever he wants to about how I competed against somebody else. He already knows what time it is when we go together."
All in all, it was a pretty tame presser as Jones did his best to put out any fires that Evans tried to start between them. It even finished with the (we thought he was past this) no-eye contact staredown.
Who do you think is winning the war of words thus far, Maniacs?
Will it matter come April 21st?
Sound off!
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jackson, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaGreg Jackson still not likely to corner Jon Jones against Rashad Evans
Even though it’s been a year since the falling out between former teammates, current rivals, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans it appears Greg Jackson is living up to his word and won’t be in the champ’s corner when he defends his title against Evans in Atlanta this spring. Evans was under Jackson’s tutelage when “Bones” first joined the team and split from the group in New Mexico as a result of his issue with Jones.
“I don’t expect him to be in my corner,” said Jones earlier today during a press conference promoting the event.
However, though Jackson may not physically be there that doesn’t mean the renowned instructor won’t be on Jones’ mind throughout the fight.
“Greg has taught me this whole thing about being a great artist,” explained Jones. “And he said, ‘In order to be a great artist you need a great coach, a great teacher. You need someone who is always giving you new paint, new paintbrushes.’ That’s what he’ll do leading up to this fight. He’s gonna give me lots of new tactics, lots of new ways of thinking and approaching this sport. And then I’m gonna have the canvas on April 21 to paint a new masterpiece.”
Jones Thinks Evans is “Coming Down the Other Side of the Hill”
Then again, while he may not have said so specifically, it apparently wouldn’t bother Evans if Jackson did corner Jones based on the damage that’s already been done. When asked what his relationship with Jackson was like at the moment, Evans replied, “We don’t have a relationship. We don’t get to talk no more. I haven’t talked to Greg in probably a little over a year.”
Jones-Evans will serve as the headliner at UFC 145 with other match-ups including Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills and Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell.
Check out the entire press conference below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: jone, jackson, ’t, evan, greg
Read the full article at Fighters.comDan Henderson Continues His Light Heavy-Wait For An Opponent
On the day of the first press conference for UFC 145: “Jones vs. Evans”, another light heavyweight contender continues to do what he has been doing for months- waiting.
After defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139 in November, Dan Henderson (29-8) maintained that he felt he deserved a title shot after that victory, and that he was willing to wait for it. He continued to wait through January, as Rashad Evans faced Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2. Throughout the week, UFC President Dana White answered repeatedly that Evans would get the opportunity to face Jon Jones if he were to win against Davis. However, if Evans lost or suffered an injury against Davis, Henderson would step in to face Jones.
Unfortunately for Henderson, Evans defeated Davis and left the cage unscathed, and the matchup with Jones was announced for UFC 145 on April 21st shortly thereafter.
Throughout this time, Henderson has been offered opponents, but has declined all of them. White confirmed that Henderson most recently turned down an opportunity to face Lyoto Machida. Reportedly, he also turned down a rematch with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. The two fought in April 2005 at PRIDE Total Elimination 2005, with Nogueira winning by armbar.
Henderson has stated that due to a lot of the top contenders in the division already with opponents, he would be interested in fighting at heavyweight while waiting for the scheduled fights in the light heavyweight division to play out. Henderson fought at heavyweight last June, defeating Fedor Emelianenko via TKO in the first round. This was his final fight for Strikeforce before returning to the UFC.
However, the UFC rarely allows fighters to move around in weight, instead preferring fighters permanently move to a specific weight class.
For now, Henderson will have to continue waiting, but will likely end up taking a fight during the summer instead of waiting for the Jones vs. Evans winner to be ready. With that championsip fight scheduled in April, the winner might not be ready until late summer or early fall. Henderson turns 42 in August.
Posted in: ufc, jone, heavyweight, henderson, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145 ‘Jones vs. Evans’ Press Conference Full Video
Full video from today’s UFC 145 press conference. UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and title contender Rashad Evans were in attendance.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, video, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 press conference full video for 'Jones vs Evans'
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today (Feb. 16, 2012) held its "tickets on sale" pre-fight press conference to help promote the upcoming UFC 145 pay-per-view (PPV) event headlined by a light heavyweight title fight featuring former training partners and bitter rivals Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
If you missed the staredown between "Bones" and "Suga" from earlier today then click here to see what all the fuss is about. Those of you who are video impaired can expect a full presser recap a little later this evening.
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" goes down on April 21, 2012, from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and will also feature a welterweight match-up pitting rising star Rory MacDonald against British banger Che Mills. Heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are also scheduled to collide.
Get up to speed on all the news and notes for UFC 145, and there are aplenty, by clicking here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, presser recap
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Press Conference (Full Video)
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and top contender Rashad Evans squared off on Thursday in Atlanta to begin the promotion around their fight coming up at UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, champion, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones, Rashad Evans Reignite Rivalry as UFC 145 Buildup Begins
The first time Rashad Evans marched into Atlanta, he was a sizable underdog trying to make a legacy for himself. Next time he does, he'll again be a sizable underdog, this time trying to seal a legacy as a two-time UFC light-heavyweight champion.Nearly a year after the long-simmering grudge between Evans and Jones began, there's finally an end game, UFC 145 in April. But until then, expect salvos to be fired and returned. A full two months before the two meet in the cage, they met at a spot overlooking downtown Atlanta, with Evans reasserting his belief that his previous work with Jones would give him the advantage in their matchup, and the champion admitting that the broken friendship and personal feelings would play a motivational role in his training.
"I think that my opponent will be in my head this fight," he said. "And I want him in my head because I realize when people are in my head, it brings out the best in me, and that’s what I’m prepared to show."The 24-year-old has seen his star rise over the last year following a brilliant stretch that saw him win four times in 2011, including three finishes over former UFC champions. But it was a question of whether Jones could finish Evans within one round that led to the most animated exchange between the two fighters. It started innocently enough from Jones."I’m going to be cliche and say I’m going to go out there with great intentions and train really hard and just have fun," he said. "I realize when I have fun great things happen. Magical things happen."But as he finished his thought, Evans interjected, saying "What do you really think, though?""You remember what I told you," Jones said."I remember what you told me, but I remember you didn’t mean it," Evans said.Some rowdy fans in the crowd yelled out, asking Evans what Jones said, and Evans mimicked Jones nervously saying, "Rashad, I’m going to be the first one to finish you in the first round…," stuttering his way throughout the less-than-flattering imitation.That brought laughs from the audience, and even got a chuckle from UFC president Dana White. Jones portrayed the hint of a smile, but wasn't quite so amused."I remember being here and Rampage was doing the same thing, so …," Jones said, letting his words trail off and throwing his hands up, letting the memory of his fourth-round submission win over Jackson finish his thought.The easy rapport the two shared mostly replaced by acrimony, the two did share a couple of lighter moments throughout. But most of the time, it was a case of one answering a question, and the other rebutting the answer as though they were debating.Jones smiled throughout the 30-minute press conference, although the two didn't look each other in the eye during a post-even staredown photo opportunity or share a handshake at its conclusion. Evans was clearly the crowd favorite of the two, with one fan routinely yelling out support to the point where Evans adopted him as his "hype man."That's been par for the course for Jones, who has watched his popularity rating increase right alongside his list of detractors, one of MMA's most beloved and hated at the same time. That's a typical symptom of the overnight superstar, and that's certainly what Jones has become, winning the title in what is traditionally MMA's most competitive division within three years of taking up the sport. But even with all the proclamations about Jones as MMA's present and future, Evans wouldn't give in, anointing himself a "spoiler" on April 21."There’s been so many people like him that’s been ‘the one,’" he said. "But that’s the secret: there is no ‘one.’ Anybody can lose any given day, and he’s going to find that out."The back and forth about who knows more about the other from their days training together has been discussed ad nauseam, and will continue to be rehashed for another two months until they're finally standing across the cage from each other. Then we'll get our answer.But for now, we're left with the same thing we've had for the last year, loaded words going back and forth, just setting the stage for what's to come. As for what might be afterward, well, the two opened a window on that when a fan innocently asked if the two would be able share a smile or handshake after going five hard rounds in April.It was as if they didn't even hear the question."This fight won't go five rounds," Evans said."Mark his words," Jones said. And so it goes, a blood feud in need of a conclusion, a money rivalry to end in the place where for Evans, it all really began.
Posted in: ufc, time, jone, year, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones vs Rashad Evans staredown pic from UFC 145 pre-fight press conference
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today (Feb. 16, 2012) made their presence felt in the "Peach State" to help promote the upcoming UFC 145 pay-per-view (PPV) event headlined by a light heavyweight title fight featuring former training partners and bitter rivals Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
"Bones" and "Suga" squared off at the conclusion of today's pre-fight press conference and as with many face-offs in the past, the champ looks like he can hardly be bothered with his opponent.
Expect that to change on fight night.
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" goes down on April 21, 2012, from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and will also feature a welterweight match-up pitting rising star Rory MacDonald against British banger Che Mills. Heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are also scheduled to collide.
Get up to speed on all the news and notes for UFC 145, and there are aplenty, by clicking here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, training partners, evan, atlanta georgia
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDana White: Waiting Game Continues for Dan Henderson
After beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in an all-time classic last November, 41-year-old legend Dan Henderson turned down a proposed bout with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira to watch how events would unfold in January's UFC on FOX show.If Rashad Evans had been upset by Phil Davis, Henderson would have been thrust into a title fight with UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones. And even if Evans had won but Chael Sonnen had lost his fight on the same night, Henderson might have received a chance at a rematch with middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva.
Neither of those scenarios transpired, however, as both Evans and Sonnen won, setting up their own respective title shots. That has left Henderson in a kind of championship purgatory, with no obvious short-term move, according to Dana White."He doesn't want to fight Machida," White said following last night's UFC on FUEL event. "He doesn't want to wait. He's going to have to wait. Who does he want to fight? I don't know what to do with Dan. Dan's either going to have to wait for Jones or wait for Silva. Or fight somebody else."If that sounds like a lot of hand-wringing and uncertainty, you should have seen the look on White's face, his eyes scanning around the room as if searching for an answer.A look at the UFC's top 205-pounders puts the issue in focus. Jones and Evans are set for April. A Rua rematch wouldn't make sense. He's apparently not interested in fighting either Machida or Nogueira. And as for the middleweight division, he's only interested in fighting Silva.Perhaps one possibility could be the winner of UFC 144's Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Ryan Bader fight. More specifically, a rematch with Jackson might make some sense, and in a recent interview with ESPN, Henderson said he would "entertain" that possibility, seeing it as a big fight.If Jackson loses though, the pickings will be slim, and Hendo's wait will most likely persist into the summertime. He's said he'd be willing to compete as a heavyweight, but the UFC is likely to resist that offer. His best bet then would be the Jones-Evans winner, who -- barring injury -- would likely be available around August, the same month that Henderson turns 42.
Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Press Conference Video
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and No. 1 contender Rashad Evans will both appear in Atlanta on Thursday afternoon to promote their upcoming UFC 145 title fight, and we'll carry the live video right here at MMAFighting.com.
Jones and Evans are former friends and training partners who have become heated rivals, and the press conference is sure to contain plenty of heat. UFC President Dana White will also be on hand to oversee the festivities.
UFC 145 takes place on April 21 and marks the UFC's first fight in Atlanta since UFC 88, when Evans knocked out Chuck Liddell in the main event. That fight established Evans as the No. 1 contender in the light heavyweight division (he would go on to take the title from Forrest Griffin), and at that point Jon Jones had only fought in the UFC once. Much has changed since then.
Thursday's press conference begins at 1 p.m. Eastern. The video is below.
Posted in: ufc, jone, forrest griffin, chuck liddell, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones: I miss being friends with Rashad Evans
Sounds like Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones may have conflicting feelings when it comes to former friend and training partner Rashad Evans.
Jones recently told Laurence Holmes (via Yahoo! Sports) he misses their friendship and the "good times" they had as training partners, something the competitive nature and "business" of their sport got in the way of.
"We trained together and we had good times, but this competition has come between our friendship, which sucks. I do miss being friends with the guy. But it's business, and he's coming after my championship. I've gotta do what I've gotta do. It might be a little awkward punching him in the face, but I'm sure the first time he swings at me, it will get reactionary. I'd like to get to a point of being cordial, but to be friends again is not necessary. There's thousands of wonderful people in the world I can meet. After all that's been said, we can just live our lives. Respect is all that's necessary for me."
Then again, this is the same fighter who told Jon Anik of Ultimate Insider that he and Evans "were never really that close" to begin with and never became like "brothers," a term frequently heard among training partners at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Was the champ being sincere during a moment of clarity? Or trying to cast himself in a different light?
Jones also referred to Evans as a "jealous snake" who revealed his "envy" after the 205-pound title changed hands at UFC 128 back in March 2011.
Whether or not any sort of mutual respect or (gasp) friendship can be re-established all depends on the outcome of UFC 145, booked for April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
That's when the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans grudge match takes place and either cements the legacy of "Bones," or starts a new one for "Suga."
Who will you be rooting for?
Posted in: jon, jone, evan, friend, friendship
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones fan chat recap: Expects 'a lot' of trash talk from Rashad Evans at UFC 145 presser
Today, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was "Chatman."
In a coordinated effort to help promote his upcoming fight with former champion and training partner Rashad Evans, as well as the release of UFC Undisputed 3, Jones participated in a chat on ESPN's SportsNation with fans.
For a grand total of 13 minutes, "Bones" answered a wide variety of questions ranging from his preparation for Evans, fighting in New York and how he's changed ever since Rashad left Team Jackson to join up with the Blackzillians at Imperial Athletics.
While his answers were rather short, there were definitely some very interesting tidbits.
We've got some of the highlights after the jump.
Corey (Quincy, MA): What's up Bones? If you have a succesful year of title defenses, will you consider moving up to heavyweight in 2013?
Jon Jones: Absolutely.
Kevin L (New York): Hey Jon big fan, I just wanna know what are you mostly working on in preperation for the Rashad fight.. thanks and good luck
Jon Jones : I've been working on being a better kickboxer and doing good jiu jitsu from the bottom.
Scott (Salt Lake City): Do you think your cardio will play a hige role in the Rashad fight?
Jon Jones: Absolutely. Rashad was winded in Round 2 against Davis. We're going to switch some things up.
Nigel (CT): Do you think your fight with Evans will go the distance?
Jon Jones: No. But I'm sure that's what Rashad wants.
Nigel (Connecticut) I hope that you wipe the mat with Evans. After that fight who would you like to face next?
Jon Jones: After that, I'm not usually not one to call out people, but Dan Henderson would be nice.
Ryan (New York): If you move up to heavyweight, realistically what weight will you fight at?
Jon Jones: 240.
Chad (Woodstock, Ga): You're coming to Atlanta Thursday for the press conference. Do you expect any trash talking from Rashad?
Jon Jones: A lot of it.
So did anything stand out for you, Maniacs? Do you think conditioning could be one of the biggest factors of this fight like Jones says?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans Vs. Jon Jones Rivalry Covered In ESPN The Magazine
When UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones faces Rashad Evans at April's UFC 145, it will be a major moment between two rivals and a fight that many have waited to finally see unfold after a variety of injuries repeatedly set things back.
If you listen to UFC president Dana White, ESPN has become somewhat of a rival for him since the promotion's deal with Fox was announced, but that didn't stop the Worldwide Leader In Sports from covering the Jones vs. Evans beef in their recent issue that focuses on rivalries, out on newsstands now and also available online.
Entitled "Enemies With Benefits", the story briefly touches on the Jones/Evans backstory with a heavy focus on White's role in "orchestrating the breakup" and how the rise in top fight teams has prevented the UFC from putting together top fights between guys in those camps.
From writer Ryan McGee's piece:
What's good for (Greg) Jackson's camp, though, is bad business for White, who has always insisted that No. 1 contenders challenge champions, regardless of team affiliation. In Evans and Jones, White saw a chance to make a stand against camp culture. So he started working on both men, especially Evans, who badly wanted to retrieve the title belt he lost in a fight to Lyoto Machida in 2009.
"I told Rashad, 'Those guys at camp are your friends; you like hanging out with them,'" White says. "But camp is not your family. All athletes have a very small window of opportunity to make money and achieve great things in front of millions so they're remembered when it's over. You're going to put that on a shelf because of your 'friends' and your training camp 'family'? When s-- goes wrong, do you think they're going to help you pay your bills? No."White warned both fighters that the day was coming when they would have no choice but to fight. Neither paid much attention, publicly reaffirming their friendship vows until Jones casually mentioned in a TV interview in March 2011 that if White ever forced him, maybe he would fight his mentor. That one "maybe" was the first landed blow at the firewall around the friendship -- and their New Mexico camp. Evans took the comment to heart. Those seeds of doubt White had planted had taken root.
The article then completely shifts to talking about rivalries between friends in the NBA, NASCAR and NCAA track and field before adding a few MMA paragraphs at the end, so take the overall tone and structure for what it's worth.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, camp, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones vs. Evans
Finally, it seems that the most talked-about grunge match in MMA over the last year is finally going to come together. Former training partners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans are scheduled to meet for the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event on UFC 145, which takes place on April 21st from Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. The card also features two big heavyweight bouts, with Brendan Schaub taking on Ben Rothwell, and Chad Griggs making his UFC debut against Travis Browne. Check out the current card below:
Apr 21st, live on pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA:
Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
Michael McDonald (14-1) vs. Miguel Torres (40-4)
Brendan Schaub (8-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8)
Chad Griggs (11-1) vs. Travis Browne (12-0-1)
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. Matt Wiman (14-6)
Anthony Njokuani (14-6) vs. John Makdessi (9-1)
Efrain Escudero (18-4) vs. Mac Danzig (20-9-1)
Chris Clements (10-4) vs. Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1)
Maximo Blanco (8-3-1) vs. Marcus Brimage (4-1)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowGreg Jackson likely cornering Jon Jones for Rashad Evans fight at UFC 145
In this latest edition of Ultimate High School Championship, famed MMA trainer Greg Jackson is now thinking he should be in Jon Jones' corner when he defends his light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta.
He had previously stated he was going to wash his hands of the entire ordeal because the two fighters are former training partners and friends, a bond broken by the lust for gold and the promise of dreams realized.
Oh how quickly things can change.
Now, Jackson is going back and forth on whether or not to corner Jones because it would be an official show of support for him over Evans, a man Jackson still considers a friend. Because, you see, these are the important issues in MMA. Here's the explanation given to the Savage Dog Show:
"I'm going back and forth now because I have to think about what it means to be on a team. Are we just a collection of friends that train together? For me, it's much more than that. It means something to be on this team and it means something to have teammates. Rashad kind of left that. I don't know, I'm leaning toward cornering Jon right now. Just because, am I selfish, am I going to make this about me? Or am I gonna make this about the team? I can't be self-centered. Even though it's something that I don't want to do, it might end up that way."
This story is a long one with many twists and turns but here's a short refresher course:
After Jones accepted a light heavyweight title fight against Mauricio Rua in the place of Evans, he was asked by Ariel Helwani about a potential fight against his then teammate.
And he said he would do it. He wouldn't like it but he would do it if that's what UFC President Dana White wanted.
Caught off guard by this, Evans felt the need to respond in kind, letting the world know that he "ain't no punk" and if Jones were to win the title and he was given the first crack then it would be on like Donkey Kong.
That's exactly what happened and it wasn't long before words were exchanged, a heated confrontation took place at a night club, and the media had a field day going back and forth between the two.
However, through injuries, bad timing and even worse luck, it's taken over a year to put the fight together. Jones went on to defend his belt twice in two dominant performances and Evans took care of business in his two bouts to get back to where we started at.
Jones vs. Evans for the light heavyweight crown and all the bragging rights in the world.
Where Jackson comes in is that he was caught in the middle during this entire ordeal. After all, he's the man who helped train Evans to become a champion in 2008 with Evans in turn helping make Jackson's gym in New Mexico a hotbed for budding mixed martial artists to train.
Men like "Bones" Jones.
When Jackson helped the young phenom win a title, it was reminiscent of how he did the same with Rashad. So when the two were matched up, Jackson, like a parent being asked to choose between two children, didn't know what to do.
Evans, it seems, has made his decision easier by leaving camp and saying nothing positive since he left while Jones has remained as loyal as can be. Hence, Jackson leaning towards cornering Jones on April 21 in Atlanta.
Got all that?
Now let's hear your opinion on whether or not it's right for Jackson to corner Jones.
Posted in: jone, jackson, rashad, evan, i dont
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones versus Rashad Evans is official for April
Nick Diaz vs GSP may be scuttled but when you think about it the UFC has been pretty lucky lately with how everything has fallen into place. A gift decision saved them the Chael Sonnen v Anderson Silva superfight and then there's also Rashad Evans v Jon Jones to look forward to. Not only did Rashad dominate Phil Davis, he managed to walk away without injury and is now official for April 21st.Two out of three isn't that bad, especially considering the UFC's track record of getting big fights off the ground in 2011. Unfortunately, it does mean we'll have to hear more petty back and forth between Jon and Rashad as to who is responsible for ruining the flower of their friendship:
Evans said that an interview Jones did on Versus changed things. Jones said he would fight Evans, and that was the beginning of the end of their relationship.“He was asked the question by Ariel Helwani and he said, ‘I would fight Rashad if [UFC president] Dana White told us to, because I wouldn’t want to get fired.’ ” Evans said.“But so what, say he did that interview or whatever, people say things during interviews. But at that point, if he’d have shot me a text and said, ‘Listen, bro, this is what was said. This is what I meant by the whole thing,’ it would have been all good. I never would have fought Jon.”
Oh noes, Jon said he'd be okay with Rashad getting a title shot if that's what the UFC wanted. And he didn't even text Rashad afterwards to explain! That's just improper fight etiquette right there, and the reason why Rashad went from never wanting to fight Jon ever to suddenly hating him and everything he stands for. Seems reasonable. If you're a 14 year old girl. Now let's try to ignore the inane details and focus on what a great scrap it's going to be!
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at FightlinkerUFC 145: Greg Jackson Considering Cornering Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
The UFC officially confirmed today that light heavyweight champ Jon Jones will defend his title against former teammate Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21, 2012. This puts Jones' coach Greg Jackson in a somewhat awkward position as Evans was a long-time member of Jackson's MMA team and Jackson has often promised he would corner neither Jones nor Evans against each other.
Jackson is now indicating that he might be a little more flexible on the matter now based on his appearance on the Savage Dog Show:
"I've got to sit down and make my decision and see what I feel is best for the team. Not for me, because I have my own personal feelings where I never want to ever do that," Jackson said. "I'm going back and forth now because I have to think about what it means to be on a team. Are we just a collection of friends that train together? For me, it's much more than that. It means something to be on this team and it means something to have teammates.
"Rashad kind of left that. I don't know, I'm leaning toward cornering Jon right now," he added. "Just because, am I selfish, am I going to make this about me? Or am I gonna make this about the team? I can't be self-centered. Even though it's something that I don't want to do, it might end up that way.
"I still consider him a friend. Right now he's really angry, and he's saying a lot of negative things. I don't want much to do with that, so I'm just kind of keeping my distance, so that's where we're at."
The complete UFC 145 card after the jump.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, LHW TitleRory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell Mark Bocek vs. Matt Wiman Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero Keith Wisniewski vs. Chris Clements Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus BrimageMiguel Torres vs. Michael McDonaldMark Hominick vs Eddie Yagin
Poll
Is Greg Jackson right to corner Jones against Evans?
Yes, Evans burned his bridges
No, this is BS
Jackson's going to do what's best for Greg, nothing wrong with that
72 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones-Rashad Evans Title Headliner Confirmed for UFC 145
As expected, Jon Jones will next defend his UFC light heavyweight title against former teammate Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, title, jon, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at SherdogJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans official for UFC 145 in Atlanta
As expected, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will face Rashad Evans in the main event
of UFC 145.
UFC officials recently confirmed that the two former teammates will fight in Atlanta on April 21. As MMAjunkie.com previously reported, tickets for the event go on sale next week.
Evans defeated Phil Davis at January's UFC on FOX 2 event to earn a shot at the belt.
Posted in: ufc, event, phil davis, evan, januarys ufc
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 145: Phil Davis is rooting for Rashad Evans to defeat Jon Jones
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans was recently made official as the main event title fight for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" on April 21, 2012, live from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
And "Suga" has an unlikely cheerleader in his corner.
That's because Phil Davis, who was unable to stop Evans' date with destiny, is now hoping his former rival can break some "Bones" down south to ease the pain of watching his undefeated streak go up in smoke last month at UFC on Fox 3.
From his interview with Inside MMA:
"Good question. See, part of me wants to say I don't think he will win, but honestly, I think I'm rootin' for Rashad. I pretty much have to, because I lost to him. So, at this point, I'm gonna say he's gonna win."
Hear "Mr. Wonderful" talk "Jones vs. Evans" and a whole lot more, after the jump.
To see what happened when Davis fought Evans click here. For more on the UFC 145 pay-per-view (PPV) event click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaPhil Davis: I will be rooting for Rashad Evans against Jon Jones
Previously undefeated Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis shared his pick for the upcoming grudge match between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones. Davis revealed he will be rooting for Evans, simply because of the MMA math effect that would do him a favor, since he lost to "Suga" back at UFC on FOX 2. The fight between Evans and Jon Jones is currently scheduled for UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia, taking place on April 21st at the Philips Arena.
Davis:
"Umm, good question. See, part of me wants to say 'I don't think he will
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan, davi
Read the full article at Low KickJones to defend title against Evans in April
The UFC has confirmed that light-heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones will face former title-holder Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, champion, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Official for UFC 145
The Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans showdown on Monday became official for UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta.UFC president Dana White has confirmed the bout and tickets will go on sale Feb. 17.Evans won the light heavyweight title shot by beating Phil Davis two weeks ago at UFC on FOX 2, setting up the much-delayed meeting with his rival, the UFC champion Jones.
Jones will be returning from a brief vacation after defeating Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 in December. Evans won his fourth straight fight with his victory over Davis at UFC on FOX 2.On Monday, Jones' coach Greg Jackson said he was still unsure if he would corner Jones against Evans due to Jackson's personal connection with Evans. Evans made his rise in MMA through Jackson's gym, but eventually left when it became clear he and Jones would inevitably meet inside the UFC cage.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, phil davis, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Set For UFC 145
It’s finally happening.
The UFC confirmed today that Rashad Evans will challenge friend-turned-nemesis Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title in Atlanta on April 21 at UFC 145. A sore hand following Evans’ win over Phil Davis almost derailed it once again, but Rashad received medical clearance recently and the fight is set to go barring any injuries.
Evans commented on the impending grudge match at Yahoo! Sports.
“If I was fighting anybody for the belt at this point, there would be pressure, but there is added pressure in this situation because it’s Jon and our whole personal situation,” said Evans, who mentored Jones when both trained at Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., until they had a bitter split last March.
“I’m very happy for what he’s done in this sport and what he’s accomplished for himself. He’s worked hard for it, but that’s where the respect and admiration stops. I don’t care for him too much as a person.”
“His age [is his biggest weakness],” Evans said. “Jon doesn’t know any better. Jon’s biggest weakness is Jon, which you all will see.”
Evans said the rift between him and Jones could have been avoided if Jones merely would have texted him to explain why he said he would fight him if Dana White wanted him to in a post-fight show last year, but he didn’t and we all know what happened after that. It’s too bad a friendship was ruined over it, but at least they’ll finally be able to settle the score in the cage and put it all behind him.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, evan, albuquerque nm
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJones vs. Evans Official for UFC 145 in Atlanta
When Rashad Evans defeated Phil Davis, he earned the right to challenge former teammate Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight championship. The promotion finally confirmed the fight.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, phil davis, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Official for UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former title-holder Rashad Evans will finally square off in the main event of UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta, the UFC confirmed through Yahoo on Monday.
The former teammates turned heated rivals formally agreed to the matchup earlier today after Evans had a sore hand cleared by doctors following his win over Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2 on January 28. If Evans wasn’t cleared, fellow contender Dan Henderson would have taken his place against Jones.
Jones (15-1) capped off a breakout 2011 by choking out Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 in December following wins over Ryan Bader, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, while Evans (17-1-1) dominated the previously unbeaten Davis for his fourth-straight win since losing the title to Machida in 2009.
For the latest UFC 145 coverage stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Posted in: ufc, jone, phil davis, evan, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyDan Henderson planning to wait for title shot rather than risk it in a fight
Light heavyweight legend Dan Henderson last fought in November where he outpointed Mauricio Rua in one of the 2011’s best bouts. The win, coupled with his success in Strikeforce and standing as the organization’s 205-pound champion, would have launched Henderson into a crack at UFC title-holder Jon Jones had a long-standing feud between Jones and equally deserving contender Rashad Evans not existed. However, now that a match-up between “Bones” and Evans has been set for May, Henderson has been left in a state of professional limbo.
Despite the amount of time off involved, it appears “Hendo” is opting to sit and wait for Evans-Jones to settle their score instead of take another fight in the interim. UFC President Dana White revealed Henderson’s plan at a pre-event press conference related to UFC 143. White did not elaborate on whether or not the UFC would to comply with the Californian’s request or pressure him to remain active.
The iconic PRIDE/UFC veteran was offered some action against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in April but declined, explaining he did not feel the fight made sense or was something fans wanted to see. At the time Evans had not beaten Phil Davis, as he did last weekend on FOX, to solidify his shot at Jones.
Henderson Details Decision to Turn Down Nogueira Fight
Even if the winner of Evans vs. Jones exits the UFC 145 pairing with a perfect bill of health it’s likely the champion would not be ready to defend his belt until August at the earliest when Henderson turns 42. Then again, given the injury history of both men, Henderson could be crossing his fingers an opening appears in the near future.
PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comEight Issued Medical Suspensions After UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis
Eight competitors from UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis were issued medical suspensions, including main-card fighters Phil Davis and Chris Weidman.
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, davi
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones Doesn’t See Progressions In Rashad Evans’ Game; Jones Huge Favorite In Opening Lines
“I think [Rashad Evans'] top control looked a little tighter. I think his guard passes looked pretty decent. With that being said, Phil, man, I don’t know what got into him. He did not look like a lion. I think with fighters, no matter how tough you are, there’s just lions and there’s wolves and there’s sheep. He just kind of looked like a sheep out there. He didn’t come with much… I think he got a little intimidated by Rashad. And the pressure of being on FOX, how many millions of people were watching the fight, I just don’t think he handled the situation well. That’s why, when I was broadcasting, I said this is where we’ll see where Phil’s at, if he’s going to be a top-level guy or a mid-tier fighter. Judging by the performance [Saturday] night, I don’t know if I can consider himself a wolf… I think that’s going to be the biggest difference in the fight, is my youth, my ambition, my drive, my creativity. Rashad’s been fighting for, I don’t know, maybe eight years. Many of the years, he trained with the coaches that are coaching me to beat him. I definitely didn’t see any progressions. I feel like he’s coming down the other side of the hill. Even his body looked softer.”
— Jon Jones, via MMA Fighting, weighing in on Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis and his upcoming fight with Rashad Evans
Not too many people were impressed with Rashad Evans’ performance against Phil Davis, at least not to the point where they saw Evans being a real threat to Jon Jones. Clearly, Jon Jones wasn’t impressed and neither were oddsmakers. Evans was always going to be the underdog, but one sportsbook has him all the way at +400 to Jones’ -600. In UFC betting, that’s a huge gap. I honestly feel like the line should be a little bit closer given Evans’ insider knowledge of Jones’ game, but it’s still difficult to see how Evans beats Jones when they step in the Octagon at UFC 145.
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad, phil, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones Heavy Favorite Over Rashad Evans at UFC 145, Wanted to Move to Heavyweight
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones opened as a heavy 6-to-1 favorite over Rashad Evans as the former teammates are finally scheduled to meet in the main event of UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta.
Evans dominated Phil Davis in the main event of UFC on Fox 2 this past Saturday for a unanimous decision win, but never came close to finishing the previously undefeated prospect, while Jones will be fighting for the first time since capping off his standout 2011 by choking out Loyoto Machida at UFC 140 in December.
After also scoring dominant wins over Ryan Bader, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson last year, Jones recently told MMAFighting he hoped to move up to heavyweight if he beat Evans and Dan Henderson, but the UFC shot down the idea.
“I actually asked Dana and Lorenzo, could I take a fight for the fans at the end of 2012,” Jones said. “I figured beating Henderson and Rashad, there would be a period where we’d figure out who I’m going to fight next, and during that period, at the end of 2012, I asked to fight a heavyweight — a Top 10 heavyweight,” Jones said. ”Dana and Lorenzo didn’t think that was the best for me to do right now. They wanted me to continue at the light heavyweight division. … They said they didn’t want that for me.”
Tickets for UFC 145 go on sale to UFC Fight Club members on Feb. 15, UFC newsletter subscribers on Feb. 16, and the general public on Feb. 17.
For complete coverage of UFC 145 stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, heavyweight, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones vs. Evans
The UFC 145 fight card is slated to be headlined by Jon Jones putting his light heavyweight title on the line against Rashad Evans in the UFC's return to Atlanta on April 21 at the Phillips Arena.The two are former training partners and friends that grew apart when Jones stated his willingness to face Evans even though the two had a pact to not fight one another. Jones ended up beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for the title and Evans soon after left Greg Jackson's camp in order to distance himself from Jones.Check out the rest of the current UFC 145 card below.Jon Jone vs. Rashad Evans Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage Brendan Schaub vs. Ben RothwellRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsTravis Browne vs. Chad Griggs Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin Mark Bocek vs. Matt WimanMac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero Anthony Njokuani vs. John MakdessiChris Clements vs. Keith Wisniewski
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, vs, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones vs. Evans
The UFC 145 fight card is slated to be headlined by Jon Jones putting his light heavyweight title on the line against Rashad Evans in the UFC's return to Atlanta on April 21 at the Phillips Arena.The two are former training partners and friends that grew apart when Jones stated his willingness to face Evans even though the two had a pact to not fight one another. Jones ended up beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for the title and Evans soon after left Greg Jackson's camp in order to distance himself from Jones.Check out the rest of the current UFC 145 card below.Jon Jone vs. Rashad Evans Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage Brendan Schaub vs. Ben RothwellRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsTravis Browne vs. Chad Griggs Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin Mark Bocek vs. Matt WimanMac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero Anthony Njokuani vs. John MakdessiChris Clements vs. Keith Wisniewski
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, vs, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseGreg Jackson talks Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz
Renowned mixed martial arts trainer, Greg Jackson, discusses the upcoming match-ups of former and current Jackson's MMA fighters Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, and Carlos Condit...
Posted in: jone, jackson, vs, condit, evan
Read the full article at Low KickThe Forward Roll: UFC on FOX 2 Edition
Filed under: UFCThe UFC may not have gotten what they wanted in terms of action on Saturday night, with all three FOX-broadcast fights going to decision, but there is a silver lining. A view of the bigger picture makes it easy to see they got exactly what they wanted as a result of the night: a pair of huge fights.
Both the main event and co-main event represented a risk to the UFC. If either Rashad Evans or Chael Sonnen had been defeated, the UFC would have lost out on a major grudge match. And as we've seen in MMA, long-simmering grudge matches equal big business.
The Forward Roll's job is done for Evans and Sonnen, who will face Jon Jones and Anderson Silva, respectively in the coming months, but what about some of the other winners and losers from Saturday night. And as a bonus, what might be next for Dan Henderson, who lost out on a possible title shot with Evans' win?
Michael Bisping
Many people came away from the event thinking that Bisping had the most impressive performance, even though it came in defeat. That's probably more a cause and effect of Sonnen's reputation than reality. Bisping has always been a good wrestler and gotten off his back well in situations where he was taken down. So valiant effort though it was, he didn't showcase anything other than what he normally has. There's also no denying that Bisping has struggled against top opponents. At 32 years old, he's running out of chances when it comes to moving into the division's elite.
Prediction: He takes a step back and faces the loser of February's Yushin Okami-Tim Boetsch fight
Phil Davis
It's back to the drawing board for Davis, who looked overwhelmed at times against the former light-heavyweight champ. At least it was the type of loss that Evans can learn plenty from. He got the chance to experience a far more complete fighter, and can take those lessons and apply them to his own game. Davis' two big areas of need are committing to his strikes, and sharpening his transitions into takedown attempts. Until he gains fluidity and confidence in both of those situations, he'll have problems against the elite.
Prediction: He faces the loser of February's Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader fight
Chris Weidman
The average fan who has never competed and cut weight has no idea the willpower that went into Weidman's effort to go from 217 to 185 in 11 days while fighting a top 10 middleweight. He deserves plenty of credit for that, let alone winning the fight. Sure, it wasn't a masterpiece, but it shows that Weidman can overcome some adversity. He also bravely showed a willingness to take the dangerous submission artist to the ground, taking him down four times en route to the decision. So it's onward and upward for the rising prospect.
Prediction: He faces Rousimar Palhares
Demian Maia
Maia must have some disappointment over his performance, but we also have to remember he had a late opponent change to complicate things. He went from expecting the kickboxing-heavy Bisping to the wrestling stud Weidman. That wasn't an easy change to handle. On the other hand, some of the striking gains he made in the last two years weren't evident on Saturday, and his gas tank hit "E" way faster than expected. At 34 years old, Maia is 4-4 over his last eight fights, and you have to wonder if he's hit his ceiling.
Prediction: He faces Jared Hamman
Charles Oliveira
In his featherweight debut, Oliveira made history by becoming the first UFC fighter to win by calf slicer submission. While his opponent Eric Wisely came into the fight without much fanfare, he'd never been finished in 25 career fights, and that's included scraps with legit foes like Erik Koch, Hermes Franca, Matt Veach and Pat Healy. A nice next step for Oliveira would be a fight with another strong grappler to see how he does when his bread-and-butter offense is no sure thing.
Predicton: He faces Javier Vazquez
Mike Russow
Russow's style -- heavy on wrestling and groundwork -- isn't flashy but is certainly effective. He is getting into some intriguing territory in the UFC. He has an 11-fight win streak, has won all four of his UFC fights, and is on the cusp of cracking the top 10. Because the heavyweight division doesn't have the depth of other divisions, Russow might have to wait a while to receive a matchup worthy of his streak.
Prediction: He faces the winner of February's Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt match
Dan Henderson
Hendo sat back and waited to see what would happen, knowing that a Davis upset or Evans injury would see him leapfrog his way into a title bout with Jones. Right now, that doesn't appear like it will happen. That leaves him in a tough predicament, as there really isn't a logical matchup for him. Some other top light-heavies like Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Alexander Gustafsson and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira are already locked into fights. That means if Henderson chooses to wait for the Jones-Evans winner, he could be in for a long haul, possibly August or September. I don't think he'll wait that long.
Prediction: He faces Lyoto Machida
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, bisping, prediction, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones not impressed with Rashad Evans' performance on FOX, hopes to restore respect with former friend
Rashad Evans held up his end of the bargain to keep the much anticipated showdown between he and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones alive by defeating Phil Davis this past weekend (Jan. 28, 2012) at UFC on Fox 2 via unanimous decision.
Evans was originally set to receive a shot at the 205-pound title against Mauricio Rua back at UFC 128, but an injury to "Suga" forced him to bow out and his then training partner and friend, Jones, stepped as a replacement to face "Shogun."
The rest, as they say, is history.
Jones defeated Rua and began his impressive championship run , which ultimately marked the beginning of the end of the friendship between Evan and Jones who trained side-by-side in Albuquerque, N.M., at Jackson's MMA.
Evans has since then parted ways with Greg Jackson's camp and is now a member of Imperial Athletics mixed martial arts (MMA) team, or, "The Blackzillians" as they like to be referred as.
However, even though Evans proved that "Mr. Wonderful" was not on his level by winning the fight handily, Jones was not too impressed with his performance and with his overall evolution, for that matter, in MMA since parting ways with the famed camp down in the 505.
Speaking on The MMA Hour, Jones talks about Evans' performance against Davis and talks about the possibility of rekindling their past relationship once the dust settles in their title fight at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Ga., on April 21, 2012.
Check it out:
"I really didn't see much progression. He left teams, I think Mike Winkeljohn and Greg Jackson, really was a great fit for him and they really learned his style and really was teaching him a legit style and I think in his new program I really haven't seen much progression. I didn't see any progression. I feel as if he's coming down the other side of the hill, even his body looked softer. I think his top control looked a little tighter and his passes looked decent. With that being said, Phil, man I don't know what got into him. He didn't really look like a lion, he kind of looked like a sheep out there. He didn't come with much, but with Rashad I really didn't see much progression."
When asked if there would be any chance at renewing their friendship once the dust settles at UFC 145, "Bones" had this to say:
"I definitely don't mean to come off as disrespectful to Rashad by any means, I am just extremely passionate about this fight and I don't want to come across as being a prick towards the guy. I'd love to have a respectful relationship with him because; I actually, deep down liked hanging with the guy. He was cool man, we had good times, you know, we did a lot of good stuff together and it sucked that a competition came between our friendship. So after the fight, I just hope that the respect can be restored. Friendship is not necessary but respect should be restored."
After a heated war of words, the two former training partners were scheduled to collide in 2011, but injuries to both fighters on separate occasions, delayed the much anticipated showdown.
Now that Jones has decided to cut his vacation time short and Evans preserved his title shot, they will have their chance to settle their differences as they are scheduled to swing leather at UFC 145 in little more than three months.
After months of back-and-forth trash talk, and now that the fight has been made official, anyone surprised at the rare, yet pleasant trip down memory lane that Jones had to share about Rashad? Can peace be restored once they go toe-to-toe?
Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock seemed to be able to do it, so I'm sure "Suga" and "Bones" can, too.
Then again, maybe not.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jon Jones Won't Ask Greg Jackson To Corner Him Against Rashad Evans
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones called in to the MMA Hour today. Jones spoke with host Ariel Helwani about his upcoming title defense against former teammate Rashad Evans. Evans beat Phil Davis this past Saturday at UFC on Fox 2 in a number one contender's match.
The two fighters have been engaged in a bitter feud ever since Jones stepped in for an injured Evans to take a title shot against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128. Jones won that fight handily and Evans has been trying to get a title shot ever since.
Helwani asked Jones if Greg Jackson would be cornering him against Evans.
"Rashad and Greg had some genuine moments and I wouldn't put him in that position. ...I could never imagine [Jackson] coaching against me, and I wouldn't put that pressure on him to coach against Rashad," Jones replied.
Despite the acrimony, Jones hopes that he and Evans can improve their relationship once they have fought.
"I'd love to have a respectful relationship with him, because actually, deep down, I kind of just liked hanging with the guy," said Jones. "He was cool. We had good times. We did a lot of cool stuff together and it sucked that competition came between our friendship. After this fight, I just hope that the respect can be restored. Friendship is not necessary, but the respect should be restored," Jones told Helwani.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, i wouldnt, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowTitle Writing: Mopping The Mats 9 "UFC on FOX 2, MFC 32, It's Showtime 2012""
Mopping the Mats is a weekly Monday feature meant to recap the weekend that was in mixed martial arts. The weekend was packed with action, starting Friday evening with MFC 32, continuing with a star studded It's Showtime kickboxing event on Saturday morning (for us west coasters) and finishing with the big UFC on FOX card on Saturday afternoon/evening. Where to begin?
THE EVENTS: MFC 32: Bitter Rivals, It's Showtime Leeuwarden, UFC on FOX
The MFC 32 card was held in the promotions home base of Edmonton and there were four former UFC fighters on the card: Wilson Gouveia, Antonio Mckee, Ryan McGillivray and Bryan Cobb. In terms of up and coming talent, Dheigo Lima, brother to Bellator stand out and former MFC welterweight champion Douglas Lima was on the card as well.
Kickboxing has fallen on hard times recently, forced to cancel the 2011 World Grand Prix for the first time since it's inception in 1993. The earthquake in Japan has certainly contributed to these hard times but it was more of a death blow, as seemingly poor financial management has plagued K-1 for years. 12 of the best heavyweights in the world competed in Leeuwarden, so this show was likely as good as it's going to get for awhile for top level heavyweight kickboxing.
Aside from the much anticipated matches on the FOX card, the UFC had a few relevant matches on the under card, including Evan Dunham vs Nik Lentz in a lightweight battle and Mike Russow vs Jon Olav Einemo in a heavyweight test. I know some people might roll their eyes at my assertion that Russow/Einemo was relevant but like it or not, Russow entered the bout on a three fight win streak, joining Frank Mir and JDS as the only UFC heavyweights who could make that claim. A win for Russow would surely ensure a big step up in competition.
The results and takeaways after the jump.
THE RESULTS:
Starting with the UFC and moving backwards, I think everything that needs to be said was said in our own Earl Montclair's recap of the main UFC on FOX card. Okay, I do disagree with his assertion that Rashad Evans "is a dead man walking and highlight reel fodder for Bones." To me, Evans looked like a master engaging in a sparring match with his top student. Waiting to see what Davis would attack with and always having the correct counter. This is what I said before the fight:
Evans believes the way he'll beat the Martian Manhunter is by avoiding the ground at all costs and out pointing him in a kickboxing match. If my sleuthing proves correct, Evans will surely test out the strategy against Davis. I'm not sure this fight will be particularly exciting if that is the case but I do think Evans will execute perfectly.
I expected Evans to kick the legs of Davis; he threw one kick the entire fight, according to Fight Metric. I was dead wrong about that but I think I deserve some credit for identifying that Evans would prefer to keep the fight on the feet. He stayed on the outside and never initiated a take down off his own striking, taking what Davis gave him in the form of sloppy kicks and putting him on his back from there. He showed Jones that if he wants to kick him, he just might spend the rest of the round on his back. Can he beat Jones in the same fashion? I think he can.
As for the under card there were some good fights. Formerly of Strikeforce, Lavar Johnson made a statement to the UFC heavyweight division, becoming the first man to stop Joey Beltran. Charles Oliveira pulled off a super sweet submission in his featherweight debut, Michael Johnson squeaked by Shane Roller, Mike Russow won his fourth straight UFC fight and Evan Dunham signalled his return to the upper echelon of the 155 pound division with a stoppage victory over Nik Lentz in what was the best fight of the night. Much more on him in the Takeaways section of this post.
It's Showtime Leeuwarden featured the final kickboxing match of legendary Badr Hari. Earlier this week, user nabmtk1 wrote a nice fanpost featuring 24 of Hari's key kickboxing matches. If you aren't familiar with the sport of kickboxing or Hari, set a few hours aside and work your way through it. It's become a bit of a joke/meme, thanks to Joe Rogan's overuse of it, but Badr Hari embodies the term "K-1 level striking". He's also a bit of a wild man. Okay, he's a complete wild man, the likes of which are rarely seen in the 21st century. In his final bout, Hari stopped Gokhan Saki (a bonafide savage himself) by TKO in just under three minutes.
Running through the other heavyweight bouts on the card, Ben Edwards took out Ricardo van den Bos by decision, Tyrone Spong decisioned Melvin Manhoef, Braddock Silva overcame Michael Duut by decision, Errol Zimmerman quickly mowed through Rico Verhoeven by KO in the first minute and Daniel Ghita took out Hesdy Gerges in the first round to win the It's Showtime Heavyweight championship. The belt is not particularly meaningful; it has only been in circulation since 2009 and the original champion, Hari, did not so much as lose the belt as hand it to Gerges. Hari was disqualified after kicking a downed Gerges, one of the most blatant and ridiculous fouls ever seen in combat sports.
Meanwhile the MFC event had mixed results. The former UFC fighters went 3-1, with Gouveia and McGillivray scoring finishes over their opponents (Dwayne Lewis and Diego Bautista respectively) while Cobb lost to McKee. The big story from the event actually took place outside the cage, with McKee missing weight by 7 pounds, being stripped of his championship and being cut from the organization, win or lose. McKee has a career record of 27-4-2 but his wrestling-centric style combined with his brash character has really cost him some goodwill in situations where he falls short.
The top prospect in MFC is likely Dheigo Lima and he suffered his first career loss (he is now 6-1) to Nathan Coy. While this isn't great for Lima, it should be noted that Coy is a solid wrestler from Team Quest who has victories over current UFC welterweights Rick Story and Mike Pierce during their pre-UFC days. He also took Tyron Woodley to a split decision in 2010, so he was a tough fight for Lima. By no means is Dheigo any less of a guy to watch because of this fight and if anything he will learn from this become better.
THE TAKEAWAYS: Dunham back in the title hunt. Is the UFC using FOX in the correct manner?
As I mentioned earlier, I thought that Evan Dunham and Nik Lentz were the best of the UFC offerings. The fight had a high pace from the beginning, with each man taking the other down. Lentz worked for submissions while Dunham focused on ground and pound. The second stanza saw Dunham start to dominate the fight on the feet and when it hit the mat late in the round with Dunham on top, he used a vicious elbow to slice Lentz below the eye, which would end up forcing the doctors to stop the fight in between rounds.
Dunham is 6-2 in the UFC but most people agree that he beat Sean Sherk, so he probably should be 7-1, with a lone loss to Melvin Guillard when Guillard was performing at his absolute best. The fight I'd like to see Dunham get is Edson Barboza. Dunham needs another chance against a dynamic striker, while Barboza needs to be tested against a fighter with a ground game. Both of them have some momentum and both have been in really high paced fights recently, so I really see this fight as a no brain-er.
All in all it was a good weekend for those of us already ensconced inside the MMA world. As for those on the outside that we would like to join us? I have to admit that I'd rather they have not watched. I'll be posting a piece shortly with more on that. Until then, as always, thanks for reading.
Posted in: ufc, fight, dunham, card, evan
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendDana White offers up thoughts on UFC on FOX 2 fallout
The opinions surrounding Saturday night’s UFC on FOX 2 card are too numerous to count. However, one viewpoint worth hearing is of course that of UFC President Dana White who has never been afraid to offer his honest take on any topic.
White spoke about the show in an interview on Fuel TV’s post-event coverage where he said Rashad Evans looked off and credited Phil Davis with going the distance against a fighter of Evans’ caliber even if in defeat.
“I think the fact Rashad Evans blazed through Tito (Ortiz) and the fact that he went five rounds tonight I would say, yeah, Davis did fine tonight and he was ready for this,” White explained of how the previously unbeaten grappler did. “This was definitely the biggest stage he’s ever been on but…he went five rounds with Rashad Evans tonight.”
A Full Rundown of UFC on FOX 2 Results
As far as the middleweight match-ups, White revealed he “had Bisping two rounds to one” and also sang the praises of Chris Weidman for handling Demian Maia on short notice.
Check out the entire interview below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, round, rashad, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones Opens As Massive Favorite Over Rashad Evans
After Rashad Evans beat Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2, he sat at the post-fight press conference fielding questions about his upcoming bout with rival Jon Jones, currently scheduled as the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta on April 21st. In one of the answers, he stated that he'd "probably be a huge underdog" going into the bout. Well, he was right about that. Bookmaker was the first site to drop a betting line for Jones vs. Evans, and it's pretty lopsided:
Honestly, it rarely gets wider than that for a UFC bout, especially a championship bout. Generally when seemingly-competitive title bouts open with lines like this (such has Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua 1 at UFC 104), there's a bunch of early betting on the underdog. Will that happen here? I'm not sure, but I'd lean towards no. Depsite Evans' dominant win over Davis, Jones is probably the most hyped man in the sport right now and has absolutely torn through the division thus far.
Will things be different for Jones when he's in there with a former training partner? And In quite possibly the first "personal" bout of his career? We'll find out on April 21st. For now though, the oddsmakers are certainly leaning in Jon's direction.
SBN coverage of UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, bout, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Opens as Huge Favorite, Evans Predicts Similar Outcome as Last Atlanta Fight
The oddsmakers have made Jon Jones a huge favorite for his bout with Rashad Evans, but Evans isn't worried and predicts a similar outcome to the last fight he had in Atlanta 4 years ago.
Posted in: jon jones, rashad evans, evan, atlanta fight, evans isnt
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones opens at -600 against Rashad Evans for UFC 145 main event
Yowzers!
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones will defend his 205-pound strap against longtime nemesis Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
And he'll do it as a -600 favorite.
At least for now. That's according to the Bookmakers on Best Fight Odds, who give "Bones" the whopping favorite line following last weekend's announcement that the former teammates under Greg Jackson would finally hook 'em up in "The Peach State."
Evans limps in as the +400 underdog.
Despite a five round dominant unanimous decision victory over former undefeated division prospect Phil Davis at the Jan. 28 UFC on Fox 2 event in Chicago, Evans was panned for a "cautious" and "uninspired" performance against "Mr. Wonderful," which may have resulted from his failure to finish the fight after 25 minutes of complete control.
Did that affect the opening lines?
Perhaps. Or it could have more to do with the fact that Jones has looked invincible as division champion, laying waste to everyone in his path before, during and after his UFC 128 title win over Mauricio Rua.
Evans remains the final hurdle before he's effectively cleaned out the division.
Anyone think "Bones" is getting too much respect? Let's hear your thoughts on the UFC 145 odds and betting lines in the comments section below and for more on "Jones vs. Evans" click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, division, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: Rashad Evans Hasn't Progressed, Phil Davis Looked 'Like a Sheep'
Filed under: UFCUFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones had a comfortable seat as a FOX Sports analyst for Saturday night's main event in Chicago, but he wasn't particularly impressed with what he saw from either Rashad Evans or Phil Davis at the UFC on FOX 2 event, he told Ariel Helwani on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour.
Though Evans won the decision and the right to challenge for the belt, Jones said he "didn't really see much progression" from the former champion, and suggested that Evans hasn't benefited much from a change in training camps.
"I think his top control looked a little tighter," Jones said. "I think his guard passes looked pretty decent. With that being said, Phil, man, I don't know what got into him. He did not look like a lion. I think with fighters, no matter how tough you are, there's just lions and there's wolves and there's sheep. He just kind of looked like a sheep out there. He didn't come with much."
Though Jones admitted that his new role at the analysts' table caused him a little apprehension, he said the nerves might have likewise gotten to Davis, who was blanked on the scorecards by the more experienced Evans.
"I think he got a little intimidated by Rashad," said Jones. "And the pressure of being on FOX, how many millions of people were watching the fight, I just don't think he handled the situation well. That's why, when I was broadcasting, I said this is where we'll see where Phil's at, if he's going to be a top-level guy or a mid-tier fighter. Judging by the performance [Saturday] night, I don't know if I can consider himself a wolf."
Evans' victory cleared the way for him to face Jones for the UFC 205-pound title, most likely in Atlanta on April 21. While Jones said he plans to "do what I always do and tear him up," he suggested that Evans' lack of improvement in recent fights would cost him in the cage.
"I think that's going to be the biggest difference in the fight, is my youth, my ambition, my drive, my creativity. Rashad's been fighting for, I don't know, maybe eight years. Many of the years, he trained with the coaches that are coaching me to beat him. I definitely didn't see any progressions. I feel like he's coming down the other side of the hill. Even his body looked softer."
While Jones and Evans briefly trained side-by-side at Greg Jackson's gym in New Mexico, Jackson has said he wants no part of a fight between the former teammates. For that reason alone, Jones said, Jackson likely won't be in his corner when he defends his title against Evans.
"Rashad and Greg had some genuine moments and I wouldn't put him in that position. ...I could never imagine [Jackson] coaching against me, and I wouldn't put that pressure on him to coach against Rashad."
Thanks in part to Jones' own acrimonious history with Evans, the champ described the bout as one that he's much more interested in and motivated for than he was for his last title defense against former champ Lyoto Machida. And while he knows the trash-talk will be intense in the weeks leading up to the fight, Jones isn't going to shy away from it, he said.
"My plan is to let it get the best of me, and to train and bring out the best in me," he said. "...This is just a fight that I'm not going to lose. It's not happening."
Once it's all over, however, Jones said he hopes the two of them can put their differences aside and once again be cordial to one another, even if they may never be friends.
"I'd love to have a respectful relationship with him, because actually, deep down, I kind of just liked hanging with the guy," said Jones. "He was cool. We had good times. We did a lot of cool stuff together and it sucked that competition came between our friendship. After this fight, I just hope that the respect can be restored. Friendship is not necessary, but the respect should be restored." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad, phil, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on FOX 2 Reaction from the Action: Winners, Losers, and Matchups to Make
Dana White has to be hoping the third time is a charm.
After a second showing on FOX, the UFC is 0-for-2 so far on network television. With the brief debut back in November, and now 55 minutes of minimal action on Saturday, the organization’s welcome to the masses has not started off as White had envisioned.
While it certainly cannot be predicted whether three matches would turn out similarly lackluster, part of the blame must go to matchmaker Joe Silva and anyone else that decided the matches for this particular event. Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen, Michael Bisping, and Demian Maia, while all certainly talented, have never been fighters to endear themselves to crowds as the most exciting to watch.
UFC on FOX 2 turned out very similar to Strikeforce: Nashville, which was actually the last Strikeforce event to air on CBS. Three fights, three decisions. While Saturday did not feature a post-fight brawl like the Strikeforce event (“Mayhem” Miller being ambushed by Cesar Gracie’s camp), it still did not carry out the task that White and the rest of the UFC desire: persuading the public masses into becoming UFC fans.
The opposite aspects of UFC on FOX 1 and 2 are very similar, both a brief fight and a drawn-out decision entice no one. Plus, with Chael Sonnen grabbing the microphone and acting like he just knocked out Michael Bisping, many new onlookers probably assumed they were watching pro wrestling. After narrowly edging Bisping in a closely contested grappling match, Sonnen did what he usually does, he talked the talk. That certainly is not an issue for those who are aware of the kind of character he is, but for those tuning into MMA for the first time, it likely seemed more WWE than MMA.
I am not declaring the event a complete failure, as the city of Chicago was buzzing throughout the week, and while the matches were not the most exciting, the results still brought together two matches that fans have been looking forward to for months.
But let’s just say I am glad I did not go to a friend’s house to watch the event as I had originally planned. And I know what you’re thinking; no way this guy has friends. While that is mostly true, I likely would no longer be friends with anyone at all had I made them watch the event.
Biggest winner: UFC fans
Yes, that does seem like an oxymoron, as I just lauded the event. However, as I mentioned, even with the lackluster event, UFC on FOX 2 brought together two matches that will be amongst the most highly anticipated of 2012: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans and Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen.
Jones vs. Evans will take place on at UFC 145 on April 21st in Atlanta, as long as Evans is not injured. That is certainly no guarantee given the last two years for Evans.
Silva and Sonnen will rematch more than likely in Sao Paulo, Brazil in June. Sonnen has said be believes the fight will never happen, but Dana White says it will. I’ll take White’s word on this one.
Biggest loser: Demian Maia
Losing to a top prospect in Chris Weidman is nothing to be ashamed of. But losing to him in the way he did is, as Weidman took the fight on just eleven days’ notice, which included a 32 pound weight cut. That cut made its appearance known in the third round, as Weidman was visibly exhausted. But Maia was just as exhausted.
Maia looked to have just one weapon, repeatedly attempting to knock Weidman out with his left hand. That never happened, but Maia never strayed from it. I’m not sure what happened to the jiu-jitsu practitioner in Maia, but he has seemingly moved on from that stage of his career, as he has not submitted anyone since February 2009, and doesn’t even attempt to use his world class grappling skills anymore. In order to make his way back up the middleweight class, Maia needs to return to his roots. He will never be mistaken for a premier striker, and at 34 years old, he doesn’t have much longer to return to fighting for the title.
Biggest question: What do we make of Phil Davis?
Davis was never overly impressive in the five round affair with Evans, as he looked nervous going into the fight, and he fought that way. While it looked like he was walking on an ice rink, as he was slipping throughout the match, he looked pedestrian with his striking even when he could stand straight. Davis needs to return to the gym and go through many sparring sessions before his next match. He needs to learn to be able to use his reach much better, along with working his striking and takedowns together, instead of picking one or the other.
Future matchups:
Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones
This was decided the minute Evans had his hand raised, as UFC officials announced Jon Jones would be making his return to the octagon in April. With Evans declaring he did not sustain any injuries during the fight, this is the match that will likely take place.
Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva
Another matchup that was decided going into the match, Sonnen and Silva will be talked about non-stop until they make their way into the cage in June.
Chris Weidman vs. Mark Munoz
Munoz was originally expected to fight Chael Sonnen on Saturday, but withdrew due to an elbow injury. He had surgery last week, and is expected to return to training in 4-6 weeks.
Weidman continued his amazing start to his UFC career on Saturday, defeating Demian Maia. A win here for either one could pit them against the winner of Silva vs. Sonnen in June.
Phil Davis vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
Davis needs some time off, even though this was the first time he graced the cage since March 2011. He needs to work on his standup, and someone like “The Janitor” would be able to test that work when he returns to fight once again.
Michael Bisping vs. Rousimar Palhares
Palhares was considered to replace Bisping on Saturday, but he declined that opportunity. Bisping does not deserve to fall far down the ladder after his performance against Sonnen, and a title shot for either fighter in 2013 is not out of the question.
Posted in: ufc, vs, sonnen, evan, maia
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC on FOX 2 results recap: Rashad Evans vs Phil Davis event wrap up from Chicago
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to the network TV airwaves this past Saturday night (Jan. 28, 2012) with UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis," featuring "Suga" Rashad Evans earning a light heavyweight title fight against Jon Jones with a dominant decision victory over Phil Davis.
Chael Sonnen failed to impress in his controversial unanimous decision victory over Michael Bisping. Sonnen's win, although lackluster, sets up one of the biggest rematches in the history of the sport when he takes on Anderson Silva this coming June in Brazil.
And what's there to say about Chris Weidman's performance against Demian Maia? No, really, what's there to say?
In cased you missed any or all of it -- or just want to keep the discussion alive -- below are links to all the major storylines borne from Saturday night's event in Chicago.
In we go.
UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis"
Results and live fight coverage
Recap and morning after discussion
Post-fight press conference video
Bonuses and awards
Event photos gallery
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis fight video highlights
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping fight video highlights
Chris Weidman vs. Demian Maia fight video highlights
Lavar Johnson "Knockout of the Night" video
"Prelims" results and recap
Fight recap: Rashad Evans dominates Phil Davis
Fight recap: Chael Sonnen decisions Michael Bisping
Fight recap: Chris Weidman squeaks by Demian Maia
Fight review and analysis: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Fight review and analysis: Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
Fight review and analysis: Chris Weidman vs. Demian Maia
UFC on FOX 2 post-fight fallout
Big winners and lowly losers
Event report card
Parting shots for the network television event
Careful what you wish for: Suggestions for getting MMA right on network TV
What's next for Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen?
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans set for UFC 145 in Atlanta on April 21
UFC on FOX 2 predictably fails in Chicago
UFC on FOX 2 wasn't as big a disappointment as some suggest
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans last stop before "Rematchville" for "Bones"
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping fight metric report shows judges made the right call
Love him or hate him, Chael Sonnen makes you care about his fights
Beat Chael Sonnen if you can, his greatness is mesmerizing
Chael Sonnen rips off 'Superstar' Billy Graham in post-fight promo
Michael Bisping vs. Chris Weidman should be next
Michael Bisping hit Chael Sonnen so hard, he didn't know what round it was
Dana White thinks Michael Bisping beat Chael Sonnen
Chris Weidman's body was shot, performance against Demian Maia 'all mental'
Lavar Johnson inspires with thrilling knockout win over Joey Beltran
Charles Oliveira pulls off first calf slicer submission in UFC history
Photo of Nik Lentz's nasty cut suffered at the hands of Evan Dunham
That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What gets your vote for the biggest story coming out of UFC on FOX 2?
Sound off, Maniacs.
Posted in: fight, vs, sonnen, evan, chael
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Heavy Favorite Over Rashad Evans in Early Odds
Filed under: UFC, NewsRashad Evans has only lost one match in his MMA career, but oddsmakers strongly believe that when he and Jon Jones face off in Atlanta on April 21, Jones will hand him his second defeat.
According to the earliest line released on the fight, Jones (15-1) is a massive 6-to-1 favorite to successfully defend his belt for the third straight time.
Evans will only have 12 weeks to recover and prepare following his five-round unanimous decision win over Phil Davis at last Saturday's UFC on FOX 2 event.
Evans (17-1-1) has been the No. 1 contender in waiting since beating Quinton Jackson back in May 2010, but a series of circumstances including injuries and timing have left him unable to cash that chip in until now.
The two were quite infamously training partners at Team Greg Jackson in New Mexico before a Jones interview in which he said he would fight Evans if ordered to by UFC president Dana White fractured the pairing.
Jones captured the belt last March with a TKO destruction of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, and subsequently defended it with wins over Jackson and Lyoto Machida.
Evans admitted it was difficult to prepare for the Davis match with the title bout possibility hanging in the background. Now he finally gets it, but if odds are to be believed, he also faces a major uphill battle.
The fight takes place as the main event of UFC 145 at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on FOX 2 results recap: Parting shots for the Jan. 28 network television event in Chicago
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has just made good on another weekend of mixed martial arts (MMA) action as UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" entertained (for the most part) those in attendance at the United Center in Chicago, Ill.
Like countless cards before it, this event was affected by injuries and had multiple bouts that had to be swapped around, in order to make things copacetic (including one fight that was removed altogether).
However, after all the drama, everything came together in a way that delivered a card that was, quite possibly, better than it would have been originally.
The aftermath produced two number one contenders in Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen who will both finally get the respective grudge matches they've been publicly campaigning for.
Let's take a look at the more memorable ins and outs of UFC on FOX 2:
The conflict between Rashad Evans and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has been one of the prevalent stories in the MMA world for the last year or so. It's inescapable.
At some point, the talk gets old and it's time to get into the cage and work out the differences. But Evans had business to take care of before that could become a reality.
Leading up his fight with "Mr. Wonderful," Evans stated that he believed Davis wasn't ready for him and that he'd melt under the bright lights. Though that didn't exactly happen (he did last all five rounds), the disparity between the two fighters was clear.
Evans was never threatened at any point. Rashad won every minute of every round and was dominant in the process. Though he wasn't able to secure a finish, he accomplished his mission, nonetheless.
On April 21, "Suga" will fight "Bones" at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia, in a showdown that will be about as simultaneously polarizing and entertaining as we've ever seen.
Read a full recap with in-depth analysis of the Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis fight at UFC on FOX 2 here. For full fight video highlights of "Evans vs. Davis," click here.
The co-main event brought together two of the loudest mouths in all of MMA when Chael Sonnen took on Michael Bisping in a middleweight mash up with gigantic implications.
Both fighters had dreamed of one day being a UFC champion. Both have been underestimated. Both have been the object of scorn, becoming widely unpopular for their brashness and arrogance.
For three rounds, Sonnen did his darndest to impose his wrestling on Bisping, who did an excellent job of avoiding trouble and was able to elude Sonnen's attempts, for the most part.
The margin was razor thin and, ultimately, had to go to the judge's scorecard to be resolved. UFC President Dana White believe Bisping deserved the win. Both fighters believed that they were the rightful recipient, but the judges favored Sonnen as the winner.
Chael will now get his re-match versus current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. The date and place are undetermined, but it has been strongly rumored to be taking place this summer in Brazil.
Check out an informative synopsis of the Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen fight at UFC on FOX 2 here. For full fight video highlights of "Bisping vs. Sonnen," click here.
Also on the FOX main card, Chris Weidman filled in on 11 days to notice to take Michael Bisping's (who filled in for Mark Munoz versus Chael Sonnen) place against Demian Maia.
Though the fight had the potential to be very exciting, the combination of Weidman being drawn out from a rough weight cut and Maia just flat out having a weak performance left a bad taste in everyone's mouth after it was all said and done.
The fight came down to a split decision, which ultimately favored Weidman.
Maia has now lost two of his last three fights. Additionally, his last seven fights have all gone to decision. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) specialist has failed to submit an opponent since he finished Chael Sonnen with a triangle choke at UFC 95 on Feb. 21, 2009 in London, England.
Weidman is still widely regarded as one of the top prospects in the 185-pound division and still has a nice upside.
Watch full fight video highlights of the Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman fight at UFC on FOX 2 here.
The preliminary fights were fought on FUEL TV, and featured five of the seven fights being finished by submission or (technical) knockout.
One-time lightweight top contender Evan Dunham put together his second consecutive win by defeating Nik Lentz, due to a nasty cut on his left eye (possibly a broken orbital bone) and a doctor's stoppage.
Former Strikeforce heavyweight Lavar Johnson was able to secure a "big" knockout over Joey Beltran, gaining a win in his Octagon debut.
Watch highlights of Lavar Johnson's KO victory over Joey Beltran at UFC on FOX 2 here.
For his troubles, Johnson was awarded a cool $65,000 for the "Knockout of the Night" award. Who says UFC fighters are underpaid? Not Johnson. That's for sure.
He wasn't the only one lucky enough to take home a big check.
Read the list of fight bonus award winners, including "Knockout of the Night," "Submission of the Night," and "Fight of the Night" here.
That's our version of what went down at UFC on FOX 2. Does anything stand out to you Maniacs that bares repeating? Use the comment section to enlighten us.
For complete UFC on FOX 2 results and a detailed recap of all the action click here. To check out a recap of the UFC on FOX 2 prelim fights that were seen on FUEL TV, click here.
And just in case you want to get up to speed on the entire UFC on FOX 2 fight card from top to bottom click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, sonnen, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX2 Musings
EVANS UNDOUBTEDLY DISAPPOINTED, BUT IT WAS THE RIGHT APPROACHRashad Evans will be the first to admit that his win over Phil Davis, while completely one-sided, was far from pretty. Evans controlled his younger, larger foe from bell to bell with far quicker strikes, much more effective takedowns and vastly superior grappling. The problem is that Evans failed to put away his overmatched opponent. And the failure to end fights has become an albatross around Evans’ neck in recent fights, the recent knockout win over Tito Ortiz notwithstanding. The opportunities were there. Evans could have stepped up his standup, opting to sit down more on his punches and increase the volume in search of a crowd-thrilling knockout. He also could have taken more chances on the ground in search of a submission or stoppage due to strikes. He did none of those things. Evans instead remained focused on completely controlling the action without really taking any chances, which made the bout feel more like a sparring session than a fight.It is no secret that I have criticized the former champion more than once for his conservative approach to competition. Not this time. In fact, I am going to take the opposite view of his performance. I applaud Evans for the intelligent victory. Why? He did what he had to do in order to give the fans the biggest light heavyweight bout out there – the long-awaited grudge match with champion Jon Jones on April 21.Evans knew going into the fight with Davis that, if he won, there would only be 84 days to heal up, rejuvenate his body and properly prepare for what could be the most significant fight of his career. He also knew that the short turnaround time meant the opportunity to face Jones would go to someone else, likely Dan Henderson, if he sustained anything more than a very minor injury against Davis. So, Evans did what he needed to do in order to set the stage for 2012’s first true mega fight and likely the most lucrative payday of his career.I know. I know. Saturday was the biggest and brightest stage that Evans has ever performed on. This was a golden opportunity for “Suga” to turn himself into a fighting legend. But all that pales in comparison to securing the mouth-watering matchup with Jones. I’m sure many will take the opposite view, but this was one time when I completely support his decision to fight with a conservative approach. Well done, champ.DAVIS LEARNS VALUABLE LESSONPhil Davis was a much better collegiate wrestler than Rashad Evans. That much was obvious from their respective Big Ten careers. Evans, however, is a much better mixed martial arts wrestler. That was equally obvious from Saturday’s fight.Davis needs to learn how to transition his elite wrestling skills into effective fighting techniques. I have no doubt that he will do just that, but it sometimes takes a wrestling reality check, like the one he received courtesy of Evans, to force the issue for someone with his amateur chops. Davis should focus on learning how to use strikes to set up his power double. He needs to better develop his clinch game so that he can execute judo-style throws and pull off high-crotch takedowns. And he needs to learn how to strike while still maintaining his balance so he can effectively sprawl. Once he does those things, the sky is the limit for this guy.By the way, was it just me or did Davis look like he was a full weight class bigger than Evans? He looked absolutely huge inside the cage. I have no idea how much weight he cuts, but one has to assume that it is a significant amount. It would not shock me to see Davis pull an Alistair Overeem and put on a bunch of muscle in search of a run at heavyweight sometime in the next couple of years.DID THE PRESSURE GET TO SONNEN?Let’s get right to the point. Chael Sonnen had better hope that his performance against Michael Bisping was an off night. Otherwise, he is going to get brutalized by Anderson Silva this summer.Sonnen appeared gassed as early as the end of the first round. His takedowns throughout the fight seemed telegraphed and lethargic. And his strikes were as robotic as usual. Those are harsh words, I know. But this is a guy who repeatedly claimed heading into the fight that he was “undefeated” and “undisputed.” He walked around with a fake championship belt. And, in true WWE style, he delivered a message about a “disclaimer” with the affect and cadence of a heel hoping to appear intimidating. It was fun stuff. Even Bisping acknowledged that the banter was entertaining. Boastful words like those, however, create tremendous pressure to deliver an impressive performance. Sonnen won, but he didn’t back up his words. Indeed, some, including maestro commentator Joe Rogan, felt that Bisping should have been awarded the victory. For the record, I agree. But the fight was close enough that nobody can really complain in earnest about the judges’ scores, other than maybe the one judge who saw it 30-27 in favor of Sonnen.The former title challenger’s struggles against Bisping weren’t wholly unexpected. “The Count” is one of the most difficult middleweights to take down, and he is even more difficult to hold down. What was completely unexpected was Sonnen apparently running low on gas as early as the end of the first round. While the Team Quest standout will never be confused with the Energizer Bunny, he is not known as a guy with a particularly small gas tank, either. I have always viewed his cardio as better than average. Yet, it clearly betrayed him on Saturday night.One has to wonder if the pressure of fighting on broadcast television contributed to the quick depletion of his conditioning. One must further wonder if Sonnen’s own mouth added to the pressure. Those are the likely culprits for performance, absent an unknown injury suffered during training that prevented him from getting into top shape. If that is the case, Sonnen needs to figure out how to deal with that sort of pressure because his next bout will be an even bigger event. And Silva won’t be entering the cage with an injured rib, either. NOTHING BUT POSITIVES FROM BISPING’S PERFORMANCEAnyone who read my pre-fight breakdown knows that I didn’t give Michael Bisping much of a chance to defeat Chael Sonnen. It wasn’t that I believe Sonnen to be the better fighter. My opinion was solely based on the notion that 11 days wasn’t sufficient time to prepare to defend Sonnen’s takedowns, based on Bisping’s lack of an amateur wrestling pedigree. The Brit ultimately lost the bout because he was taken down in each round. Nonetheless, he showed tremendous takedown defense and an even more impressive ability to work back to his feet once taken down. Remember, folks, that Sonnen is a former US Olympic alternate in wrestling, whereas Bisping has no amateur wrestling experience at all. Viewed through that filter, his performance on Saturday was nothing short of amazing.WEIDMAN’S GAMBLE PAYS OFFChris Weidman obviously isn’t afraid of taking risks. With less than two weeks to prepare, Weidman agreed to replace Michael Bisping as Demian Maia’s opponent for the UFC’s second televised event on FOX. It was the kind of opportunity that could make or break the career of a young fighter like Weidman. On one hand, a win over a contender on broadcast television is the best possible shot of adrenalin for a young prospect’s marketability. On the flip side, a brutal one-sided loss to Maia, whether by knockout or submission, in front of what was sure to be one of the largest television audiences in the history of MMA doesn’t do much to build interest in future bouts. That second scenario was a very real risk, since it was all but certain that Weidman would gas out, if he didn’t score a stoppage in the first round. There was simply no possible way to get into proper shape in less than two weeks. Weidman didn’t care. He stepped up to the challenge anyway. He expectedly hit a massive cardio wall early in the second round, but that did nothing to prevent him from gutting out a clear victory over arguably the most dangerous submission artist in the sport. Weidman’s decision to take the fight against Maia turned out to be a brilliant way to catapult his own career. I don’t know whether it was a calculated risk based on the matchup or just an example of Weidman’s unbreakable confidence in his own skills. Either way, this guy just made himself relevant in the 185-pound division.MAIA NEEDS TO GO BACK TO HIS ROOTSMaia’s dramatic change in style from grappler to striker over the last few years has done nothing to improve him as a fighter. Quite the opposite is actually true. Maia is a very predictable striker, one that a guy like Weidman would have no qualms about facing on short notice. By contrast, Maia is the single-most dangerous ground fighter in the sport, in my opinion. Remember him basically throwing Chael Sonnen on his head before quickly submitting him with a perfectly executed triangle choke? This is the same Chael Sonnen who almost defeated Anderson Silva.I will forever wonder why Maia chose to work back to his feet, rather than work his submission game, on the two occasions that Weidman took him to the ground. Those takedowns were the only glaring mistakes by committed Weidman during the bout, in my opinion. They were perfect opportunities for the Brazilian to score an impressive win over his exhausted foe. Yet, Maia did nothing with them. Can you imagine the Maia of 2008 wasting those opportunities? Me neither. Someone in Maia’s team needs to sit this guy down for a major heart-to-heart. At 34-years-old, there isn’t enough time left in his career to evolve into Anderson Silva or Vitor Belfort on the feet. It just isn’t going to happen for Maia. Sure, he needs to continue to improve his overall skills if he wants to rise to the top of the division. Yes, he needs to continue to develop his striking to make himself a more dangerous fighter. But he should never forget what made him great in the first place—his otherworldly submission game. Allow me the egomaniacal moment of suggesting the best way for Maia to maximize his game. First and foremost, he needs to learn how to strike with his right hand. That lone improvement will make him more effective in the standup game. Next, he needs to learn how to use strikes to set up takedowns. Third, he should work takedown after takedown, until he actually starts to believe in that part of his game.As mentioned, Maia isn’t going to develop into a homerun hitter on the feet. No chance. And he isn’t going to turn into a stick-and-move guy any time soon, either. So, outpointing guys on the feet like Silva, Belfort, Bisping, Munoz, Okami or other top middleweights not named Sonnen probably isn’t in the cards.His game plan for every fight should focus on getting the fight to the ground. His striking should be solely focused on setting up takedowns—period. Abandoning his world class submission game is the biggest crime being committed in the UFC at the moment. Getting guys to the ground will always present the best opportunity for Maia to win. I’ll take him all day every day against any middleweight in the world, including Anderson Silva, in a ground-focused fight. I feel the exact opposite about standup-focused fights.
Posted in: fight, ’t, sonnen, evan, maia
Read the full article at UFCUFC 145: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans last stop before Rematchville for 'Bones'
It was the final hurdle in an exhausting journey, but Rashad Evans' win over Phil Davis Saturday night (Jan. 28, 2012) at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., secured him a chance to regain the light heavyweight title.
The long-elusive opportunity has been a quest for Evans, with only slightly less chapters than a Dostoyevsky novel. First slotted to take on Mauricio Rua, which was delayed by Shogun's knee injury, Evans subsequently was injured with then-teammate Jon Jones filling in for him against Rua last March. Then, after winning the title in a brutal performance over Rua, Jones claimed a hand injury prevented him from fighting Evans, and he followed it by defending against Quinton Jackson instead. This one's been cooking in the pot for while, folks, and when it's served up April 21, 2012, as the main event in UFC 145 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., it will be ready to serve. But the interesting subplot is that if Jones wins, it essentially cleans out the top-tier run of potential light heavyweight opponents for him, outside of the seemingly ageless Dan Henderson.
Jones hasn't just beaten Rua, Jackson and Lyoto Machida, but essentially dominated and destroyed them so much that it's going to be tough to promote more than one rematch. Why? Because Jones is improving with each fight, while all of these guys are either in their prime or merely getting old.
In a second go-round with any three of them, I'm predicting he beats them even easier, if that's possible. I feel confident saying this only because I predicted Jones in three over Rua and in a fourth-round submission over Jackson. I have been high on him for a while, because he's doing things that simply weren't done before, with a kind of easy mastery that only the truly great ones have.And the scary thing is he's probably three-to-four years away from his physical prime. That is plain scary.I don't expect Evans to give him much of a test, and that's why you have to wonder what the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and fans will want from Jones. Are they going to take him down a series of increasingly hard-to-sell rematches? He's already aced a vexing series of light heavyweight tests, and his 2011 -- with four wins over top-five opponents -- and a submission of then-undefeated Ryan Bader, was the single-greatest calendar year showing in the history of the sport (Rua's epic tear through Pride in 2005 runs a close second).Evans-Jones is a logical next fight. The two have legitimate bad blood with one another, and it's nicely placed in Atlanta, a city that prides itself as a showpiece of African American achievement. But I can't help but think that this is little more than a likely checkmark on Bones' hit-list until people start wondering when he'll move up against the big boys. Because while Evans did enough to win against Davis, there wasn't anything new he showed that suggested he'll have the striking to trouble Jones, or the kind of high-level takedowns he'll need to take the fight down to the mat.And while I'll always hold Henderson up as one of the all-time greats, he's going to have a really tough time against Jones, too. After Hendo's had his crack, what's left? But being champion also means performing at a consistent level that drives people to suggest future fights aren't competitive, and Bones will have to prove he can stay focused. It's enough to carry me through to UFC 145, but after this fight, my prediction is that people start openly asking when he moves up.
A tour through Rematchville will only be exciting for so long.
Jason Probst can be reached at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst or at jason@jasonprobst.com
Posted in: fight, jone, rua, evan, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2 results: Rashad Evans vs Phil Davis event photos gallery from Chicago
UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" took place last night (Sat., Jan. 28, 2012) from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, featuring Rashad Evans earning yet another crack at the light heavyweight championship with a five-round beatdown of the still green Phil Davis.
Look out, Jon Jones, "Suga" is coming.
Michael Bisping hung tough with Chael Sonnen for 15 minutes strong -- even hitting him so hard, the mouth middleweight forgot what round it was -- but ultimately came up short, as the judges sided with Sonnen unanimously. The win sets up a highly-anticipated rematch against Anderson Silva in June in Brazil.
Finally, Chris Weidman overcame 11 days notice and a 30-pound weight cut to defeat Demian Maia in the opener of the evening.
A photo gallery (via UFC.com) is available for your viewing pleasure after the jump.
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
Brittney Palmer in da howse!
Posted in: vs, sonnen, phil, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC On Fox 2 Post-Event Press Conference Video: Rashad Evans, Chael Sonnen Speak
As you eagerly await the offensive displays and drama that are the NHL All-Star Game and the NFL Pro Bowl, kill some time on a Sunday afternoon with the full video of Saturday's UFC On Fox 2 post-event press conference from Chicago.
The video here (which actually starts at the 33-minute mark) features UFC PR king Ant Evans, Rashad Evans, Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen, Michael Bisping, Lavar Johnson and Chris Weidman talking about their wins, losses and what's next. Dana White didn't attend.
Evans said the event drew 17,425 for a live gate of $1.2 million. Evans defeated Davis by unanimous decision in the main event, while Sonnen bested Bisping in a close unanimous decision win. Weidman defeated Demian Maia by unanimous decision (incorrectly announced as a split decision), while Johnson earned Knockout Of The Night for his first round KO of Joey Beltran on the Fuel TV undercard.
See the full 45-minute video after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
Posted in: ufc, decision, video, sonnen, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC on FOX 2 results recap: Winners and losers from 'Evans vs Davis' event in Chicago
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) just finished its second foray into its network broadcast partnership with FOX Sports as UFC on Fox 2 delivered a top-notch card of mixed martial arts (MMA) fights on Jan. 28, 2012, LIVE from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
FUEL TV was, once again, the stage for the "Prelims" under card bouts, featuring a nice combination of both finishes and fights that went to judges scorecards.
The main event produced a number one contender and heir to a title shot, as Rashad Evans will finally get the grudge match he's been aching for against current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones this spring in Atlanta, Georgia.
The co-main event produced a similar result, when fight fans saw MMA's number one villain, Chael Sonnen, win a very close decision against Michael Bisping, earning him the opportunity to right a wrong when he takes on UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva for his 185-pound strap, also scheduled later this year at an upcoming event in Brazil.
Join me after the jump for a look at the big winners and lowly losers from UFC on FOX 2:
WINNERS
Rashad Evans -- Say what you want about this guy, he proved last night that he is still a dominant light heavyweight and very deserving of being named the number one contender. He completely neutralized Davis' reach advantage. He outstruck him badly. He outwrestled him. He came very close to finishing him at several points. Don't get it twisted. Phil Davis is not Jon Jones. Not by a mile. Still, it makes for a very interesting match up.
Chael Sonnen -- You can love him or hate him. You might even think the decision should have been awarded to Bisping. It didn't. I admit, Sonnen didn't floor me with his performance. There were spots where he looked a little gassed and that just about never happens. There also points where he got pushed around a bit, which is also very out of character. Either way, he got the job done and will now get his shot at redemption versus Anderson Silva. Let the drama begin!
Lavar Johnson -- Welcome to the UFC, buddy! In his first fight since making the transition from Strikeforce, Johnson used his reach and his big, heavy hands to make quick work of Joey Beltran. The fight looked like it was either going to be a quick, explosive finish for one fighter, or a laboring three rounds of clinching and "positioning." Luckily, it was the former. Nice win for Johnson who looks to have been a great addition to the UFC's arsenal of 265-pounders.
Charles Oliveira -- "Do Bronx" made his debut at featherweight tonight and looked amazing. After finding himself winless in his prior three contests, it was "crap or get off the pot" time for Oliveira. The Brazilian prospect used quick and and thunderous leg kicks (both inside and out) to keep Eric Wisely on his heels. Finally, during a scramble, Oliveira pounced on an opening, went for a heelhook submission, transitioned to a kneebar and wrenched on the limb as Wisely tried to roll out. The finishing move was high level and had all the viewers grabbing for their knees as they watched the replay. Good finish. Big win for Oliveira.
LOSERS
Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman -- What a brutal way to start the main card on FOX. I can't help but think of people who weren't MMA fans who tuned in out of curiosity and asked aloud: "Is this what the UFC is all about?" It isn't, but they may never give it a second chance to find this out. For three rounds, Maia and Weidman plodded, threw lazy strikes and takedowns and put on a fight that appeared to be underwater. Weidman had a difficult weight cut, which is understandable with him taking the fight on only 11 days notice. What was Maia's excuse? Boo.
Joey Beltran -- I know "The Mexicutioner" has a lot of fans, so this will probably be unpopular. I don't care. At some point, "getting beat up" needs to not be what you're known for if you want to be a fighter on the biggest stage. Though it's true, this was the first time he'd actually been knocked out in a professional fight, but he's taken a ton of punishment in almost every one of his bouts. He's also now lost four of his last five. See ya.
Curt Menefee -- I'm gonna be nice. He's new. There's a possibility he's never even watched MMA before he started working the microphone for UFC on FOX. The truth is that he made Kenny Rice look like an award winning journalist during the UFC on FOX 2 breaks in the action. He called people by their wrong names (on multiple occasions), missed his cues and just seemed awkward on the whole. Maybe he'll get better. He couldn't get much worse.
Phil Davis -- I saved Phil for last, because, quite frankly, I didn't want to include him at all. He won a lot of moral victories at UFC on FOX 2 by merely surviving. He kept up. He swam in the deep waters and made it to the final horn. He's never fought anyone on Evans' level and there was no way to emulate that massive of a moment. It just was too much, too soon. He'll get there and will eventually be a great fighter, but he has lot of improvements to make. The truth is that Evans did him a favor by beating him, because if he fought Jones right now, it could be devastating for him and his career.
That's all we got. Our list is pretty complete, but there's always room for improvement. Care to add-on? Toss out your best suggestions in the comments section!
For complete UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" results, including blow-by-blow details of all the action, click here and here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, evan, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans official for UFC 145 in Atlanta
Shortly after UFC went live on FOX last night, company officials confirmed that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones would make his third title defense on April 21. Less than two hours later, Jones’s opponent became official when Rashad Evans defeated Phil Davis in the main event of UFC on FOX. While Evans wasn’t spectacular in his victory over Davis, he managed to shut out “Mr. Wonderful” on the scorecards and set up the highly anticipated showdown between former friends and training partners, which is set to go down in Atlanta at UFC 145.
It’s been a long road back to the title for Evans, who was originally scheduled to fight for the belt after defeating Quinton Jackson back in May 2010. However, due to injuries suffered by him and then champion Mauricio Rua, “Suga” has had to defeat Tito Ortiz and Davis before being able to secure another shot at the gold. Now he returns to Atlanta, where his road to superstardom began when he knocked out UFC hall of famer Chuck Liddell with a highlight reel overhand at UFC 88.
When Evans went down with an injury, it was Jones who stepped up to face Rua in March 2011. “Bones” dominated “Shogun” en route to a third round stoppage and became the youngest fighter ever to hold UFC gold. Jones defended his title twice in 2011, stopping former champions “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida by submission and cementing his status as one of the best fighters in the sport.
Ever since Jones took the place of Evans and capture the title, the two have engaged war of words. Both men trained together under the guidance of Greg Jackson, but Rashad left the camp shortly after Jones became champion, feeling disrespected by the new 205 pound king. The two men will finally settle their differences later this year in a five round fight that is sure to produce fireworks.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, champion, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainObservations from My Couch: UFC on FOX 2 – “Ultimate Stinker”
A few observations from UFC on FOX 2: “Evans vs. Davis”:
-Last night the UFC had their “UFC 33 moment” on major network television. There, I said it. Now let’s get past it.
-We can add Lavar Johnson to the list of kickass fighters the UFC plucked from Strikeforce. He may not be a Nick Diaz or Dan Henderson, but as heavyweight sluggers go, he’s a breath of fresh air.
-Michael Johnson and Shane Roller fought hard, but nothing I saw leads me to believe they’ll ever be the man. (Plus ten points if you caught the Steven Seagal- “Out for Justice” reference.)
- Congrats to Charles Oliveira for applying a heretofore-unseen-in-the-Octagon submission technique to a scrub.
-If Cub Swanson fought like that consistently, he WOULD be the man.
-I don’t know what sucked more, Mike Russow’s lay and pray or Jon-Olav Einemo’s lay-and-just-lay.
-That was a pretty freakin’ solid scrap between Evan Dunham and Nik Lentz. Good for Dunham for bringing out the best in Lentz.
-Okay, Chris Weidman took the fight on only eleven days notice, so he has a good excuse for his lack of cardio. *Ahem*, Mr. Demian Maia, please report to the principal’s office.
-I felt the decision in the Chael Sonnen/Michael Bisping fight could’ve gone either way, and Bisping out-performed all expectations I had of him. And Sonnen… if he fights like that against Anderson Silva, he’s going to get murdered.
-It was a forgone conclusion that Rashad Evans had more tools and experience and was going to defeat Phil Davis. But what we didn’t see was any reason why Evans could possibly defeat Jon Jones. He can’t. He’s a dead man walking.
Posted in: ufc, ’t, evan, kickass fighters, expectations i
Read the full article at MMA ConvertBest of Evans vs Davis Prelims (GIFs) (More in comments)
submitted by Neahk [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: vs, evan, gif, prelim, neahk
Read the full article at RedditUFC on FOX 2 results recap: Rashad Evans vs Phil Davis fight review and analysis
Rashad Evans had two key goals in his UFC on Fox 2 headlining bout against Phil Davis last night (Jan. 28, 2012), at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois: Win decisively and don't get injured to preserve his rightful title shot.
Mission accomplished.
Davis entered the fight with significantly less experience in mixed martial arts (MMA) than Evans, but also with much higher collegiate wrestling credentials, even winning a national championship for Penn State University in 2008.
So why did he find himself repeatedly put on his back throughout the five round affair? And what's next for both talented light heavyweights?
Follow me after the jump for our Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis UFC on FOX 2 post-fight review and analysis:
Early on, Phil Davis looked strong, controlling most of the action in the stand-up as Evans sized him up, trying to figure him out. With Evans focused more on gauging distance, Davis was able to attack rather efficiently, throwing some crisp kicks and putting some decent pressure on the former champion with some improved punches.
That was, until Evans got "Mr. Wonderful's" timing down, caught a leg kick, took him to the canvas and started blasting him with punches from the crucifix.
Davis' confidence in his kicks after that, perhaps his only real advantage over Evans in his MMA skill-set, was decimated after that first round. It seemed like "Suga" was able to catch Davis' kicks about 25 percent of the time he threw them and in the fourth round, he even checked one so badly that "Mr. Wonderful's" kicking leg began to bleed profusely out of his shin.
While Evans didn't light up his opponent in the stand-up exchanges, he clearly began to get comfortable with his punching, landing some nice flurries during random spots in the bout, although he never got so aggressive that he gave Davis anything to really work with.
In the end, Davis simply didn't have enough to challenge Evans as he lost every round on all three judges' scorecards with a 50-45 unanimous decision.
For Phil Davis, this was simply too much, too soon for the former national champion wrestler. He's still got a ton of talent, as evidenced by his improved striking, but this was a fight he shouldn't have waited one more year before accepting. He still need time to catch up to the elite in the division with his overall skills before he can present a legitimate threat to the title. The potential is still there, and the fact that he never gave up speaks volumes for his mental fortitude.
As long as Davis continues to round out his game and shore up his technique, he'll be an elite 205-pounder someday. I'd like to see him given a top level veteran opponent also coming off a loss who would still be beatable, someone like Forrest Griffin, Rich Franklin or Vladimir Matyushenko.
For Rashad Evans, despite putting on a dominant show, it wasn't the most crowd pleasing performance. He was patient almost to a fault and the brief explosions of violence didn't make up for much of the posturing. He did what he had to do, however, and showed some marked improvements in key areas. The first was his movement. He finally stopped that herky-jerky head movement in his stand-up which featured a ton of wasted body motion and likely contributed to him gassing in the third round of several fights. He also went past the third round for the first time in his career and looked strong doing it. He wasn't bouncing around like he was before the fight started, but his conditioning was on point.
It's obvious who's he's fighting next, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at the UFC 145 event in Atlanta. While there was a ton of buzz surrounding this fight, Jon Jones didn't do much to sell it last night with his ho-hum appearance in the broadcast booth and his choice to stay there instead of confront Evans in the cage ruined a potential verbal sparring match which would have hyped up some fans to see the future pay-per-view.
So what did you think, Maniacs?
Did Rashad Evans' 50-45 sweep across the boards against Phil Davis make you a believer he can beat Jon Jones? Does Phil Davis still have the potential to be an elite light heavyweight?
Sound off!
For complete UFC on FOX 2 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.
Posted in: round, phil davis, phil, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaEvans & Sonnen Finally Getting Their Title Shots
When Chael Sonnen and Rashad Evans fought and won their respective fights at UFC on FOX 2 in Chicago, their destinies were mapped out with a chance of gold in them.
Posted in: rashad evans, chael sonnen, evan, title shots, evans sonnen
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC on FOX 2 results recap from last night for 'Evans vs Davis' in Chicago on Jan. 28
In like a lion, out like a lamb ... and we're not even close to March.
Last night (Jan. 28. 2012), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) looked to replace the sour taste that Junior dos Santos left in the mouths of mainstream fans with his 64-second knockout of Cain Velasquez back in Nov. 2011 after months of build up and hours of pre-fight brouhaha.
Unfortunately, UFC on Fox 2: "Evans vs. Davis" from the United Center in Chicago, Ill., fell flatter than Kate Hudson, but for very different reasons. It certainly wasn't for lack of creative matchmaking, which had critical implications on the line in at least two of the three televised bouts.
And it certainly wasn't because the fighters featured on the FOX card lacked personality. If anything, several of them have a little too much.
Nonetheless, UFC on Fox 2 failed to deliver, despite almost 60 minutes of mixed martial arts (MMA) action. Quite the opposite in terms of length when compared to the first show, but again, essentially the same result.
Follow me after the jump to see where it all went wrong:
Let's begin at the top with the main event between light heavyweights Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. It was scheduled for five rounds and it ultimately went the distance. Unfortunately, it wasn't a very close fight whatsoever.
Evans, a promotional dinosaur with nearly 15 fights inside the Octagon to his credit, was just too slick and too experienced for the much greener "Mr. Wonderful." "Suga" stalked Davis all night long, closing the distance and daring the Penn State University wrestling standout to take him down.
On occasion, Davis obliged; however, it was far from the dominant effort that everyone knew it would take for him to hold down Evans and beat him up to win the fight. Evans was super aggressive and left his chin hanging out all night for Davis to touch, but he didn't.
Kicks, punches, takedowns, takedown defense, ground and pound, submissions: Evans' well-rounded bag of tricks was on full display in the "Windy City."
In fact, Evans' rock-solid performance was among the few bright spots in an otherwise forgetful evening of MMA fights. He continues to do what he is expected to do, and in exchange, he finally earned his much-deserved title shot against Jon Jones in the UFC 145 main event in Atlanta, Ga., on April 21, 2012.
Nonetheless, mainstream fans, for the most part, don't have the luxury of hindsight and overall appreciation for a specific outcome. In other words, the fight didn't do anything to make new fans want to tune into the next FOX show, much less pony up $50 to watch Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans settle their score at the Philips Arena three months from now.
And that's what this big network television experiment is really all about, isn't it?
More from us on the remaining two fights in just a moment. In the meantime, discuss UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" in the comments section below.
Let's hear it, Maniacs.
Be sure to also check out our complete UFC on FOX 1 blow-by-blow coverage of the entire "Evans vs. Davis" event right here.
While you're at it, check out our fight-by-fight recaps, video highlights and immediate reactions for the UFC on FOX 2 action:
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
UFC on FOX 2 results: Rashad Evans dominates Phil Davis en route to decision win
Rashad Evans vs Phil Davis full fight video highlights from UFC on FOX 2
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
UFC on FOX 2 results: Chael Sonnen beats Michael Bisping, earns title shot against Anderson Silva
Chael Sonnen vs Michael Bisping full fight video highlights from UFC on FOX 2
Demain Main vs. Chris Weidman
UFC on FOX 2 results: Chris Weidman earns split decision over Demian Maia
UFC on FOX 2 results: Demian Maia vs Chris Weidman full fight video highlights
Last, and certainly not least, check out our complete UFC on FOX 2 results recap of the FUEL TV "Prelims" right here.
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaPost-Fight Thoughts After UFC on FOX 2
Filed under: UFCThe sky is not falling.
The doomsdayers always seem to panic whenever a UFC show does not produce a series of heart-racing moments, and UFC on FOX 2 certainly fell a little flat, leading to heavy criticism and downright concern about the future of the FOX deal.
Relax. FOX is well aware that some fights are going to blow you away, and others will make you want to walk away. That's sports. They didn't lock in a seven-year deal with the thought of divorcing after their first official show under the terms of the deal. This is still a new sports property for them, and there is plenty of room to grow for both sides.
Adjustments will be made, and fights will deliver.
Remember, we have Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller on tap for UFC on FOX 3 in May. There's no way that fight doesn't deliver.
More Coverage: UFC on FOX 2 Results | Latest UFC News
Until then, here are my thoughts on storylines stemming from the UFC's second outing on network TV...
Historic Run
Jon Jones had a banner 2011, capturing the title and finishing all four of his fights. The virtuoso performance led many to wonder what he could possibly do for an encore, and now we have our answer. Jones has Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson waiting to fight him.
Think about this: Jones has the possibility of going through Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Evans and Henderson consecutively. If he accomplishes it, it would no doubt be the most impressive five-fight run in MMA history.
And let it be said, giving Evans the first shot at Jones before Henderson is the right call. Evans has been the No. 1 contender in waiting for about 18 months, since beating Jackson back in May 2010. He's waited long enough. Even though Henderson is 41 years old and has less time remaining in his career than Evans, he wasn't even in the UFC when Evans became the top contender. He was still in Strikeforce at the time.
Henderson should certainly get the chance to fight the Evans-Jones winner, but given the UFC schedule, he'll likely be offered another fight before it.
Stepping Back
It's safe to say that Phil Davis wasn't quite ready for the jump up to elite opponent level, struggling in a decision loss to Evans. Davis remains a wildly gifted talent, but seems to lack conviction in some of his own abilities. He didn't fully commit to his punches, often moving backward as he threw, and that allowed Evans to fire off his own strikes with little to fear.
Davis does throw strong kicks, but until he learns to let his hands go -- a skill that will complement his wrestling -- he won't reach his optimum potential.
Sonnen-Silva II
Chael Sonnen had some trouble with Michael Bisping on the way to a unanimous decision that will set up a rematch with Anderson Silva, likely this summer in Brazil. The less-than-stellar performance sent his stock downward in the eyes of many, who suggest that it will somehow carry over into his fight with Silva.
There's no correlation between the two fights. Bisping has always boasted very good takedown defense and even when he's gotten taken down, he tends to pop back up to his feet quickly. Silva's takedown defense is average, and when he gets taken down, he looks for submissions instead of trying to get to his feet. Sonnen is much more likely to take him down and keep him down for long stretches, just like the first fight, mainly because Silva is often content to work from his back, where he's dangerous.
That said, the rematch -- like the original -- is likely to come down to whether Sonnen can stay away from a fight-ending submission.
%VIRTUAL-Gallery-145874%
MiddleMan
For a long time, I have asked, where is the next great middleweight? In a story from last year, I suggested Chris Weidman could be that man.
On Saturday, Weidman defeated Maia in a workmanlike decision. While he didn't steal the headlines away from Evans or Sonnen, Weidman's win on 11 days' notice sends the message that he's a force to be reckoned with. He had to cut from 217 to 185. He was faced with fighting a southpaw. His opponent was one of MMA's submission masters. Weidman conquered all these obstacles in his path, and that says plenty about his mental and physical makeup.
Weidman has shown advancing striking skills to go with his excellent wrestling and ground game. Barring an injury, there's no question that he'll be knocking on the door of top contenders in the division ASAP.
Another first
Charles Oliveira made his featherweight debut memorable, becoming the first UFC fighter in history to score a calf slicer submission. Oliveira is an aggressive, attacking offensive fighter, so it's no surprise that he'd pull off something so bold and rare. Now it's worth watching to see if he becomes a real factor in the division.
Damned if you do...
Nik Lentz used to receive a ton of criticism for fighting conservatively, but the approach led to a 15-fight unbeaten stretch from 2007-2011. The constant slams from fans and media caused Lentz to reconsider his approach, and his more wide open style has led to two losses in a row. The upside: he earned a $65,000 bonus for Fight of the Night. The downside: he's now officially on the cut watch list. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, henderson, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on FOX 2 results recap: What's next for Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen?
The second broadcast for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on network television was a mixed bag with UFC on Fox 2: "Evans vs. Davis" blowing through "The Windy City" last night (Sat., Jan. 28, 2012).
In the main event, Rashad Evans looked to back up the bravado and prove that he is worthy of a title shot versus Jon Jones. Phil Davis had equally "wonderful" aspirations of taking home a win and earning himself the title shot for which he's worked so hard.
It wasn't even close.
During the pre-fight hype campaign, Evans repeatedly said Davis wasn't ready to face a fighter on his level. It looks like he was right. "Suga" proved he's still a force to be reckoned with at 205 pounds and will now get his shot at "Bones'" belt.
In other action, everyone's favorite mixed martial arts (MMA) villain, Chael Sonnen, sought to quiet the brash Brit, Michael Bisping, when they collided in the cage for a chance to fight Anderson Silva on his home turf of Brazil later this summer.
It was neck-and-neck the whole way in a very close fight that went to the judges. Though the decision may have been a little controversial, the fight itself disappointed no one. Sonnen received the nod, meaning he'll finally get the rematch against "The Spider" he's been not-so-humbly requesting for more than one year.
After the jump, we'll discuss what's next for UFC on FOX 2's big winners, Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen:
Unless you've been living under a massive boulder, you're aware of the backstory and the bad blood between "Suga" and "Bones."
They don't like each other. It's not for promotional purposes. The loathing is legit. The potential clash has been building for about a year now, but for various reasons, it's never come together.
Eventually, it had to happen.
Now, both fighters will finally get a chance to settle their differences in the Octagon. No more talk (except for the banter that is certain to fill the airwaves and tweets for the next few months). When it's done, one man will have to suck up his pride, admit the other is the better man and shake his hand.
Hopefully.
It's been confirmed that the grudge match will take place at UFC 145 on April 21 in "Hotlanta."
Read about the current fight card rumors and rumblings here.
Sonnen has been fuming and waiting for a rematch since Aug. 7, 2010, when he fell prey to an Anderson Silva triangle choke in the fifth round of their epic battle at UFC 117.
Since their first fight, Sonnen was popped for testosterone misuse, came back a year later, beat the hell out of Brian Stann at UFC 136 on Oct. 8, 2011, in Houston and then took care of business tonight against Bisping to finally punch his passport to Brazil and a championship bout.
It's been a whirlwind of a year (and some change) to say the least.
During that same timeframe, Silva has fought Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami and made quick work of them both.
So many questions will be answered when they finally go toe-to-toe in the cage once again. All I can say is: It's about time!
As to when and where? The event has not been named, but there has been plenty of talk to suggest that the fight will happen this summer and that it will happen in Brazil.
We'll keep you posted.
It's still a ways off, but do you Maniacs have any predictions fired up and ready to go? Who ya got in these two titanic championship bouts?
Fire away!
Posted in: ufc, fight, title shot, sonnen, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2 Post-Fight News & Notes: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans UFC 145, Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II Brazil
Rundown of UFC on FOX 2 post-fight news and notes…
— 17,625 attendees filled the United Center in Chicago, Illinois for a $1.2 million live gate.
— Lavar Johnson picked up a cool $65,000 KO bonus for knocking out Joey Beltran in his UFC debut. Charles Oliveira was awarded Submission of the Night for finishing Eric Wisely with a calf slicer. Evan Dunham and Nik Lentz earned Fight of the Night.
— Rashad Evans didn’t get the finish he wanted against Phil Davis, but he did get the win and more importantly, the long-awaited title shot against former teammate Jon Jones. Evans wasn’t thrilled with his performance, but he was relieved he got the win and now looks forward to finally settling the score with Jones.
I don’t know. I just… I’m happy the fight’s over,” said Evans when asked about his subdued manner. “I’m happy I got the win, but I wanted to do better. I wanted to put on a more spectacular win for the Chicago fans and for the Fox fans. I didn’t do it like I wanted to or I envisioned myself doing it, but at the same time, I got the job done. I can’t be too overly critical because, nights like this, winning on this stage in the UFC, wins are hard to come by. So, I should really just be thankful. After I get offstage, I’ll probably smack myself into reality and think, ‘You know what? Things could’ve been a lot worse.’”
“I definitely wanna put the rivalry to bed and, more importantly, get a chance to get my belt back. I feel like I can beat Jon Jones. I see areas in his game where I can capitalize on, and I know it’s gonna be a good fight,” Evans told reporters. “Jon Jones has one thing over other opponents that he doesn’t have over me: we’ve faced each other before, many times. I’m not really too worried about the mystique of Jon Jones because I know what’s at Jon Jones’ core. I remember Jon Jones when he used to come up to me and be like, ‘Hey, man, what is it like when everybody takes pictures with you?’ So, I see Jon Jones a little bit differently than everybody else sees Jon Jones.
“He said something to me a while ago when we got into it. He said he wants to show everybody that I’m all hype and he’s gonna destroy me. That right there is the biggest motivation in the world. For him saying that, I’m gonna make him pay.”
Assuming Rashad passes all his medicals, Jones and Evans will finally meet on April 21 in Atlanta at UFC 145. The UFC confirmed earlier tonight that Jones will headline that card and with Rashad’s win tonight, he’s pretty much a lock to be Jones’ opponent. Both said they’re looking forward to fight after the show tonight.
“Yeah I’m ready to fight in April or whenever,” [Evans] said. “There’s a couple of things I need to work on. I look forward to going into camp and working on things, but I’m looking forward to fighting Jon and giving the fans the fight they want to see.”
“I can’t wait to get past this chapter in my career,” [Jones] said. “I’ve been calling him my antagonist because of all the hype and drama. So I’m a happy man. I’m looking forward to retaining my title on April 21st in the ATL.”
This is the part where everybody crosses their fingers that it actually happens this time.
— Pretty much everyone but Michael Bisping, his camp and his most loyal fans thought Chael Sonnen was going to smash him tonight. Well, everyone was wrong. Bisping put up one hell of a fight against the self-proclaimed “world’s greatest fighter.” So much so, many thought Bisping should have won the fight including Dana White. Heck, even Sonnen himself said he wasn’t confident the judges would give it to him at the post-fight press conference.
“Michael Bisping hit me so hard in the first round I didn’t even know what day it was,” Sonnen said during the post-fight press conference. “I remember when I came to, looking at him and thinking, ‘Oh my God you have no idea how bad you’ve hurt me or you’d step in and do something about it.’”
“I was never in a position tonight where I was comfortable, not one,” Sonnen said. “It was 15 awkward minutes. I got him down on the ground, and he’d throw a hook in, blocking me. As soon as I [would] create a space, he pushed away [and] popped up.”
“I knew we were in the middle of a close fight. I knew I needed to win the third round. I had a sense of urgency for sure; I think we both did,” he said.
“I said, ‘Hey what do you think?’ He said. ‘I don’t know, I think I got the first two.’ And I said, ‘I think you might be right,’” Sonnen recalled. “That doesn’t mean I disagree with the judges. They were close rounds.”
Nevertheless, Sonnen did win the decision and will go on to rematch Anderson Silva in Brazil in June, according to Dana White. Still, Sonnen isn’t sold that Silva will accept, however in a rare moment of honesty, Sonnen assured that he would do his part to make the fight happen.
“I know I’ll do my part,” he said. “Do I think [Silva] will sign to fight? No, I don’t. But we’ll see. I’ve been wrong before. But I’ve tried to get him to fight four times. That’s the one thing they don’t tell you, and I’m not trying to go against the brass here, but that’s the one thing they haven’t revealed. They’ve offered him the fight four times, and he said no four times. Mysteriously, he’s supposed to accept on the fifth?
“I’ll tell you this: I’ve never backed down, and I never will.”
Silva vs. Sonnen II. In Brazil. In a 80,000 seat soccer stadium. It doesn’t get any bigger than that. Cross your fingers that one happens too.
— Let’s be honest, the FOX broadcast opener between Demian Maia and Chris Weidman didn’t exactly set anyone’s hair on fire, but for Weidman, getting a win on FOX given the circumstances was awesome enough even if it wasn’t his most impressive performance.
“I took this fight on very short notice,” Weidman said. “My friends and family said I was crazy, but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. To be able to fight a top contender like Maia on FOX was incredible.
“Walking out of the octagon after a fight like that with a ‘W’ was exactly what I wanted to accomplish. I showed everyone and myself what I am capable of. This win puts me pretty far up the middleweight ladder and right in the mix with the rest of the top fighters.”
Meanwhile, Maia said he regretted that he didn’t use more of his jiu-jitsu in the fight. I regret it too. Really miss Maia subbing people.
Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, sonnen, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertEvans: ‘Things Could Have Been a Lot Worse’ in UFC on Fox Victory
Please excuse Rashad Evans if he doesn’t have the ebullient demeanor one would expect of a man who just won a major MMA bout in front of millions of people on network television.
Posted in: people, doesn ’t, evan, mma bout, fox victory
Read the full article at SherdogUFC on Fox 2 Morning After: FOX Fights Fail to Deliver
Filed under: UFCCHICAGO -- There was some great action in the Octagon at the United Center on Saturday night. Unfortunately, all of it was over before the Fox show got started.
After a seven-fight preliminary card delivered one outstanding fight after another, the three-fight main card on the network was a disappointment. Between the three fights Fox broadcast on Saturday and the Junior dos Santos-Cain Velasquez fight in November (which was 59 minutes of talking surrounding one minute of fighting), there still hasn't been a really good UFC fight on network television yet.
That's a shame. If Fox had shown the Fight of the Night from Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz, or Lavar Johnson's knockout of Joey Beltran, or Charles Oliveira's brilliant submission, millions of Americans would have seen what the UFC at its best looks like. Instead, millions of Americans saw three mediocre battles.
The less said about Chris Weidman's decision win over Demian Maia, the better. That was simply not what anyone thinks of as a good MMA fight. Any curious newcomers to the UFC who turned the show on from the beginning probably changed the channel after the first round of that one.
Chael Sonnen's fight with Michael Bisping was better, and the pro-Sonnen crowd was energetic, but that fight wasn't much to look at, either: Sonnen showed how to use superior wrestling and clinch work to win a decision, but the new fans the UFC wants to draw on Fox probably didn't find that too entertaining, either.
More Coverage: UFC on FOX 2 Results | Latest UFC News
And in the main event, Rashad Evans dominated Phil Davis for 25 minutes without ever coming close to finishing. If you know enough about MMA to appreciate that Davis is a very talented athlete, an NCAA champion wrestler and a rising star in the sport, you were probably impressed with how thoroughly Evans controlled him. But if you're new to MMA and had never seen Evans or Davis before, you probably figured at the end that you'd rather spend half an hour watching a Seinfeld rerun than watching a fight like that.
The UFC and FOX both say they're in this for the long haul, and that they plan to grow the sport together. That's good, because this is going to take time. The UFC and Spike got lucky when the first Ultimate Fighter Finale had a sensational battle between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar. So far, there's been no such luck for the UFC and FOX. Through four live, televised fights, the network television viewers haven't seen much action.
%VIRTUAL-Gallery-145874%
UFC on Fox 2 Notes
-- Charles Oliveira has a ton of talent, and he looked better than ever fighting at 145 pounds for the first time in the UFC. The 22-year-old Oliveira needed just 1 minute, 43 seconds to submit Eric Wisely with a calf slicer, and he could be a future featherweight title contender.
-- Mike Russow, a Chicago cop, got one of the best ovations I've ever heard before his fight with John-Olav Einemo. He also had one of the most surprising game plans I've ever seen when he repeatedly took Einemo down, even though Einemo is a world-class submission grappler. But it worked, as Russow stayed on top and out of trouble on the ground and won a decision. Russow isn't the prettiest fighter to watch, but he's 15-1 in his MMA career, including 4-0 in the Octagon. Think about this: If Alistair Overeem beats Junior dos Santos, Russow will have the longest winning streak in the UFC heavyweight division.
"I can't believe I'm 4-0 in the UFC right now," Russow said afterward. "It's unbelievable. To have this fight in my hometown of Chicago and to have the fans cheering for me like they did...I couldn't ask for anything better. "
-- Former Ultimate Fighter finalist Michael Johnson looked like he has improved both his striking and his submission defense since leaving Greg Jackson's gym and training full-time with the Blackzilians. The fans booed at times when Johnson clinched with Shane Roller and slowed down the pace of the fight, but it was good to see Johnson show some patience: In his last fight, against Paul Sass, he got a little too wild from the top and and was caught in a heel hook. This time Johnson fought safe and smart, and when Roller put him in a lot of trouble on the ground, Johnson kept his composure and got back to his feet. This was the best Johnson has looked.
%VIRTUAL-Gallery-145874%
UFC on Fox 2 Quotes
-- "This one sucks. You really hate to lose like this. I felt like I was doing alright and getting good back-and-forth with him. I felt like I had him, but I flat out got caught on this one."--Dustin Jacoby, following his third-round submission loss to Chris Carmozzi. Jacoby entered the UFC last year with a 6-0 record, but he's now 0-2 inside the Octagon and will probably be released.
-- "This win shows that the Strikeforce heavyweights belong here. We're all on the same level and now we're getting a chance to prove it. And the fans are the ones benefitting from it the most because they're getting to see action like this."--Lavar Johnson after his impressive first-round knockout of Joey Beltran. I'm not prepared to say the Strikeforce heavyweights are "all on the same level" as the UFC heavyweights, but I do think Johnson is a great addition from Strikeforce.
Good Call
Referee Rob Madrigal stopped the Lavar Johnson-Joey Beltran fight at exactly the right time, just as Beltran was falling to the ground after repeated uppercuts from Johnson. Referees have a tough job when a fighter is taking a lot of punishment but still standing, and Madrigal stepped in just as Beltran lost the ability to defend himself. The Chicago Tribune ran a story last week questioning whether Madrigal was qualified enough to be refereeing a major card like UFC on Fox 2, but Madrigal acquitted himself nicely.
Bad Call
Referee Herb Dean demonstrated exactly what I focused on with my last Morning After: MMA refs are too inconsistent with the way they handle punches to the back of the head. Shane Roller landed several punches to the back of Michael Johnson's head, and all Dean did was warn Roller while allowing him to maintain his dominant position -- no point deduction, no stand-up, no time out to see if Johnson had been hurt by any of Roller's strikes, and certainly no disqualification, as Mario Yamasaki gave Erick Silva two weeks ago for punches to the back of the head that weren't as flagrant. The UFC and the state athletic commissions need to work together to get every ref on the same page on this rule.
Stock Up
Chris Camozzi had lost his last two UFC fights and needed a win to save his spot on the UFC roster Saturday night. He got it in impressive fashion against Dustin Jacoby, controlling the stand-up in the first couple rounds and forcing Jacoby to tap to a standing guillotine choke in the third.
Stock Down
George Roop had an opportunity to show he's a player in the featherweight division, but he was violently knocked out by Cub Swanson. Roop was looking up at the replay on the United Center big screen as he was walking back to the locker room, and he didn't seem to know what hit him. Roop has lost three of his last four.
Fights I Want to See Next
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans and Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen. Watching Evans and Sonnen on Saturday night, it's awfully tough for me to envision either one of them winning their upcoming title fights. But both men have won enough big fights in their weight classes that they've earned No. 1 contender status. I'm looking forward to seeing both of them get their title shots, even though both of them are going to be huge underdogs. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, johnson, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhousePhil Davis Gives Evans His Due, Promises to Learn
A very candid Phil Davis knows he didn't have his best performance against Rashad Evans on Saturday night, but it's a learning experience.
Posted in: saturday night, rashad evans, phil davis, phil, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyFollowing UFC on FOX 2 win, Rashad Evans ready to shed 'No. 1 contender' tag
CHICAGO - Rashad Evans is ready to shed a tag he's worn for the past two years - that of a No. 1 contender.
Following Saturday's UFC on FOX 2 main-event win over fellow light-heavyweight contender Phil Davis, the groundwork's been laid for an April 145 title fight with champ and bitter rival Jon Jones.
"I'm ready to fight in April," Evans said. "I'm excited to finally get the opportunity to fight Jon and give fans the fight they want to see."
Posted in: fight, rashad evans, evan, saturdays ufc, fight jon
Read the full article at MMA JunkieRashad Evans Ready to Put Jon Jones’ Rivalry to Bed
Now that Rashad Evans is clearly defined as the new No. 1 contender for the UFC light heavyweight title, the questions have started about his long awaited fight with Jon Jones.
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUnderappreciated Evans earns his shot (Yahoo! Sports)
Few fighters have amassed the sort of record Rashad Evans has, but it will probably take a second UFC title reign to earn real respect.
Posted in: ufc, title, shot, evan, sort
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC on FOX 2 post-fight press conference full video for 'Evans vs Davis' in Chicago
The UFC on FOX 2 post-fight press conference begins at the 33:35 mark.
UFC on Fox 2: "Evans vs. Davis" from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, is officially in the books after an uneven night of fights. As usual, the stars of the show came to dish the dirt on the event, including Rashad Evans, Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping. To watch the highlights of Evans vs. Davis click here and for highlights of Sonnen vs. Bisping click here. For complete UFC on FOX 2 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on Fox 2 results- Rashad Evans wins decision over Phil Davis, earns fight with Jon Jones at UFC 145
UFC on Fox Evans vs. Davis resultsChicago, ILRashad Evans def. Phil Davis via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)Chael Sonnen def. Michael Bisping via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)Chris Weidman def. Demian Maia via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Evan Dunham def. Nik Lentz via TKO (doctor's stoppage) 5:00 R2Mike Russow def. John-Olav Einemo via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)Cub Swanson def. George Roop via TKO (punches) 2:22 R2Charles Oliveira def. Eric Wisely via submission calf crusher 1:43 R1Michael Johnson def. Shane Roller via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Lavar Johnson def. Joey Beltran via KO (punches) 4:24 R1Chris Camozzi def. Dustin Jacoby via submission guillotine choke 1:08 R3Of the night bonuses 65KFight: Evan Dunham vs. Nik LentzKO: Lavar JohnsonSubmission: Charles OliveiraAttendance: 17,425Gate: 1.2 million
Posted in: decision, phil davis, evan, demian maia, george roop
Read the full article at UltMMAUFC On Fox 2 Results: Rashad Evans Vs Phil Davis Video Fight Highlights
Rashad Evans faced Phil Davis Saturday night in Chicago for a shot at Jon Jones' light heavyweight title. For twenty-five minutes Evans was able to outwork and control Phil Davis on both the ground and on the feet. Rashad has made huge leeps in becoming a more well rounded fighter developing a heavy top game to compliment his speedy boxing.
The judges gave all five rounds to Evans for his dominant performance. This fight was original booked for UFC 133 but injuries to both fighters caused the extensive delays. Davis was unable to get the fight to the ground nor was he able to find his range when attacking on the feet.
Though Evans earned a shot at Jones' title, he wasn't impressive in his performance. The skills he showcased on Saturday night don't really offer any kind of threat to Jon Jones. He was also unable to find his range for an extended period of time and wasn't able to finish Davis within the time limit.
SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, davi
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis Fight Bonus Winners
Lavar Johnson, Charles Oliveira, Evan Dunham and Nik Lentz each won $65,000 bonus awards after their performances at UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis in Chicago.
Posted in: fox, vs, evan, bonus, nik lentz
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans vs. Phil Davis Fight Video Highlights from UFC on Fox 2
Fox Sports has released highlights of Saturday’s UFC on Fox 2 main event between light heavyweight contenders Rashad Evans and Phil Davis.
Evans dominated Davis to easily earn a unanimous decision and set up a likely showdown with rival UFC light heavyweight teammate Jon Jones at UFC 145 in April.
See the Evans vs. Davis highlights below, watch the Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping fight video, and check out MMAFrenzy.com’s complete UFC on Fox 2 coverage.
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyRashad Evans vs Phil Davis full fight video highlights from UFC on FOX 2
Rashad Evans mostly dominates Phil Davis en route to a landslide unanimous decision victory by scores of 50-45 across the board in the main event of the UFC on FOX 2 card that took place tonight (Sat., Jan. 28, 2012) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. "Suga" used his superior all-around game to snuff out any offense "Mr. Wonderful" attempted to offer, which wasn't much. Ultimately, Evans proved he is indeed the number one contender to the light heavyweight championship and he will now go on to face current titleholder Jon Jones at the UFC 145 pay-per-view event scheduled for April 21 in Atlanta, Georgia. Let's hope it actually happens this time. For a complete recap of the Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis fight click here and for complete UFC on FOX 2 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: ufc, fox, phil, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaEvans dominates Davis at UFC Chicago
Rashad Evans unanimously outpointed fellow former Big Ten wrestler Phil Davis in a five-round light heavyweight fight at UFC Chicago.
Posted in: ufc, evan, davi, chicago, outpointed fellow
Read the full article at sportsnet.caEvans, Sonnen winners at UFC on FOX 2
Rashad Evans unanimously outpointed fellow former Big Ten wrestler Phil Davis in a five-round light heavyweight fight at UFC Chicago.
Posted in: ufc, heavyweight, fellow, evan, outpointed fellow
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC on Fox 2 ‘Evans vs. Davis’ Live Results and Play-by-Play (4:30 ET)
Sherdog.com will report from the United Center in Chicago at approximately 4:30 p.m. ET with play-by-play and live results of UFC on Fox 2, which is headlined by a light heavyweight clash between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis.
Posted in: ufc, result, fox, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at SherdogUFC on FOX: Evans vs Davis Full Results
FOX Main Card Rashad Evans def. Phil Davis via Unanimous Decision; Evans will now face Jon Jones for the UFC light heaveyweight championship at UFC 145, April 21, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia Chael Sonnen def. Michael Bisping via Unanimous Decision Chris Weidman def. Demain Maia via Split Decision FUELTV Card Evan Dunham def. Nik Lentz [...]
Posted in: ufc, decision, phil davis, evan, decision evans
Read the full article at Fighthub TVUFC On Fox 2 Results And Post-Fight Analysis
Rashad Evans proved that he was just too advanced for Phil Davis in tonight's UFC on Fox 2 main event. In a fight that represented significant risk to Evans in the eyes of most observers, Rashad was able to dominate every round in an interesting stylistic match-up.
It may not have been the most exciting bout in the world (more on that in a moment) but seeing Evans win every phase of the fight (wrestling, striking, grappling) while not seeming to gas too horribly was a good sign and should set up the Jon Jones fight quite well.
The unfortunate thing about the Fox effort is that it was seen by many as being somewhat of a failure again. There were many tweets during the main event that fans were leaving the building, the opening fight was a horrible bout and while Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen put on a good fight some saw it as a controversial decision and it did involve a lot of clinching against the cage.
I'm deeply interested in seeing the ratings breakdown for the event to see when people were tuning in and tuning out to get a better idea of the mass appeal of the event. But we do know that we've still yet to see that huge moment where the sport totally shines on Fox.
What I found interesting about Evans vs. Davis was seeing how having a bigger reach doesn't mean you have an advantage. Davis doesn't quite understand the dynamics of spacing and utilizing his reach, this led to him coming up short on his punches much more often than Rashad. Evans was able to just move in enough to get his punches off and out just enough to prevent Davis from landing. It was much less "flashy" on the in and out than his usual work but was arguably much more effective.
I just hope that this wasn't a case where Davis was pushed a little too far too soon and is broken going forward. He kept fighting to win which is a good thing but (to over-analyze body language) he looked like he was breaking in the third round.
I scored the Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen fight for Bisping but I'm not upset that Sonnen got the decision. I thought Bisping controlled the fight a bit more but Sonnen did enough to earn at least two rounds depending on what you focus on.
The best part of the fight may be that it was fairly entertaining and both guys looked good. So you don't come out of a national broadcast with either guy having their stock fall. Bisping is a star, even if people don't like him and he'll take no damage off of this and Sonnen is now going to get his rematch against Anderson Silva.
The fight did play out much as I expected. While people expected Sonnen to run through him, Bisping's skills were perfect for the game that Sonnen brings to the table. Well, obviously not perfect but very good. Maybe some day people will stop underrating Bisping.
Sonnen's mic work is getting worse though. It's so much more rehearsed and so much less crazy and seeming off-the-cuff. It's just less interesting than it was around the first Silva fight.
Demian Maia looked absolutely horrible and I think that Bisping would have hurt him badly if the Mark Munoz injury didn't cause the shuffling on the card.
While Maia's fight with Chris Weidman was not exactly exciting or anything resembling a good fight, Weidman deserves a lot of credit for taking a dangerous fight on late notice. He had to cut a lot of weight and go in without having time to craft and train a full gameplan and got the win. He deserves a lot of respect for that.
Much more after the jump including thoughts on the Fox production...
SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
My biggest gripe with the Fox production was far too many times where they were showing the action from directly behind one fighter (Punchout! style). It makes it very hard to see what is landing and what isn't and, while looking neat, is a very inefficient angle for combat sports.
Beyond that I thought the production was very sharp, polished and made everything look super professional.
Jon Jones wasn't very good in his analyst role tonight, but damn am I excited to see him face Rashad finally.
Evan Dunham was really punishing the new "exciting" version of Nik Lentz. I thought the fight was entertaining and don't hate Lentz like others, but abandoning his grinding style leads to him getting hit in the face a lot.
Mike Russow rarely seems like the "better" fighter in the cage, but he keeps getting his hand raised, so you can't hate him too much for that. But Jon Olav Einemo is not a UFC caliber fighter at all. Two horribly disappointing performance in two trips to the cage.
I may not like Cub Swanson's tattoos, but he was very solid in demolishing George Roop. Swanson got takedowns, wasn't nearly as wild as he has been in the past and the right hand that set up the finish was crushing.
Charles Oliveira is going to be a real force at 145 pounds, I'm very interested to see what is next or him after the beautiful calf slicer.
Michael Johnson was so much better than I remember ever seeing him for two rounds against Shane Roller but then almost fell into the "Michael Johnson trap" of finding a way to get himself beat in the third. He survived though and took the decision. I'm interested to see his next fight if he continues this level of growth.
Lavar Johnson is a guy who I just never imagined in the UFC but holy crap...he just crushed Joey Beltran. Johnson was so much more composed than I ever thought he would be and his striking was so much more sound than I expected it to be. Putting Beltran to sleep is no small feat and if I'm going to watch a heavyweight brawler who throws hands I'd rather watch Johnson than Beltran.
Posted in: fight, fox, bisping, sonnen, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowEvans Clinches Title Shot, Routs Davis at UFC on Fox 2
Rashad Evans removed the last remaining obstacle standing between him and reigning light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Posted in: ufc, title, champion, shot, evan
Read the full article at SherdogEvans, Sonnen earn UFC title shots (Yahoo! Sports)
Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen earned championship matches with wins in their UFC on Fox 2 co-feature bouts.
Posted in: ufc, chael sonnen, sonnen, evan, evans sonnen
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC on FOX 2 results: Cautious Evans shuts out Davis, books grudge match with Jones
CHICAGO - Rashad Evans will indeed face Jon Jones, but he'll enter the matchup on a somewhat lackluster win.
To be fair, the former champ shut out a previously undefeated contender
in Phil Davis, but the bout lacked the sizzle one might have hoped for
in a network-television headliner.
Evans earned all five rounds of the UFC on FOX 2 main event, which took place at Chicago's United Center and aired on FOX.
Posted in: fox, jon jones, phil davis, evan, chicago
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 145: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans main event set for Atlanta on April 21
Finally.
Rashad Evans, perhaps the most qualified number one contender in the relatively brief history of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), tonight (Jan. 28, 2012) punched his ticket to a championship fight against Jon Jones.
For now, anyway.
Evans routed Phil Davis in the UFC on Fox 2 main event from the United Center in Chicago, Ill., winning a unanimous decision and earning a date with "Bones" at UFC 145, which takes place on April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
More on the breaking news shortly.
For more on UFC 145 be sure to check out our complete event archive right here. To check out the latest UFC 145 fight card and rumors click here.
Posted in: ufc, event, evan, championship ufc, atlanta georgia
Read the full article at MMA ManiaEvans vs. Davis Official UFC Statistics
UFC on Fox 2 - Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Posted in: ufc, vs, official, evan, davi
Read the full article at Fight MetricUFC On Fox 2 Results: Rashad Evans Earns Title Shot With Win Over Phil Davis
Rashad Evans defeats Phil Davis by Unanimous Decision. All three judges scored the fight 50-45.
Phil Davis was the first to commit to the attack with kicks though none of them landed to Rashad's body. Davis slipped following a kick and Evan's swarmed. Davis attempted a takedown but Rashad defended with a front headlock. Rashad had trouble finding his range though he did land a solid counter left hook. Another failed takedown from Phil Davis was stuffed by Rashad Evans. A lazy body kick from Phil Davis resulted in a Rashad Evans takedown. Rashad was able to stay heavy from the top as he attempted to pass to side control. Rashad secures the mounted crucifix and rained down punches with 30 seconds left in the round. The round ends with Rashad Evans maintaining controlling position.
Head kick from Phil Davis to open the second round failed as Rashad Evans backed away. The two fighters clinched and traded knees in the center of the octagon. Rashad pressed the action with punches and then closed the distance quickly to clinch against the fence. Again the fighters trade in the center of the cage with Evan's the clear winner of the exchanges. Thirty seconds left in the third and Rashad caught a kick to the body and took the fight to the ground.
The third round began with both fighters pawing out punches to keep their range. Davis shot a low single leg takedown and was stuffed by Rashad. Davis continued to push forward and got Rashad to the ground. Evans hit a switch and took Phil Davis' back with both hooks in. Rashad let go of both hooks as Davis was looking to reverse the position. Phil Davis was able to complete a takedown after Rashad landed several punches to his grill piece. Davis completed a takedown but Rashad was able to scramble out and regain his feet.
As the fourth round opened up Rashad Evans looked to play the counter-fighte role. Davis was unable to press the action as Evans kept him at bay with punches. A Phil Davis takedown attempt was countered with a front headlock. Davis reversed position and secured his own front headlock. Phil Davis attempted a low single but Rashad was able to sprawl out and land punches to the head from the turtle position. With a minute left in the round both fighters looked to establish position from the clinch. The round came to a close with Rashad Evans stalking Phil Davis.
Phil Davis opened the final round with some urgency looking to push the action. Evans was able to circle away and land punches to keep Davis at bay. Davis attempted another kick to the body which Rashad Evans caught. Evans used this advantageous position to land several punches and then hit the takedown. Rashad passed to another mounted crucifix though the position was only secured momentarily. Davis escaped and regained his feet. Huge right hand landed for Rashad which forced Davis to shoot a low single. Evans attempted a trip which Phil Davis defended well. WIth under a minute left Phil Davis nearly landed a high kick. Rashad Evans cruised for the final thirty seconds and the fight went to the judges' score cards.
Rashad Evans entered the fight knowing that a title shot was on the line. Riding a three fight win streak, Evans came into the fight 11-1-1 in the UFC. Phil Davis is considered a blue chip prospect at light heavyweight. He entered the fight undefeated in his MMA career. He was 5-0 in the UFC.
SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
Posted in: round, rashad, phil, evan, davi
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC on FOX 2 results: Rashad Evans dominates Phil Davis en route to decision win
The main event of the UFC on Fox 2: "Evans vs. Davis" event taking place tonight (Sat., Jan. 28, 2012) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, featured a light heavyweight showdown with a title shot against Jon Jones on the line ... kind of.
If Rashad Evans could emerge victorious, he would move on to UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta, Georgia, to square off against his former teammate and training partner. If Phil Davis won, he wasn't promised the same but his name would certainly be in the discussion.
As it turns out, "Suga" Rashad is an elite 205-pound fighter and "Mr. Wonderful" is not. Or at least he's not on the same high level as Evans, who took home the unanimous decision victory by scores of 50-45 across the board.
He earned it. His cardio held up well, he showed a strong striking game, his wrestling was on point and he was never once in danger. A fitting opponent for "Bones" Jones, me thinks.
Davis came out early looking to land a few low leg kicks to take Evans' feet out from underneath him. It's a sound strategy, really, seeing as it makes it far more difficult for "Suga" to get away from takedown attempts later on.
The problem, of course, is that Evans was ready for this strategy and played solid defense. It was obvious that Evans was the superior striker and he showed that in the few exchanges.
The first takedown of the fight came about three and a half minutes in when Rashad caught a leg kick and sent Phil crashing to the mat with a trip. It wasn't long after that Evans attained a mounted crucifix and started landing shots. Davis started bucking like fish out of water, understanding the terrible position he was in. He got out of it, too, but came up bloody.
Score one for Rashad.
Not much going in the second frame, as Davis mostly stayed on the outside to utilize his big reach advantage. He looked for more kicks, be they high or low. Rashad was ready for all of the above and avoided any real danger. When he wanted to, in fact, he unleashed his lethal hands, which were far faster than anything "Mr. Wonderful" could handle.
The final seconds of the round ticked away shortly after Evans earned a takedown and delivered a bit more pitter-patter ground-n-pound.
Score two for Rashad.
You can imagine how round three went, though Davis finally scored some points of his own with a late takedown. He couldn't keep Evans down, however, and likely had his offense voided by what Rashad was able to do early, which was continuing controlling the fight.
Closer this time but score another for Rashad and the fight. Unless Davis could come back to earn a finish in the final two frames.
By the time the fourth round was over, the punches and takedowns were coming in slow motion from both fighters. 20 minutes strong inside the cage doing battle is a long time to stay fresh and neither guy was able to maintain that level of fitness. We are talking about light heavyweights here.
It was at this point, too, that reports started hitting Twitter that a lot of fans were leaving the United Center because they didn't enjoy the fight. That tells you a whole lot about how this thing looked from the word go.
Rashad caught another kick in the early parts of the final frame and used it to unload some shots on Davis, who was so utterly gassed and out of it that it put him on the mat. This was the end, though it was over long before it.
One thing became quite clear very early: Rashad Evans is miles ahead of Phil Davis in the fight game.
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta, Georgia, for the light heavyweight championship. Get ready, y'all; it's coming.
To check out complete results of the UFC on FOX 2 event with blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: fight, takedown, rashad, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaEvan Dunham Ready to Face the Top Contenders in the UFC’s Lightweight Division
Evan Dunham talks about his win over Nik Lentz, the blood in the fight, how he feels about the stoppage, and where he feels he belongs in the lightweight division.
Posted in: division, evan, ufc ’s, evan dunham, nik lentz
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC On Fox 2 Results: Evan Dunham Defeats Nik Lentz By Doctor Stoppage
Evan Dunham defeats Nik Lentz by Doctor Stoppage. It came in between the second and third round.
Nik Lentz opened the first round with leg kicks before looking for a takedown attempt. Though Dunham sprawled out, Lentz was able to secure a headlock to control Dunham's posture. The two fighters traded punches in the pocked before Lentz got a taken. He was unable to secure the position as Dunham created a scramble from half-guard. Lentz locked in a guillotine but Dunham was able to defend it and break away. Lentz landed a big left hand before looking for a takedown. Dunham looked for a guillotine but Lentz was able to escape and complete the takedown. Evan Dunham again created a scramble from half-guard. Dunham completed his first takedown attempt and worked from Nik Lentz' guard. The round ended with Dunham attacking from top position.
Evan Dunham hit a takedown at the start of the second round. Nik Lentz defended with a guillotine before transitioning to a omoplata attempt. Lentz regained his feet and landed several punches to Dunham's face. A failed Lentz takedown attempt led to an exchange that saw Nik Lentz land power shots to Evan Dunham's chin. Evan Dunham got the fight back to the grund and locked in what looked to be a d'arce choke before abandoning it for ground and pound. Lentz was able to regain his feet but the damage to his face was noticeable. With the round coming to an end, Evan Dunham defended a takedown attempt. Nik Lentz' face was a mess after the round ended. The doctors stopped the fight because of the damage to Nik Lentz' left eye.
Evan Dunham entered the fight 5-2 in the UFC and 12-2 overall. This is his first stoppage win since 2009.
SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
Posted in: takedown, dunham, evan, lentz, nik
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis Main Card Live Blog
Get live coverage of Saturday's UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis card from the United Center in Chicago starting at 8 p.m. Eastern, including Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis and Chael Sonnen vs. Michael...
Posted in: fox, vs, evan, davi, saturdays ufc
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Title Match Set for UFC 145 in Atlanta
Filed under: UFC, NewsUFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his belt at UFC 145 in Atlanta, the UFC confirmed during Saturday night's UFC on FOX 2 event.
Barring any unforeseen issues, it will be against his former friend and current rival Rashad Evans.
By virtue of his unanimous decision win over Phil Davis on Saturday, Evans (17-1-1) held on to his No. 1 contender status, but after a fairly grueling five-rounder, he'd have only 12 weeks to heal up any injuries he suffered during the fight and prepare for a title bout. In the post-fight press conference, Evans didn't mention any physical issues stemming from the fight, saying that he was looking forward to the long-awaited grudge match and title bout with Jones.
"Yeah I'm ready to fight in April or whenever," he said. "There's a couple of things I need to work on. I look forward to going into camp and working on things, but I'm looking forward to fighting Jon and giving the fans the fight they want to see."
Evans admitted that it was difficult to prepare for Davis with the prospect of fighting Jones in the background.
"This is the monkey on my back I had to get over," he said. "It was hard to get ready for this fight because everybody kept talking about that fight [with Jones]. It was hard to get excited for a fight like this, but Phil Davis definitely brought it, and now that I won, I get the opportunity to fight Jon, and I'm very excited about it."
Atlanta is the site of Evans' star-making win, as he knocked out Chuck Liddell at UFC 88 at the same arena that will host UFC 145.
Jones, who was in Chicago as a member of the FOX broadcast team, was beaming after Evans' win, saying that he was happy to finally face his former teammate in the cage.
"I can't wait to get past this chapter in my career," he said. "I've been calling him my antagonist because of all the hype and drama. So I'm a happy man. I'm looking forward to retaining my title on April 21st in the ATL."
It's not a lock yet though, as Evans will have to pass a post-fight physical and hope to avoid any lengthy medical suspensions.
If Evans can't make the quick turnaround, former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Dan Henderson is likely to get the headlining slot opposite Jones.
The 41-year-old Henderson (29-8) is coming off his thrilling unanimous decision win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139, a scrap that many have called the greatest MMA fight of all time.
Jones originally won the belt at UFC 128, battering Rua en route to a fourth-round TKO. He then successfully defended it twice, beating Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto Machida to cap a banner 2012.
UFC 145 takes place on April 21 from Philips Arena. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, im
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad Evans Beats Phil Davis in UFC on Fox 2 Main Event
Filed under: UFCCHICAGO -- Rashad Evans out-slugged Phil Davis for 25 minutes to win a unanimous decision in the main event of Saturday night's UFC on Fox 2 show.
With the win, Evans will earn a UFC light heavyweight title shot against Jon Jones, assuming Evans suffered no injuries and is healthy enough to fight in April.
The fight wasn't the kind of barn-burner that the UFC and Fox were surely hoping for, and many in the crowd at the United Center booed as the event drew to a close. But it was the win Evans needed to get another crack at the title. All three judges gave all five rounds to Evans.
"I fought at a pretty high pace but I felt like I wanted to put it away and just didn't get the chance," Evans said. "I'm kind of disappointed by that."
Evans said the fight with Jones is the fight he's focused on.
"It was hard to focus on this fight because everybody kept talking about that fight," Evans said. "Now I get an opportunity to fight Jon and I'm very excited about that."
Davis employed some powerful leg kicks in the early going and seemed to be using his reach to get the better of the stand-up exchanges. However, with a little over a minute to go in the round, Evans took Davis down and then transitioned into side control, where he battered Davis's head on the ground. That was enough to win the first round for Evans.
The second round was slow most of the way until, with only 30 seconds left, Davis threw a kick that Evans caught, and Evans once again took Davis down and got into side control. Evans didn't do as much on the ground at the end of the second as he had at the end of the first, but given how little action there was before that, it was probably enough for Evans to win the round again.
Early in the third Davis attempted a takedown, but Evans sprawled and managed to end up on top of Davis, and even briefly took his back before they stood back up. Evans then got the better of an exchange of punches, and although Davis was finally able to get Evans back down after that, he couldn't do anything on the ground, and Evans won yet another round.
Davis landed a hard body kick that made a sound like the crack of a bat early in the fourth round, but there wasn't much significant striking in the round after that. Both Evans and Davis were tiring out and not getting much done as the fourth went on.
Early in the fifth Davis threw a kick that Evans caught with one hand while hitting Davis with the other, and he knocked Davis down and got on top of him. Evans played it safe for the rest of the round, knowing he had won. And knowing he's got Jones next. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, round, phil davis, evan, davi
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC On Fox 2 Fight Card Primer: Rashad Evans Vs. Phil Davis
In the main event of the UFC's second card on Fox, the world will get to see two of the best light heavyweights in the world face off in a five round bout. On one side, the brash former champ desperately needs a win here so he can go on and finally fight his nemesis. Across the octagon from him is an upstart prospect looking for, by far, the biggest win of his career and a possible shot at Jones (a guy he is constantly compared to). Rashad Evans (16-1-1, 11-1-1 UFC) meets Phil Davis (9-0, 5-0 UFC).
Evans occupies the 3 spot at lightweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Davis is at number 7. Dana White has already stated that if Evans can get the win and escape the fight injury-free, he will finally get his shot at current champ and former friend Jon Jones. White has been non-committal about whether Davis would earn a shot with a win, but he certainly wouldn't be far off if he doesn't get it right away. This light heavyweight UFC on Fox 2 fight will be the main event of the evening and will be aired live on Fox. The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Evans: 32 years old | 5'11" | 75" reachDavis: 27 years old | 6'2" | 79" reach
What have these two done recently?
Evans: W - Tito Ortiz (TKO) | W - Quinton Jackson (UD) | W - Thiago Silva (UD) Davis: W - Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (UD) | W - Tim Boetsch (SUB) | W - Rodney Wallace (UD)
How did these two get here?
"Suga" Rashad Evans has been in the UFC for over six years now, and has just one loss on his record. He was the TUF 2 winner at heavyweight, but immediately dropped back down to his natural 205 pound division after the show. He managed to pick up wins and clips for his highlight reel over the next few years, with the only blip on his record coming in a controversial bout with Tito Ortiz that went to a draw. After a huge knockout of former champ Chuck Liddell, Evans earned a title shot against Forrest Griffin and took the belt home with a third-round TKO win. However, he lost the first bout of his career in his very next fight, getting knocked out by Lyoto Machida. After beating Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson, Rashad was scheduled to face Mauricio Rua for the title at UFC 126 but an injury forced him out, and then-teammate Jon Jones stepped in and won the belt. Their relationship deteriorated, Evans left their camp, and the two are now mortal enemies. They were scheduled to meet at UFC 133, but Jones got injured this time. Davis stepped in, but got injured himself and bowed out too. Evans met and defeated Tito Ortiz instead. Rashad must now get through Davis to finally meet his former friend for the belt.
"Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis was the 2007 NCAA Division 1 wrestling champion at 197 pounds, and made the transition to MMA shortly after his wrestling career ended. After just four fights in the minors, he stepped into a UFC cage for the first time at UFC 109 and defeated Brian Stann by decision. His next outing at UFC 112 was even more impressive, where he submitted fellow top prospect (and now current training partner) Alexander Gustafsson with an anaconda choke. A decision win over Rodney Wallace and slick kimura submission win over Tim Boetsch erned him his first shot at a main event fight, and at UFC Fight Night 25, he defeated Antonio Rogerio Nogueira by decision. After briefly being scheduled to face Evans at UFC 133, Davis injured his knee and was forced onto the sidelines. This will be his first bout in 10 months, and is clearly the most important fight of his career to date.
Why should you care?
Even if you ignore the fact that it's two of the best 205er's in the world competing in a five-round bout on network TV, it's still an excellent style matchup and should be pretty exciting. Can Rashad control Phil's wrestling? Can Davis avoid Rashad's heavy hands? Will the both have the cardio to go five if necessary? This bout has all sorts of storylines, and it's a perfect main event for Fox.
SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
You can catch more UFC on Fox 2 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC On Fox 2: Michael Bisping Flips Off Fans At Weigh Ins, Nearly Loses Sponsor - Kid Nate
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 128: UFC On Fox Preview
UFC On FOX 2 Evans Vs. Davis: Fight Card And Staff Predictions
UFC On Fox 2 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC On Fox 2: Haters Be Damned, Rashad Evans Is A Big Star - Josh Nason
UFC On Fox 2 Video: Dana White On Chael's Fake Belt, Fox Production, The Internet - Josh Nason
UFC On Fox 2 Video: WWE Champion CM Punk On Brock Lesnar, Chael Sonnen Walkout - Josh Nason
UFC On Fox 2 Video: Complete Pre-Fight Press Conference - Kid Nate
UFC On Fox 2: Fuel TV Prelims Dissection (Part Two) - Dallas Winston
UFC On Fox 2: Phil Davis Striking Analysis - Fraser Coffeen
UFC On Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC On Fox 2: Chael Sonnen Does Interview With UFC Fake Belt, Calls Kenny Rice A Liar - Kid Nate
Demian Maia Thinks You Only Need Two Brain Cells To Know Chael Sonnen Is Joking - Brent Brookhouse
UFC On Fox 2: Fuel TV Prelims Dissection (Part One) - Dallas Winston
UFC On Fox 2 Video: A Day In The Life Of Phil Davis - Josh Nason
UFC On Fox 2: The Time For Joe Rogan To Shine Has Arrived - Josh Nason
UFC On Fox 2: Chael Sonnen's Coach 'Bisping Breaks Easily' - Matthew Roth
Phil Davis Discusses Differences From Rashad Evans' Wrestling Game - Brent Brookhouse
Michael Bisping Skewers Chael Sonnen On Inside MMA - Tim Burke
UFC On Fox 2: Dana White Releases First Video Blog - Josh Nason
UFC On Fox 2: Middleweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC on Fox: Dana White Guarantees Chael Sonnen Will Face Anderson Silva With Win - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, evan, davi
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRewind: Rashad Evans knockout video of Forrest Griffin at UFC 92
Despite his reputation, Rashad Evans has some seriously lethal hands.
One need look no further than the above video, which shows "Suga's" brutal ground-n-pound knockout of Forrest Griffin back at UFC 92 in Dec. 2008.
That night, Evans showcased his overall skill-set, standing and exchanging punches with Forrest before working a tight top game that he parlayed into a knockout by delivering what seemed like a million unanswered punches with power Phil Davis is surely wary of heading into tonight's (Jan. 28, 2012) UFC on Fox 2 event in Chicago, Illinois.
Will "Mr Wonderful" meet the same fate Griffin did? Or will he skillfully navigate his way past Evans on his road up the light heavyweight ladder?
Posted in: forrest griffin, evan, chicago illinois, fate griffin, groundnpound knockout
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2 Real Time Results
The UFC is back on network television tonight with a PPV-worthy lineup featuring two fights likely to determine two top divisional contenders. In addition to the co-headlining bouts between Michael Bisping-Chael Sonnen and Phil Davis-Rashad Evans, the main broadcast of UFC on FOX 2 will also feature submission specialist Demian Maia taking on unbeaten All-American wrestler Chris Weidman.
As always, Fighters.com will be tuned in and relaying live results back to readers as soon as things start on Facebook at 5:00 PM EST. Action then heads over to Fuel TV with prelims such as Shane Roller vs. Michael Johnson and Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz before FOX takes over at 8:00 PM EST.
Read below for a full list of results as they unfold in real time from the United Center in Chicago:
Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby
Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
Shane Roller vs. Michael Johnson
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
George Roop vs. Cub Swanson
John Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow
Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Tweet
Posted in: vs, johnson, michael, evan, chri
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC on Fox 2: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis Fight Video Preview
Before light heavyweight contenders Rashad Evans and Phil Davis square off in the main event of UFC on Fox 2 tonight in Chicago in hopes of earning a shot at light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, here’s the UFC’s official preview of the matchup:
Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for complete coverage of UFC on Fox 2, including live UFC on Fox 2 results.
Posted in: ufc, fox, heavyweight, preview, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC on FOX 2 fight card: Rashad Evans vs Phil Davis prediction, preview and breakdown
With all the hype surrounding the replacement of the injured Mark Munoz with Michael Bisping, a casual observer would be inclined to think Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping was indeed the true UFC on Fox 2 main event TONIGHT (Jan. 28, 2012) from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
But, lurking above that match up on the marquee is this excellent showdown of talented light heavyweights between Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, with title implications, to boot. Endlessly vexed, it seems, in his pursuit of another crack at the 205-pound belt he lost to Lyoto Machida, Evans finds himself pitted against an exceptionally talented dynamo in Davis, whose blend of elite wrestling and imposing physicality make for an interesting match up.
Simply put, Evans may have champ Jon Jones on his mind, what with the endless back-and-forth the two have had since their much-publicized falling-out last year, when Jones stepped in for the injured Evans to decimate Mauricio Rua to win the championship. That's because Davis has the mix of wrestling chops, bigger frame and a considerably tough style match up to scuttle Evans' hopes at a title shot.
At times, Davis can seem a clear-cut phenotype of the new breed of mixed martial arts (MMA) talent. A 197-pound standout and national champion at Penn State University, he goes well beyond the expectable template for a top college wrestler with just nine fights under his belt.
For while Davis possesses expectably great takedowns, he doesn't just camp in top position once he gets there -- he'll deliver punishing strikes, hoist a knee in the air and bash it into his opponent's midsection, or work for inventive submissions, such as the Anaconda choke he nailed to finish Alexander Gustafsson, or the behind-the-back kimura that made Tim Boetsch surrender.
In his toughest and last fight, he decisioned a very competitive Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in taxing bout where Davis had to work exceptionally hard for takedowns, while avoiding submissions. It was the kid of thumbs-up litmus test you like to see a young prospect get, and with that behind him, he should, ostensibly, be ready for the likes of Evans.
Meanwhile, the ex-champ has looked his consistent self in three outings since losing the title to Machida. A pair of decision wins of Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson showed Evans' excellent grasp of gameplanning and conditioning, where he implements his strengths and mitigates his weaknesses.
Evans is not a power wrestler in the standard light-heavyweight mold -- his credentials are nowhere near Davis.' Instead, Evans is a very smart fighter who rarely makes a glaring mistake. He keeps the fighting standing until it's to his advantage to take it to the ground. He doesn't waste strikes and he contests every takedown battle with the right techniques you'd expect, while punishing opponents once he can get into an advantageous position. And his stand up is one of the best elements of his arsenal. With quick hands and numbing power, he can punish opponents in the blink of an eye.
Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC on FOX 2 main event fight between Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis:
The Breakdown
The running joke in Evans' camp leading into the Nogueira fight was when reporters would ask him about Jon Jones. The two have much in common, so it's really no shocker the question came up frequently.
In the Octagon, like Jones, Evans has some shocking flashes of ability, using an excellent takedown shot that simply cannot be stopped at times. He also seems increasingly comfortable with the standup game, but he does have holes in his transitions between striking, clinching and grappling; in some instances it appears as though he's left hanging when he'll try an exotic move that leaves him exposed, be it a high kick or a wide-open punch where he's left reaching.
Evans has to capitalize on these, as Davis leaves holes in the stand up phase of the game, and Rashad's right-hand counter is the perfect weapon.
Another X-factor will be how much Davis decides to stand on the feet before essentially going all-in and trying to force a battle of takedowns. Evans has shown outstanding takedown defense in fights, as he reacts quickly when foes try and plant him on the mat, and he's got top-notch scrambling ability to deny opponents time to stick him to the mat and secure position.
He's extremely hard to hold down, and the battle on the ground -- especially early -- could prove a big momentum-changer depending on who wins it. At this point, I'm not sure Evans can take Davis down too readily outside of an early strike that makes it possible. "Mr. Wonderful" is an outstanding wrestler, but if he makes a mistake transitioning between the phases of striking and wrestling, that's precisely where Evans will take advantage, as "Suga" did against "Rampage."
Another key factor is conditioning. Evans looked like he was somewhat gassed in the last round of the Nogueira fight, but that was his first taxing, distance bout against world-class competition. He'll know his body better this time and should be more comfortable parsing out his efforts. For Evans, he's got to put some leather on the young gun early and take his confidence away, and ring his bell, big-time. Make him feel like a bunny rabbit on some strange and frightening planet.
Otherwise, Evans' wrestling and bigger frame will carry the day in a grinding bout.
The Pick
This is the toughest fight on the card to pick, with some compelling implications for the winner. Evans is the more finished product, with a well-rounded game complemented by a chip on his shoulder for the title shot he's obsessed with. Davis, however, may be the better long-term product to win the title back. I don't see Evans ever being competitive with Jon "Bones" Jones, no matter how hard the UFC tries to sell it, but I can reasonably see Davis giving the champ a good go with some more time to polish his considerable game.
However, in spots, Davis still looks raw, but gets away with it because he's a phenomenal wrestler and a great all-around athlete. Evans could tap into one of these sequences and scuttle everything.
The big factor is how Davis responds if he can't get a takedown early and is stuck in a fight where he's not winning the stand up in the first couple rounds -- that will be a real test of his ability to adjust. Technically, Evans is better on the feet, but Davis just has more grappling chops and horsepower.
Look for some frenetic exchanges early as Evans looks to make a point, and Davis responds with some surprisingly effective standup of his own, nailing a takedown or two midway through the fight to swing the momentum his way. It will be nip-and-tuck down the stretch, but I think Davis will survive a scare or two en route to getting enough takedowns and big strikes to win via close decision in a rousing bout.
Davis via decision
Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC on FOX 2 results of all the "Evans vs. Davis" action on primetime. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the "Prelims" under card bouts, and of course, the network telecast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 5 p.m. ET and carry straight on through into early Saturday morning.
See you then!
Jason Probst can be reached at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst
Posted in: fight, takedown, evan, davi, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans: “I’m going in and I’m gonna hunt for him.”
If Rashad Evans’ recent dismissal of Phil Davis’ wrestling ability implied the former light heavyweight champion will be taking the NCAA All-American lightly when they lock horns tonight on FOX, it turns out that viewpoint couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only has Evans prepared for the UFC on FOX 2 main event with intensity and focus but he also understands the position Davis is in because he himself filled the same shoes a few years back.
“If you go in there and you just think that you’re experienced and you’re gonna use that alone to take the young buck out, you might find yourself sitting down and being upset because if he’s got that raw talent and he’s hungry, that could get him the win,” explained Evans in an interview with the UFC’s website.
“You gotta be hungry and try to match that intensity…I know Phil is preparing for the fight of his life and he’s got everything to gain in this situation. This is his coming out party,” the TUF winner continued. “So I really got to go in there and beat him mentally first. I’ve got to think like I’m fighting me. I’ve got to tap into that feeling I had when I fought my big fight against Chuck Liddell or Tito Ortiz or ‘Rampage’ (Quinton Jackson), which was ‘This is my moment to shine.’ If I go in there thinking I’ve got something to keep away from him, its not gonna be a good fight for me. I’m going in and I’m gonna hunt for him. I’m trying to take something he’s got.”
The 16-1-1 Evans, who expressed his interest in being remembered forever based on his accomplishments in the Octagon, closed the topic out with a revealing glimpse into his work ethic and approach to MMA, saying, “I never want to get content. I never want to think that I’m at a certain spot and I’m gonna stay there, because this organization’s hard to stay in, and this is the wrong place to get complacent in. You’ve got so many guys coming up and putting in work, and everybody wants to be in my position, so I gotta be paranoid and think that if I’m not producing, if I’m not going out there and winning fights and winning impressively, I’m gonna be replaced. And I don’t like that and that’s not an easy feeling for me, so I try to do everything in my power to make sure that does not happen.”
Catch Evans-Davis tonight on FOX at 8:00 PM EST with preliminary pairings on Fuel TV/Facebook starting at 5:00 PM EST.
Posted in: fight, i ’m, ’m, i ’ve, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC on FOX 2 Results & Recap
UFC on FOX 2 takes place later tonight at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The event airs live on FOX at 8pm ET/5pm PT. The prelims will air live on FUEL TV at 5pm ET/2pm PT. The prelims will also air live at 5pm ET/2pm PT on FOX Deportes for those who don’t have access to FUEL TV.
In the main event, Rashad Evans fights Phil Davis for the opportunity to face Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title.
In the co-main event, Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping met in a middleweight number one contender’s match.
Chris Weidman stepped in on short notice to take on a Demian Maia in a middleweight bout.
Results, recap and bonuses after the jump.
Results
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller
Jon Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow
George Roop vs. Cub Swanson
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby
Recap
Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson:
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely:
George Roop vs. Cub Swanson:
Jon Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow:
Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller:
Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz:
Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman:
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping:
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis:
Bonuses $???
Submission of the Night:
Knockout of the Night:
Fight of the Night:
Posted in: fox, vs, michael, evan, chri
Read the full article at MMA ConvertDan Henderson offers up picks for tonight’s UFC on FOX card
It seems everyone has an opinion on who they feel will emerge victorious tonight when it comes to the co-headlining clashes between Chael Sonnen-Michael Bisping and Phil Davis-Rashad Evans. Among them is Dan Henderson, a top light heavyweight contender who could be in line for a shot at Jon Jones’ title if Evans stumbles against Davis in the evening’s main event. However, based on how “Hendo” sees the fight unfolding, he’s not holding out much hope for the championship opportunity to present itself.
“Rashad should win,” explained Henderson to TATAME. “Rashad has better hands and they’re both good wrestlers. I think it is gonna come a lot down to conditioning, who is in better shape.”
Of course, even if Evans does lose Henderson isn’t sure the crack at Jones will come his way after turning down a match-up with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira that would have kept him busy until mid-2012.
It really did make no sense to me,” said Henderson after joking that he hoped he hadn’t made UFC President Dana White mad. “What was the point of that fight? They were just trying to put together a main event that wasn’t gonna be that great.”
As far as how he sees Sonnen faring, surprising few Henderson went with his training partner at Team Quest rather than the brash Bisping who he unforgettably knocked out at UFC 100.
“I don’t see Bisping even having a chance,” he flatly stated.
See how Henderson’s picks play out tonight on FOX with the broadcast starting at 8:00 PM EST.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, ’t, henderson, dan henderson, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC on FOX 2: It's been a long, hard road back to the title for Rashad Evans
It almost seems like the norm in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) for a champion to get a crack at the belt he lost immediately upon getting back into the win column. It happened when Randy Couture was knocked out by Chuck Liddell at UFC 52 and "The Natural" needed only to beat Mike Van Arsdale to rematch "The Iceman." Down at 170 pounds, when Matt Hughes coughed up the welterweight strap to B.J. Penn, a win over Renato Verissimo was all that was necessary to secure another title shot for the long-time champion.
The same should have been said for Rashad Evans. He was removed from the light heavyweight throne -- and from his consciousness -- nearly three years ago way back at UFC 98 when Lyoto Machida knocked him out.
Since then, it seems that Evans' life has been the subject of the newest Lemony Snicket book as injuries, reality television and just overall bad timing have kept him from trying to regain the most prized possession in mixed martial arts (MMA). Should he defeat Phil Davis tonight (Jan. 28) in the main event of UFC on Fox 2 -- and remain injury-free -- he'll take on Jon Jones, presumably at UFC 145.
It's been quite the journey for "Suga" since UFC 98.
After losing his title, Evans returned to his UFC roots when he signed up for a coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). His opposing coach? None other than Quinton Jackson, who shared a tense faceoff with "Suga" after the UFC 96 main event. The season was the highest rated in the show's history thanks in part to Kimbo Slice's participation but also due to the rivalry between the two former light heavyweight champions. As is the norm for the reality TV show, the coaches were set to take each other on once the season ended but "Rampage" announced his abrupt retirement.
Evans instead took on Thiago Silva at UFC 108, an event so plagued by injury and terrible luck, it was thought to be cursed. The bad mojo surrounding the card very well could have acted as an omen for the next couple of years in Evans' career. He survived a last-round scare against the Brazilian and won the fight by decision. By this point, Jackson's brief "retirement" was over and he committed to taking on his TUF rival. At UFC 114, they finally collided and Evans used perfectly timed takedowns -- and one hell of an opening minute right hand -- to capture victory that night, ensuring a title shot against Mauricio Rua who had won the belt one event prior.
But "Shogun" was suffering from a knee injury and needed surgery. Evans opted to wait it out and nearly a year would pass before the Brazilian entered the Octagon again. Except it wasn't opposite "Suga." In a cruel twist of fate, the TUF 2 winner suffered his own injury while waiting for Rua to heal up from his. Unable to cash in his title shot, the opportunity instead went to his Greg Jackson camp teammate Jon Jones. Midway through the scheduled five-round championship fight, "Bones" became the youngest UFC champ in history.
This presented somewhat of a problem for the teammates. The main consensus among professional MMA fighters is that training partners are like family and in fighting simply isn't an option. In fact, Jones had gone on record saying that he would fake an injury in order to avoid fighting Evans, who he viewed as a brother. Interestingly enough, once "Bones" captured the title, his handlers announced a hand injury that required surgery. Evans, once again stuck on the outside looking in while his promised opponent was injured, decided not to make the same mistake twice. This time around, "Suga" decided to stay active and took a fight against Phil Davis for UFC 133.
That fight didn't take place. Why? You guessed it: injury. Davis bowed out and Tito Ortiz took his place on short notice in a rematch of their UFC 73 draw. "Suga" dominated his opponent and stopped "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" with a devastating knee to the body in the second round.
Jones, meanwhile, was miraculously spared surgery and has defended his belt against "Rampage" and Machida. It's expected he will make his third defense at UFC 145 in Atlanta, the same city where Evans jumped into the limelight at UFC 88. If Evans defeats Davis, he'll make another trip to the ATL for another career-defining fight.
That is assuming he suffers no injuries. And "Bones" stays healthy.
That shouldn't be too much to ask, right?
Posted in: ufc, title shot, title, injury, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC On Fox 2: Rashad Evans Vs. Phil Davis Dissection
The centerpiece of tonight's UFC on Fox 2 extravaganza, Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, pits two athletic and overpowering wrestlers who are vying for a crack at the gold around Jon Jones' waist.
"Suga" Rashad Evans (16-1-1) is a former light-heavyweight champion who was dethroned at UFC 98 in 2009 by the great Lyoto Machida, who handed Evans the only official defeat of his career. The sole anomaly on Evan's record was a draw against Tito Ortiz at UFC 73 in which "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" was shafted by a point deduction for grabbing the fence that was adjudicated much harsher than it has been historically (see Aldo vs. Mendes).
Evans won the second iteration of The Ultimate Fighter as a seriously under-sized heavyweight, relying on his superior agility and startling hand speed to unhinge his larger adversaries. He took the plunge to 205 immediately after winning the show and got off to a forgettable start with a split-decision victory over Sam Hoger and a unanimous vote against the crafty Stephan Bonnar. Evans, having set up shop at Greg Jackson's MMA, proceeded to experience an incremental but substantial evolution into a complete mixed martial artist.
Initially criticized for his inability to finish, Evans throttled Jason Lambert with a barrage of ground-and-pound from the mount and booted Sean Salmon's melon into the nosebleed section with a high kick to shatter that myth. After drawing with Ortiz, Evans made his title-run with a narrow split-decision over Michael Bisping before notching a gruesome and career-molding knockout of longstanding legend Chuck Liddell. Keeping his foot on the gas, Evans was elevated to the role of top contender and encountered newly minted champ Forrest Griffin, and smashed his way to a third round TKO to attain the strap. After Machida put him away with his straight left of doom, Rashad has streamed together three straight: Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson (decisions) and Ortiz in the rematch by TKO.
Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis (9-0) is an exciting new prospect with a flawless stint in pro MMA. He comes with the stellar accolades of not only being a four-time Division 1 All American, but a NCAA champion in 2008 at Penn State. Training at Alliance MMA under the great Lloyd Irvin bestowed Davis with a well rounded skill set that includes a functional kickboxing arsenal and the knack to snatch creative submissions, such as "The Wonder Bar" (my own phrase that I selfishly hoped would catch on), i.e. the nasty hammer-lock he wrenched on Tim Boetsch.
Since wrestling will undoubtedly be a pivotal aspect in this match up, here's wrestling aficionado Coach Mike contrasting the pair's collegiate credentials in detail:
In terms of pure wrestling pedigree, Phil Davis is in elite company in mixed martial arts. Had he pursued a career in freestyle on the world circuit he would have earned the honorific "world class" label almost immediately and would almost certainly have been a fixture near the top of our Olympic/World ladder at 211 pounds for years to come. This can be reasonably predicted by his folkstyle success on the NCAA division 1 level. As a mid-season insert into Penn State's lineup, a freshman Phil Davis achieved surprise All-American status and from there was a model for consistent improvement throughout his collegiate career, placing three more times, earning two NCAA finals appearances and winning a national championship as a senior. His final year as a collegian he was clearly the best wrestler at his weight and stood atop his competitors by a comfortable margin.
JUCO results don't give a reliable sense of wrestling ability in relation to the highest collegiate standard: NCAA division 1. For this reason Evans' performance at Michigan State is the only relevant indicator of wrestling pedigree. While Evans's collegiate D1 accomplishments pale in comparison to Davis', Evans ended his college career with the elite achievement of the NCAA round of 12, one match away from being an All-American. This is as high a wrestling achievement as other MMA notables Urijah Faber, Scott Jorgensen, and Charlie Brenneman. (Evans also handed future 3x NCAA champ Greg Jones his second loss of that NCAA tournament, and the final loss of his college career). Putting things into perspective, Phil Davis's greatest wrestling achievement was a dominant and fairly predictable campaign to a NCAA D1 crown, while Evans' greatest achievement was a somewhat unexpected run to the NCAA round of 12, two weights below Davis. There is a sizable gulf in their ability as pure wrestlers, but to be fair to Rashad, Phil Davis is a better wrestler at his weight than all but a handful of people (2 to three dozen, tops) in the world.
Gifs and analysis in the full entry.
SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
So as not to reinvent the wheel, I suggest reading up on two excellent Phil Davis Judo Chops: the crafty hammer-lock on Boetsch (right) and how he switched up his takedown methods at UFC Fight Night 24 against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
The obvious path forward for Davis was building on his stellar wrestling foundation and putting the "mixed" in to his MMA game. Since wrestling pretty much takes care of the clinch and top-side grappling, the elements he pursued were submissions and striking. About a year into his fight career, Davis won the world no-gi championships in the blue belt division.
By my estimation, that achievement along with the "Wonder Bar" (such a nice ring to it) and his Anaconda choke of accelerating Swede Alexander Gustaffson exemplify the same freakish advancement in sub-grappling that Coach Mike highlighted with Davis' college wrestling stint.
A sensible conclusion is that, on paper, Davis will have a significant edge in wrestling and submission prowess over Evans, whose only legit catch is by unidentified means in his first professional foray. Of course, that doesn't always translate so simply, so let's review how Davis has imposed those strengths in the past.
Again sourcing the must-read analysis on Davis' takedown modification against Little Nog, the first round was a disappointing goose egg of five failed attempts on double-leg shots. There was also a rather noticeable air of timidity and hesitation from someone who is supposed to be an unparalleled juggernaut in grounding the fight.
The epiphany came when Davis started committing with confidence and switched to attacking with single legs. Like clockwork, Nogueira was less and less successful in slipping free and the last two frames resulted in a dramatic improvement by securing two of his three attempts.
To the left Davis lowers levels quickly and aggressively and topples Nogueira by manipulating the knee-area with a single leg, beautifully cutting a new angle and driving through once he secures the limb.
Another point of interest is how Davis often sets things up with a right kick to the mid-high range, which is fairly uncommon. It's another testament to his increased diversity, creativity and intelligence. Conversely, it's also worth mentioning how ugly some of his first round takedown attempts were, especially considering that Rashad will pose much more of a challenge with takedown defense than Nogueira.
This is an oldie but a goodie. There was no way anyone could doubt Rashad's potential or power after he became only the second fighter to snuff out Liddell with a single blow. This was his entrance into the annals of elite MMA light-heavyweights.
Not only does Evans' four-year jumpstart on Davis (2004 vs. 2008) give him a significant edge in experience, but Rashad has specifically excelled with his boxing whereas Davis has made smaller strides there and with submissions. I think the gap in skill on the feet will more than compensate for Davis' perceived wrestling advantage.
Because of opposing intricacies in footwork, wrestlers generally have the most trouble getting comfortable on the feet and transitioning back and forth between the two arts.
Rashad has been a salient exception. His natural propensity for striking mechanics is what propelled him to winning TUF and what has also vaulted him into the third slot of the world light-heavyweight rankings. He's developed a smooth composure in unfurling quick punches and measuring range without losing the strong semblance of balance that's dear to a wrestler.
By fusing this impervious stability with his lightning-fast punches, all the while maintaining his phenomenal agility and athleticism, Rashad is able to pressure his opponent with heat-seeking missiles without being susceptible to takedown attempts.
As we saw in both Ortiz fights, once Rashad got the confidence that he could stuff his shots he was able to unload the cannons, leaving Ortiz with extremely limited options with which to react. Like Davis, Ortiz's striking is ample enough to disguise his takedowns -- but when you remove the takedown factor, only mediocre striking remains.
I can't help but correlate that scenario in this match up. Given, Davis' wrestling and youthful exuberance is an apples and alligators comparison to Ortiz, but he's still not fully accustomed to integrating his shots seamlessly and hasn't encountered much elite opposition. Davis' monumental leap in rounding out his skills has been amazing, especially considering that he just broke the three-year mark in MMA, which is like running when most are still crawling.
Really, this entire analysis could have been streamlined with: "If Rashad can stop the takedown, he wins; otherwise Davis does." That pretty much rings true. Rashad will stay active and look to escape on his own rather than wait for the ref to bail him out if he is taken down, so one could conclude that Davis merely needs to avoid major damage and land just one per round to eke a 10-9. I feel Rashad's striking will be too fluid and venomous and his footwork will be key in thwarting Davis. Despite his apparent advantage in grappling, I don't think Davis can finish Rashad on the mat and dragging him down -- and keeping him there -- for all five rounds seems unlikely.
My Prediction: Rashad Evans by decision.
Davis vs. Nogueira gifs via BE reader Grappo
Rashad vs. Rampage gif via Urdirt.com
Rashad vs. Liddell gif via MMA-Core.com
All others via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com
Poll
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Rashad Evans
Phil Davis
27 votes | Results
Posted in: rashad, phil, evan, davi, ncaa
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC on FOX 2 Breakdown: The Main Event
On the heels of a three-fight winning streak, you would be forgiven to think that Rashad Evans has done enough to earn a shot at the title he lost to Lyoto Machida back in 2009. In fact, Evans accomplished that feat after besting arch rival Quinton Jackson in 2010, and then again after crushing Tito Ortiz last summer. And yet, an bizarre sequence of unfortunate events left the former light heavyweight champion having to do it all over again, this time against one of the sport’s most promising up-and-coming prospects, Phil Davis.
Light Heavyweight Fight: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Undoubtedly the most highly decorated wrestler Evans has faced in his MMA career, Davis is a major threat even in Rashad’s comfort zone. Historically, Evans’ wrestling has never been an insurmountable obstacle. He was never one to finish clean double legs in the middle of the cage, and instead relied on pushing opponents against the fence and get the takedown from there. This has been a double edged sword, as Evans has struggled to enjoy too much time in top position due to his foes often finding opportunities to wall-walk. His more wrestling oriented fights turned into constant battles for position, as witnessed in his bout with Michael Bisping, which saw the Brit constantly escape from the bottom and turn the tables on Evans. Likewise, Thiago Silva was repeatedly able to regain his feet and prevented Evans from doing anything significant from the top, and it almost came back to haunt Rashad when he was badly rocked late in the final round. It wasn’t until the “Rampage” Jackson fight that Evans showed marked improvements in that regard, as for the first time in his career, the former Team Jackson product was able to use his ever improving boxing to set up takedowns. His transitions and level changes in particular gave his opponent all sorts of trouble, as Jackson never quite knew what to expect.
Against Davis, Evans is unlikely to find too much joy getting the former “All American” on his back for any extended period of time, as not only will “Mr. Wonderful” match Evans in that department, but he is an excellent scrambler as well. In fairness, Davis’ wrestling in MMA hasn’t been as dominant as one would have hoped, as he found himself continuously struggling to control the distance inside the cage. That is a direct result of Davis’ raw striking, which is reliant on a few kicks from distance but very little boxing, as his lack of confidence in his hands forces him to stay on the outside and fight “rangy”, which in turn often leads to him shooting from too far on the outside.
Davis makes up for that with excellent chain wrestling, highlighted by his ability to easily transition from one takedown attempt to the next, as well as some tremendous scrambling. Whether that will be enough to trouble Evans however, is doubtful, as “Sugar” excels in the scrambles as well, and despite not being exactly impossible to take down, he is very difficult to control on the ground, and knows how to create openings to get back to his vertical base.
This also negates one of Davis’ main strengths, and that is his ability to land submissions from scrambles. He possesses excellent front headlock control, and uses it to get dominant positions or transition into choke variations. Evans however, is too seasoned to fall victim to a guillotine or anaconda choke, and he would have undoubtedly watched enough tape on his opponent to be aware of the danger he poses in that position.
All of this could well turn the fight into a wrestling stalemate, and that is where Evans’ superior striking comes into play. Rashad normally has two approaches to his stand-up: he either patiently sits back and waits for the opportunity to land a counter right hand, or he moves forward aggressively, puts combinations together, and transitions to takedowns. The former will be a difficult proposition in this one, as Davis isn’t one to let his hands go and leave openings for counters, and Rashad will have to fight with more urgency in his stand-up. This will be detrimental to his chances of landing a fight-ending blow, as Evans’ strikes are considerably more effective when he has time to sit on his punches and counter. However, given the lack of volume and accuracy in Davis’ offense on the feet, Evans won’t find it too hard to out-land him by moving forward, closing the distance, landing some shots to the head and body, throw plenty of knees to the thighs and dirty box.
As long as Evans doesn’t tire himself out by fruitlessly pushing Davis against the fence, he should be able to win enough rounds with that approach. Unless Davis shows enough improvement in his striking to where he can use it to set up his takedowns, he will have a hard time out-wrestling Evans for five rounds. It won’t be pretty, and it could well turn into a lackluster clinch-fest, but Evans will be able to land just enough strikes from close-quarters to earn the decision.
Official Prediction: Rashad Evans to defeat Phil Davis by Decision
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: fight, time, rashad, evan, davi
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC on FOX 2 fight card: Previews, predictions and a complete guide to 'Evans vs Davis'
For fans of mixed martial arts, this past week has been a slow crawl of steadily rising anticipation for tonight's "Evans vs. Davis" event, going down at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
UFC on FOX 2 will feature a light heavyweight title eliminator bout pitting "Suga" Rashad Evans against one of the division's brightest prospects in "Mr. Wonderful," Phil Davis.
In the co-main event of the evening, Chael Sonnen is back to go on the attack and this time his venom will be directed at British bad boy Michael Bisping. In the final network broadcasted fight, middleweights Demian Maia and Chris Weidman will hit the mats in a 185-pound showcase.
It's been a flurry of non-stop news, analysis, quotes, predictions and previews for the past week and it's certainly understandable if you missed out on a few stories.
But don't worry, Maniacs, we've got you covered.
In cased you missed any or all of it — or just want to keep the discussion alive — below are links to all the major storylines heading into tonight's broadcast.
In we go:
UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis"
Fight card and line-up
Results and live fight coverage
UFC on FOX 2 predictions and previews:
Predictions from the myth himself, Nostradumbass
"Prelims" preview and predictions part one
"Prelims" preview and predictions part two
Fight preview: Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
Fight preview: Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
Fight preview: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
UFC on FOX 2 press conferences:
Pre-fight press conference
Press conference video
Press conference staredown pics
Chael Sonnen busts out a few rhymes at the press conference
UFC on FOX 2 weigh-ins:
Weigh-in results
Weigh-in video
Weigh-in staredown pics
Weigh-in photos gallery
UFC on FOX 2 news:
Event poster
Conference call live blog
Open workouts photos gallery
Latest odds and betting guide
Complete statistical analysis of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Complete statistical analysis of Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
Exclusive interview with Shane Roller
Exclusive interview with Phil Davis
UFC on FOX 2 editorials:
UFC plays it safe with its second network offering and it could produce disastrous results
History in the Making: Rashad Evans becomes a star at the expense of Chuck Liddell at UFC 88
Rashad Evans: Phil Davis looks like John Salley and Arsenio Hall had a baby
What will Rashad Evans say if Jon Jones confronts him in the cage?
Jon Jones picks Rashad Evans to beat Phil Davis
Rashad Evans kind of likes being booed now
Rashad Evans and Phil Davis spar verbally before their fight
Phil Davis is a little bit afraid of Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans: Michael Bisping is a tricky scrapper but Chael Sonnen will maul him
Chael Sonnen becomes a parody of himself
Chael Sonnen calls his fight against Michael Bisping the true main event
Chael Sonnen claims he's undefeated while conducting an entire interview with a fake UFC championship belt
Who will Chael Sonnen thank if he beats Michael Bisping?
Michael Bisping apologized to Demain Maia for taking the Chael Sonnen fight
Michael Bisping: Chael Sonnen uses PEDs because he only has one testicle
If Chael Sonnen takes Michael Bisping down, he'll get submitted
Chael Sonnen is not on the anti-Bisping bandwagon and he never has been
Michael Bisping would have been a fool to turn down the Chael Sonnen fight
Where does a win over Chris Weidman put Demian Maia in the middleweight rankings?
Chris Weidman the wrestler will be looking for submissions against Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Demian Maia
Chris Weidman isn't worried at all about Demian Maia's jiu-jitsu
Can Mike Russow crack the top 10 with a win over Jon Olav Einemo?
UFC on FOX 2 videos:
Dana White video blog episode one
Dana White video blog episode two
Rashad Evans video blog
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis preview
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping preview
Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping trade barbs face-to-face
Michael Bisping doesn't give a crap if you cheer him
That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being.
What has been the biggest story heading into this event? Chael Sonnen and all his antics? Rashad Evans and Phil Davis bickering back and forth? Something else?
Sound off, Maniacs.
Posted in: michael, rashad, sonnen, evan, chael
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on Fox 2: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis Video Highlights
The UFC delivered it's first official line-up under the FOX deal tonight, showcasing a "triple-header" that was capped off by a Light Heavyweight showdown between former division Champion Rashad Evans and top contender Phil Davis. Using his wrestling background to keep the fight upright, Evans denied each of Davis' takedown attempts while out-striking him en-route to a lopsided unanimous decision victory. Below are highlights of the five-round main event, which took place at the United Center in Chicago...
Posted in: fox deal, evan, decision victory, davi, official lineup
Read the full article at Low KickUFC on FOX 2 Recap: Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen punch their tickets for title fights
In the days leading up to UFC on FOX 2 the level of trash talk between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis became elevated, Chael Sonnen’s self promotion reached new levels, Michael Bisping was, well, Michael Bisping and Demian Maia and Chris Weidman lurked in the background. By the time the three main card fights had come to an end it felt like the hype had been much more interesting than the fights themselves.
Rashad Evans did deliver what he said he would in the days leading up to the fight, he showed
Posted in: fight, rashad, rashad evans, evan, demian maia
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans vs Phil Davis fight video preview for UFC on FOX 2 main event
After all the hoopla -- press conferences, weigh-ins, trash talking sessions, all that jazz -- Rashad Evans and Phil Davis will finally hook 'em up in the main event of tonight's (Sat., Jan. 28, 2012) UFC on Fox 2 event scheduled for the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.
On the line (for Evans, at least) is a light heavyweight title shot against Jon Jones, likely at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta. That's assuming "Suga" can win and come out with no significant injuries.
It would be somewhat poetic, really. That event is scheduled to take place at the exact same arena where Evans took Chuck Liddell's soul and earned his first 205-pound championship chance. He cashed in on it, too.
It's a big night tonight for Rashad. But "Mr. Wonderful" is standing in his way, eager to take his spot and catapult himself up the ladder of top contenders. He won't earn a title shot with a win like his counterpart but he'll be damn close.
Oh and this is all going down on network TV, folks. It doesn't get much bigger than this.
Posted in: title shot, jon jones, event, evan, atlanta thats
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on Fox 2: Rashad Evans dominates Phil Davis, sets up grudge match with Jon Jones
The highly anticipated showdown between Rashad Evans and Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones is now set to take place after "Suga" defeated Phil Davis tonight in Chicago to reaffirm his place as the division's top contender.As things got underway, pre-fight questions regarding which of the two former collegiate athletes were the better wrestler were quickly answered, as Davis' persistent attempts to take Evans to the mat were denied. Forced to stand with his more experienced opponent, Davis looked
Posted in: rashad evans, phil davis, evan, davi, contenderas things
Read the full article at Low KickEvan Dunham Plans to Finish Nik Lentz at UFC on Fox in Chicago
His controversial split decision loss to Sean Sherk well in the rearview mirror, as well as his TKO loss to Melvin Guillard, Evan Dunham is ready to put together another streak at UFC on Fox in...
Posted in: evan, nik lentz, rearview mirror, tko loss, sean sherk
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans: “I want to be remembered forever.”
“What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
The infamous line delivered by Russell Crowe in the opening moments of Gladiator is one of the most quoted in recent cinematic history and understandably so given the inherent truth contained therein. For UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans the words may ring truer than they do for many, as one of the former champion’s primary goals in MMA is to solidify a legacy as being one of the sport’s all-time greats.
Evans discussed his mindset in an interview with the UFC’s website where he spoke about wanting to be remembered years from now and how much motivation he pulls from the possibility.
“I come from nothing,” the 32-year old humbly admitted. “Growing up I didn’t really have too much, and I can tap into that anytime that I want to and just remember how bad things were for me growing up and just knowing that I never want to go back there and I don’t want my kids to go through it. So what I’ve got to do is I gotta stay strong and I gotta drive. And more than anything else, this is a dream of mine to become the best and in other words, immortal. How many other people get a chance to be remembered forever? And that’s what I really want. I want to be remembered forever.”
With a 16-1-1 record including wins over names like Forrest Griffin, Quinton Jackson, and Chuck Liddell he certainly seems to be on his way there. However, success aside, a fire still burns in Evans’ belly.
“I never want to get content. I never want to think that I’m at a certain spot and I’m gonna stay there, because this organization’s hard to stay in, and this is the wrong place to get complacent in,” Evans continued. “You’ve got so many guys coming up and putting in work, and everybody wants to be in my position, so I gotta be paranoid and think that if I’m not producing, if I’m not going out there and winning fights and winning impressively, I’m gonna be replaced. And I don’t like that and that’s not an easy feeling for me, so I try to do everything in my power to make sure that does not happen.”
Evans Anxious to Stop Talking, Start Fighting
The next opportunity for Evans to perform up to his own expectations comes later tonight at UFC on FOX 2 against unbeaten grappler Phil Davis. The broadcast starts at 8:00 PM EST on FOX.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, i ’m, ’m, evan, ” evans
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC on Fox 2 Live Results and Play-by-Play
MMAFrenzy.com will have live results from tonight’s UFC on Fox 2 event in Chicago starting at 5pm ET for the preliminary card, which airs on Fuel TV, and 8pm ET for the Fox-televised tripleheader topped by Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping and Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis.
UFC on Fox 2 Live Results
MAIN CARD (Fox)
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
PRELIMINARY CARD (Fuel TV)
Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
Mike Russow vs. John-Olav Einemo
George Roop vs. Cub Swanson
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller
Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby (Facebook)
UFC on Fox 2 Play-by-Play
RASHAD EVANS VS. PHIL DAVIS
CHAEL SONNEN VS. MICHAEL BISPING
DEMIAN MAIA VS. CHRIS WEIDMAN
Pictured: Rashad Evans and Phil Davis
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyRashad Evans: UFC on Fox Weigh-In Day Behind-the-Scenes Video
Go behind the scenes with Rashad Evans as he cuts weight for his main event against Phil Davis at UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis on Saturday in Chicago.
Posted in: fox, rashad evans, phil davis, evan, cuts weight
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC on FOX Main Card Results - Evans, Sonnen Earn Title Shots
CHICAGO, January 28 –Rashad Evans knocked Phil Davis from the ranks of the unbeaten Saturday night with a conservative five round performance in the UFC on FOX main event at the United Center, but he will probably need to take more risks when he faces friend-turned rival Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight crown. The title bout may take place April 21 in Atlanta, Evans’ post-fight medical report permitting. Uncharacteristically playing it safe, Evans rarely tried to unload heavy leather on Davis, despite clearly owning superior standup skills to his less experienced foe. Perhaps it was Evans’s way of respecting the explosive wrestling skills of Davis, a former NCAA champ at Penn State University. Or perhaps it was also the pressure of another title shot on the line. “I fought at a pretty high pace. I felt like I wanted to put him away but I just couldn’t land those big punches,” said Evans (22-1-1), who won his fifth straight since losing the world title to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. “I’m excited. The monkey has been on my back; it was hard to get up for this fight because everybody kept asking about that fight (with Jon Jones). But I got my shot and I’m very excited.” Though cautious offensively, Evans was masterful defensively, pretty much deflecting most of Davis’s strikes and takedowns. The exception came in round four, when Davis landed a nice kick to the body and left hand to the face, and in the third round, when Davis (9-1) recorded two takedowns. A big key for Evans was making Davis pay for low kicks by scoring takedowns and ground and pound. In the first round, Evans’s strongest, he trapped Davis on the canvas and unloaded punches before Davis escaped. Judges awarded the bout to Evans via scores of 50-45 across the board. Watch Rashad's post-fight interviewIn the evening’s co-main event, Chael Sonnen, the UFC’s silver-tongued and beloved Big Mouth, once again backed up his over-the-top smack talk with a smothering win over a feisty Michael Bisping, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated rematches in MMA history. Anderson Silva: Penny for your thoughts?While the newly-minted top contender has contended the UFC middleweight champ wants no parts of a sequel, UFC president Dana White has said that if Sonnen prevailed there would be a rematch at a soccer stadium in Brazil later this year. Triumphant in five of his past six bouts, Sonnen did not immediately afterwards call out Silva, the only fighter to beat him in the past three years. But he left no doubt as to his own grandeur and place in the UFC hierarchy when commentator Joe Rogan attempted to interview him inside the Octagon.“Joe Rogan, tonight is not for questions for me, tonight is about questions for you,” Sonnen said with the royal air of a king. “I want to know how you feel being inches away from greatness? Do you not have chills down your spine? You’re in Chael’s Octagon, holding Chael’s microphone … When you’re the greatest fighter they got a name for you -- Chael Sonnen. Beat me if you can.” Originally slated to face Mark Munoz (who dropped out two weeks ago with an elbow injury that required surgery), Sonnen had his hands full with Bisping (22-4), who had been victorious in four straight entering the contest. The well-rounded Brit is notoriously difficult to take down and hold down, and he gave Sonnen fits in rounds one and two in that regard. But Sonnen did get his takedowns, did score with punches on top, and never let Bisping get into the stick-and-move groove that would have been ideal for the British star. Rather, as he does with every opponent, Sonnen largely cornered Bisping and made him fight in close quarters and in the clinch. Bisping was solid in the clinch (with knees and dirty boxing) and occasionally landed combinations, but the ultra-aggressive Sonnen held his own there and also landed timely right hands and straight lefts. The crowd sporadically showered Sonnen with “U-S-A!” chants. Quite simply, Sonnen made Bisping fight his fight, leading to a unanimous decision by scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28. Hear what Chael had to say after the fightIn other main card action: DEMIAN MAIA VS. CHRIS WEIDMANFighting on only two weeks’ notice, undefeated Chris Weidman eked by former No. 1 contender Demian Maia via unanimous decision in what qualifies as the signature win of his career and a big statement to the rest of the division. Scores were 30-27 and 29-28 twiceA replacement for Michael Bisping, the New Yorker predominantly exchanged blows with the Brazilian, though it was Weidman’s several takedowns that may have swayed judges in the closely contested opening two rounds. When he did take Maia down, Weidman wisely Maia threw a lot of left hands, and when they landed they mostly hit Weidman’s head, perhaps hurting Maia’s hand more than Weidman’s head. The standup action was steady, perhaps explaining why both fighters were fighting on fumes by midway into the third round. On the most rubbery of legs, they barely seemed able to stand. Watch Weidman's post-fight interview
Posted in: ufc, round, sonnen, evan, davi
Read the full article at UFCUFC on FOX: ‘Evans vs. Davis’ Preview – The Main Card
Yeah, so, there’s a big UFC on FOX tomorrow night, a three-fight doozy featuring matchups whose results will have serious repercussions in two divisions. For the light-heavyweights, and particularly champ Jon Jones, there’s a top-contender slot at stake for Rashad Evans when he takes on Phil Davis. For the middleweights and their lord and king Anderson Silva, there’s Demian Maia, angling toward another shot at the belt in the future if he gets past up-and-comer Chris Weidman. And of course, there’s the piece de resistance 185-pound pairing (and what truly should be the headlining bout) of brash Brit Michael Bisping and ultimate trash-talker Chael Sonnen. The winner of that one gets Silva next, which is a whole lotta “yikes!” for a free fight on major network television. You know, the last time the UFC did their FOX thing, we got a heavyweight title bout that lasted just over a minute and left us all saying “That’s it?” Now we’re going to get a trio of worthwhile battles that could knock our socks off. Let’s break them down, shall we?
-Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis – There’s supposedly some kind of friction between Evans and Jones, which should in theory make us care about the TUF winner beating the stud wrestler on Saturday night. I say hogwash to that. The heat Evans and Jones generate couldn’t melt a snowflake. What is compelling, however, is the fact that the champ has cleaned out the division with such authority, there’s literally no one left to legitimately challenge him – save Evans, who’s still waiting for his turn to get his ass kicked. Granted, Davis a tough competitor who’s beaten the likes of Brian Stann and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, but no one in their right mind believes he’s even close to being worthy, or even close to being able to make Jones break a sweat. Evans, while certainly not the favorite if and when a Jones/Evans matchup materializes, is an ex-champ with a lot of tools. Of all the residents of the light-heavyweight division that Jones has yet to murder, “Sugar” is at the top of the list of guys who should be next. So how will things go when Evans squares up against Davis? Wrestling accomplishments notwithstanding, Davis is out of his league, and Evans is going to spend three rounds avoiding his takedowns and beating him up against the fence. Then, further down the road, Evans and Jones will do the dance, and Jones will Force Choke him from across the cage, rendering him unconscious with pugilistic powers as yet unseen in the Octagon (and unseen in normal human beings).
-Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping – As unlucky turn of events go, Mark Munoz pulverizing his own elbow in training yielded perhaps the best possible matchup in terms of finding champ Silva a suitable opponent. For while Munoz and Sonnen would’ve made for a decent fight, Sonnen versus Bisping makes for an even better one – whether we’re watching a mouthy dude get his comeuppance or a mouthy dude earn his shot, either way we’re going to be entertained, both now and later. Setting aside the fact that Sonnen is going to destroy Bisping by slamming him to the canvas and grinding him into chopped meat (which is guaranteed to be the outcome of Saturday night’s fight), whoever wins gets to be the foil Silva needs to make people want to tune in when next he defends his belt. If Sonnen crushes Bisping, we get to have the American spew the most outrageous things, amusing us with words that he can apparently back up. And if, by some miracle, Bisping defeats Sonnen, then further down the line we get to watch the Brazilian bust open the Brit like he was a poorly-constructed piñata. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter who wins at UFC on FOX 2, because at the end of the day both guys will make great foes for the champ.
-Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman – Maia looked okay when he tried to pry the belt from Silva’s uncaring middleweight hands. Not great, but not bad. Just okay. So although Munoz squeaked by him with a decision at UFC 131, you have to think the jiu-jitsu master is still in the running to face Silva again. On the flip side, Weidman, who’s filling in as a late-replacement but who’s got Division I collegiate wrestling skills, a modicum of jiu-jitsu knowledge and decent striking, has got absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain in this matchup. If Weidman loses, so what? He’s only had three fights in the UFC thus far, and seven fights overall. A loss (which would be his first) against such a high-caliber opponent would only make him more seasoned. And if he wins, well, there goes Maia’s title aspirations, and the American establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with in the middleweight division. Sadly, as much as I like Weidman (he’s a product of the Northeast MMA circuit), I see Maia’s jiu-jitsu and experience proving to be too much. But it should be interesting.
Posted in: ufc, jone, silva, sonnen, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis Weigh-in Video
UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis weigh-in video from the Chicago Theater.
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, weighin
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC on Fox 2 Quick Results
UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis quick results on Saturday, Jan. 28, in Chicago. The main event features Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis.
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, results ufc
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyBehind the UFC on FOX 2 numbers: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis fight complete statistical breakdown
This Sat., Jan. 28, 2012, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight standouts Rashad Evans and Phil Davis will duke it out at UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago, Illinois, for the opportunity to face current division champion Jon Jones.
It's been a long time coming for "Suga," who's been engaged in a long running war of words with "Bones." Their beef can be traced all the way back to the moment Jones agreed to fight Evans, his former friend and training partner.
For "Mr. Wonderful," he's been given no guarantee for a title shot if he is to emerge victorious. He's the underdog as far as the odds are concerned, but the 9-0 Davis has every intention of keeping his spotless record just that.
Regardless of who comes out on top, the main event is certain to be full of fireworks and thrilling highlights for mixed martial arts (MMA) fans who tune in.
After the jump, we'll give you a close look behind the numbers of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis:
The number crunchers at CompuStrike took the time to dig deep into the fight annals and retrieve the stats that build the framework for this fight. The numbers collected have been based on 13 fight averages for Rashad Evans and five fight averages for Phil Davis.
Both of these gentlemen are known for their high wrestling pedigree, but neither is necessarily afraid to stand and trade. Who do the numbers show to be the better all-around striker?
Total Strikes:
Evans -- 45 of 97Davis -- 55 of 107Percentage:
Evans -- 46 percentDavis -- 51 percent
Total Power Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 28Davis -- 41
Total Non-Power Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 17Davis -- 14
If you're like me, you're a little floored by those findings. Davis looks to land more often, be more precise and land more power shots.
How about when you isolate the punches and elbows?
Total Arm Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 22 of 61Davis -- 2 of 19
Percentage of Arm Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 36 percentDavis -- 11 percent
Power Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 12Davis -- 2
Non-Power Strikes Landed
Evans -- 10Davis -- 0
That sounds a little bit more like it. Davis has said that he's not nervous about trading shots with Evans, but the numbers strongly suggest that a boxing match would not be in his favor.
Here's what the leg strike picture looks like:
Total Leg Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 4 of 5Davis -- 14 of 21Percentage of Leg Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 80 percentDavis -- 72 percentPower Leg Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 3Davis -- 8Non-Power Leg Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 1Davis -- 6
Based on this data, Evans appears to be a bit more accurate, but Davis is more active and scores more with power.
Finally, the aspect everyone is most curious: The ground game.
Let's check it out:
Ground Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 19 of 31Davis -- 39 of 66Percentage:
Evans -- 61 percentDavis -- 62 percentPower Ground Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 13Davis -- 31
Non-Power Ground Strikes Landed:
Evans -- 6Davis -- 8
Takedowns:
Evans --45 of 69 (65 percent)Davis -- 16 of 26 (62 percent)Submission Attempts:
Evans -- 0Davis -- 3Dominant Positions:
Evans -- 21Davis -- 27
The advantage very much appears to be tilting towards Davis. They're both great wrestlers, but if the fight hits the mat, Evans may be in trouble.
What do these statistics do for you? Does any of the data surprise you or is it about what you expected? Share your (now) well-informed opinions with us in the comments section below.
For everything else you need to know about the clash between Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, be sure to check out our complete fight archive right here.
Posted in: fight, strike, evan, number, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on Fox 2 Weigh-In Videos: Evans vs. Davis, Sonnen vs. Bisping Highlights
Here are highlights from the UFC on Fox 2 weigh-ins, where light heavyweight contenders Rashad Evans and Phil Davis and middleweight contenders Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping hit the scale and made their fights official for Saturday’s event in Chicago.
Pictured: Evans and Davis (via @DanaWhite)
Posted in: michael bisping, phil davis, evan, davi, fights official
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyRashad Evans vs Phil Davis staredown pic from UFC on FOX 2 weigh-ins
The UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" weigh-in event took place today (Fri., Jan. 27, 2012) in Chicago and that means staredowns with all the major players.
That includes the two headliners for tomorrow night's event at the United Center, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. "Suga" was his usual intense self while "Mr. Wonderful" rocked a Penn State singlet, smiling the whole way.
Middleweight motor-mouths Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping will hook 'em up in the co-main event of the evening and they went head on for a contentious staredown that was followed by a handshake and a nod. Cordial until the war. That staredown pic is after the jump.
For complete UFC on FOX 2 weigh-in results click here and to watch the UFC on FOX 2 weigh-ins video click here.
via p.twimg.com
Posted in: ufc, fox, staredown, evan, weighin
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2 weigh-ins full video for 'Evans vs Davis' in Chicago
UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" weigh-in event went down today (Jan. 27, 2012) in Chicago, Illinois, where all 20 competitors tipped the scale to make their respective bouts official for tomorrow night's (Jan. 28, 2011) event.
In the video above, the first fighter steps on the scale around the 18-minute mark.
Rashad Evans (205) will look to earn his shot at Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones with a win over rising contender and undefeated prospect Phil Davis (205) in the main event of the evening.
The co-featured fight of the night will see Chael Sonnen (185) do battle against British bad boy Michael Bisping (185). Everyone is on point and ready to go, with all matches now officially official.
For complete UFC on FOX 1 weigh in results click here.
Ready to rumble yet or what, Maniacs?
Posted in: ufc, fox, evan, davi, results click
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis Weigh-In Results
All 20 fighters for Saturday's UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis card successfully made weight at Friday's weigh-in event at the Chicago Theatre.
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, saturdays ufc
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC on FOX 2: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis weigh in/full results
Weights from Chicago: Phil Davis (205) vs. Rashad Evans (205) Michael Bisping (185) vs. Chael Sonnen (185) Demian Maia (186) vs. Chris Weidman (185) Evan Dunham (155) vs. Nik Lentz (155) John-Olav Einemo (253) vs. Mike Russow (251) George Roop (145) vs. Cub Swanson (145) Charles Oliveira (144) vs. Eric Wisely (145) Michael Johnson (156) [...]
Posted in: vs, michael, phil, evan, davi
Read the full article at Fighthub TVEvans, Davis on Weight for UFC on Fox 2
Rashad Evans’ long road back to a light heavyweight title shot reaches the doorstep of Phil Davis in a little more than 24 hours.
Posted in: phil davis, evan, davi, road, evans davis
Read the full article at SherdogSherdog Pick’Em Trends: UFC on Fox 2 Main Card
Sherdog MMA Pick’Em users favor Rashad Evans in Chicago. | Photo: Dave Mandel
If the participants in the Sherdog.com MMA Pick’Em fantasy game are to be believed, then Rashad Evans will most definitely have his day against Jon Jones. A solid 76 percent of players have sided with Evans against Phil Davis in the UFC on Fox 2 main event on Saturday at the United Center in Chicago.
Evans beat Forrest Griffin for the light heavyweight championship in 2008 but lost the belt in his first defense to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. Since then, “Suga” has picked up wins over Thiago Silva, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Tito Ortiz. Twice tabbed as the division’s No. 1 contender, injuries have halted the Imperial Athletics representative’s title hopes until now, as a victory over Davis would give Evans his long-awaited showdown with Jones, the current 205-pound king.
Posted in: ufc, rashad evans, evan, ’em, longawaited showdown
Read the full article at SherdogUFC on Fox 2 Weigh-In Results
Weigh-ins for tomorrow’s UFC on Fox 2 event take place today in Chicago, where light heavyweight headliners Rashad Evans and Phil Davis, middleweight contenders Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping, and the rest of the card will weigh-in to make their fights official.
MMAFrenzy.com will have UFC on Fox 2 weigh-in results below after the fighters hit the scale at 5pm ET.
MAIN CARD (Fox)
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
PRELIMINARY CARD (Fuel TV)
Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
Mike Russow vs. John-Olav Einemo
George Roop vs. Cub Swanson
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller
Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby (Facebook)
Pictured: Rashad Evans and Phil Davis
Posted in: fox, vs, evan, davi, weighin
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC on FOX 2 predictions, preview and analysis
After a wishy-washy 2011 fight campaign, we may finally end up with a pair of definitive number one contenders.
That's the big story heading into UFC on Fox 2, which is all set to blow the roof off the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, this Saturday night (Jan. 28, 2012) live on network television.
Leading the charge is former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, who is (once again) just one win away from challenging his former training partner and current ruler of the roost, Jon Jones, for the 205-poud strap.
But he'll have to get past the undefeated Phil Davis to do it.
Also blowing into "The Windy City" are a pair of motor-mouthed middleweights, as Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping fight for the right to party with Anderson Silva later this year. And should one of them emerge victorious and get hurt in the process, expect the winner of Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman to eagerly step in and take their place.
Only three televised fights -- but the stakes have never been higher.
Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Jan. 28), which is slated to air at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 5 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts on FUEL TV.
Alrighty then, that takes care of the housekeeping issues, now let's figure out who's gonna win this thing come Saturday night. Already made your picks? Better check with your Uncle Dumbass before rushing off to the sportsbook.
Predictions after the jump.
205 lbs.: Rashad Evans (16-1-1) vs. Phil Davis (9-0)
Nostradumbass predicts: Is undefeated division prospect Phil Davis an accomplished collegiate wrestler? No doubt. Does he have slick submissions and a tank full of gas? Yes and yes. Is he beating Rashad Evans on Saturday night?
Suga please.
He's had some "Wonderful" performances over the higher end of the middle of the pack, outwrestling Brian Stann and tapping out Alexander Gustafsson and Tim Boetsch. But that's still middle of the pack. Remember too, that Davis has been in the UFC for less than two years.
He's still wet behind the ears.
Evans has been in the game since 2005 and has defeated four former light heavyweight champions during his incredible run. Yes, I said incredible. Did you forget that Evans has just one loss in 18 fights? There's just no substitute for that kind of experience.
Let's also keep in mind that Davis has been out of the cage for 10 months due to injury. You know all that jibber-jabber about the Penn State alum's unparallelled wrestling? Let's see how well those shots are timed after riding the bench for almost a year.
He sure as heck won't be setting them up with strikes.
Davis's striking is rudimentary at best and Rashad has fast hands. If he thinks he's gonna get away with that herky-jerky offense he pulled in the Nogueira fight, he's doomed. Davis won't admit it, but it sure looked to me like he was fighting scared against the littlest of Nogs.
Wait until he gets a takedown stuffed by Evans, he'll be terrified.
"Suga" might not be as sweet a wrestler, but the fact that he's good enough to keep pace with Davis is all you need to know about the outcome of this fight. Evans can survive on the ground. Davis can't survive on the feet. That's why I have him getting crushed somewhere in the opening frame.
Bring on the "Bones."
Prediction: Evans def. Davis via technical knockout
185 lbs.: Chael Sonnen (26-11-1) vs. Michael Bisping (22-3)
Nostradumbass predicts: I don't know if this was an early birthday present or a late Christmas gift but Chael Sonnen sure lucked out in the matchmaking for this title eliminator in "Chi-town."
It's hard to break this fight down without sounding like a Bisping basher because I'm not. He's had a few hiccups along the way, but when you strip away the bravado and the H-Bomb GIFS, what you're left with is a very talented fighter.
Regrettably, he's victimized by unfavorable matchmaking.
In order to defeat Chael Sonnen, you have to have one of two things: A sledgehammer for a hand or a birth certificate from Brazil. Bisping has neither. "The Count" is the superior striker from a technical standpoint, but his pillow-fisted pitter-patter is hardly enough to knock his opponent out and while he may have decent grappling, he doesn't have a single submission win in 15 UFC fights.
Submitting Ross Pointon seven years ago in England isn't the kind of thing that's keeping Sonnen up at night.
I don't think anyone is gonna be shocked at how this thing unfolds. Sonnen will stay upright for as long as he wants to. Maybe he'll try to pull a Hendo and airmail this guy across the pond. If he can't, it's back to his bread-and-butter, the wrestling.
Bisping is confident that if he does get taken down, he can get right back up and keep it competitive.
I'm pretty sure that's what Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami thought, too. You see how well that worked out for them in the end. Even without the TRT, Chael is a strong mofo. You can ask Brian Stann, who can bench-press a Humvee, how hard it is to escape from under a top-heavy Sonnen.
The Brit is too tough to finish, so prepare yourselves for three rounds of maul and stall.
Prediction: Sonnen def. Bisping via unanimous decision
185 lbs.: Demian Maia (15-3) vs. Chris Weidman (7-0)
Nostradumbass predicts: What has this sport come to? On what planet is a guy with seven pro fights and three wins in the UFC favored over a five-time world jiu-jitsu champion with four "Submission of the Night" bonuses in 12 Octagon appearances?
Oh, that's right, Weidman was a good college wrestler.
C'mon people, let's be realistic here. Weids put the screws to Alessio Sakara, Jesse Bongfeldt and Tom Lawlor, so excuse me if I'm not popping the bubbly during the pre-fight introductions. It's easy to be undefeated when you've only fought seven people.
If he wants to make me a believer, then handle Maia on Saturday night and I'll shut the hell up, but until then, I have to go with the facts I have and the fact of the matter is Weidman has yet to prove he should be favored against the Brazilian.
He's a great wrestler, but do you really wanna take a fighter with Maia's jiu-jitsu to the floor? And anyone thinking that Maia is weak on the feet hasn't been paying attention, because he's busted his butt to improve his hands ever since the knockout loss to Nate Marquardt.
I don't think anyone in K-1 is breaking a sweat, but take another look at the Mark Munoz fight to see how far he's come. That leaves Weidman with very few options. He doesn't have an advantage on the feet and on the ground he's a sitting duck.
Maia's last six fights have gone to a decision, but that's because his opponents have allowed them to by obliging him on the feet. Weidman on the other hand, who will eventually fall back on his wrestling, is sooner or later going to make him an offer he can't refuse.
Say night-night.
Prediction: Maia def. Weidman via submission
That's a wrap, folks.
For previews and predictions on the preliminary card fights click here and here. To see all the odds and betting lines for UFC on FOX 2 click here and remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of "Evans vs. Davis."
What do you think? Now it's your turn ... let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for tomorrow night's event.
Posted in: fight, evan, davi, he, that
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC On Fox 2 Weigh-In Video And Coverage
Bloody Elbow will be providing live video and updates when all 20 fighters on the card step on the scale at today's UFC on Fox 2 weigh-ins from Chicago, IL. You can catch a live Youtube stream of the weigh-ins below the jump, or if that doesn't work for some reason, you can view it over at MMA Nation or Ustream. The weigh-ins begin at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.
The main event is a five-round light heavyweight battle between former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and top contender Phil Davis. Each fighter has to reach the light heavyweight non-title limit of 206 pounds.
Join us and share your thoughts as the weigh-ins unfold.
Main card:
Phil Davis ( ) vs. Rashad Evans ( )Michael Bisping ( ) vs. Chael Sonnen ( )Demian Maia ( ) vs. Chris Weidman ( )
Preliminary Card:
Evan Dunham ( ) vs. Nik Lentz ( )Michael Johnson ( ) vs. Shane Roller ( )Jon Olav Einemo ( ) vs. Mike Russow ( )George Roop ( ) vs. Cub Swanson ( )Charles Oliveira ( ) vs. Eric Wisely ( )Joey Beltran ( ) vs. Lavar Johnson ( )Chris Camozzi ( ) vs. Dustin Jacoby ( )
SBN Coverage of UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis
Posted in: ufc, vs, evan, weighin, card step
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowEvans deals with distractions before big fight (Yahoo! Sports)
With the spotlight being focused on Dana White and a co-headliner, a distracted "Sugar" Rashad Evans is playing second fiddle.
Posted in: deal, evan, sugar, evans deals, coheadliner
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC On Fox 2: Haters Be Damned, Rashad Evans Is A Big Star
I went into last August's UFC 133 a little disappointed. You see, I've been a fan of Rich Franklin for years and the opportunity to cover one of his fights in person was something I was really looking forward to. When he dropped off the card, I was bummed but quickly shifted focus to Tito Ortiz as the improbable story that was his career resurgence was a lot of fun.
But what I came away with was a new-found appreciation for his opponent that night in Rashad Evans. I was impressed with his presence, how people reacted when he entered the arena, how he took care of business against Ortiz and how he carried himself in general.
The 32-year-old isn't just a star, but he's a big star and should be recognized as such.
That's why I can't understand why people boo him relentlessly and how he attracts so much vitriol. This Saturday, Evans main events UFC On Fox 2 against Phil Davis and will be on display in front of potentially the largest audience that has ever seen him perform. Why should they and you appreciate him?
He doesn't fight slouches: His last eight opponents in a four-year stretch where he went 6-1-1: Ortiz, Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Lyoto Machida, Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson and Ortiz again. When I look at some of the top fighters in the world, I'm intrigued by the level of competition they go in there against. Are they continually testing themselves against the best? When you look at this list and think about the point those opponents were at when Evans fought them, what other current top light heavyweight has had a stretch like this in their last few years?
He comes off like a star: Evans has the presence of an NFL quarterback, dressing in nice suits and carrying himself with an "I'm the man" swagger. Quite simply, he acts like a star and he should. In today's fight game, that is hugely important as the UFC needs more guys that people will pay to see. If MMA was bigger with mainstream media outlets like ESPN, Evans would be seen and covered in a different light and perhaps Saturday on Fox will be his big breakout to the masses.
He's got a big rivalry: One of the UFC's few big money matches is Evans vs. current light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones and like an old-school pro wrestling storyline, the build to this inevitable clash has been tremendous. This a story made for Warrior 2: two teammates and friends split down the middle due to one winning a title and saying he'd fight the other, breaking a pact they had. Their camps split, the fighters split and it's all they can do to not bring each other up when they're fighting other people.
Bird had Magic, Williams had DiMaggio, Liddell had Ortiz and perhaps Evans vs. Jones can be a great rivalry for the next few years. Evans is just one injury-free win away from finally getting his shot at reclaiming the title he violently lost to Machida in May 2009. To do so, he would have to go through his former friend and now mortal enemy. That's a story that's impossible to ignore.
When Evans steps on the scale Friday, he'll likely get booed again because apparently that's the thing to do. Like it or not, he is one of the biggest stars in MMA and in front of a big network TV audience, a big win will finally get him the respect that he deserves and has earned.
SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
Posted in: ufc, ortiz, star, people, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans: If Jon Jones comes into the cage I won't say he ruined my special night
In the days leading up to Saturday’s UFC on FOX 2 the war of words between light heavyweight fighters Rashad Evans and Phil Davis has taken a turn toward the aggressive with both fighters engaging in the trash talk.
As the fight nears both fighters have put the verbal warfare to the side and are instead focusing on the task at hand, getting one step closer to a fight with the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.
Evans took time out of his training for the fight to speak to
Posted in: fight, fighter, phil davis, evan, cage i
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans: “All this talking about the fight…I just want to fight already.”
Some fans may be under the impression the life of a top Mixed Martial Artist is one of luxury and leisure outside of the training center or ring. However, as evident in the latest video blog from UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans, the day-to-day for a fighter on his level is anything but easy with the grind rarely stopping whether he’s in the gym or outside of it.
In the entry, cameras follow Evans around on Wednesday as he makes a number of media appearances including open workouts and a stop at a local news station in Chicago. By the end of the day seems clear Evans is wiped, showing his anxiety over his fight this weekend against Phil Davis in saying “All this talking about the fight…I just want to fight already.”
Check out the clip below and make sure to catch Davis-Evans tomorrow night at 8:00 PM EST on FOX:
Posted in: fight, phil davis, evan, fight …i, media appearances
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC on Fox 2 - Staff Predictions
The UFC is set to return to Fox with a 3 fight main card with major title implications. Rashad Evans will try once again to earn yet another shot at the Light Heavyweight title that may or may not come to fruition against rising star Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis in the main event. Polarizing Middleweights Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping will lock horns to determine who will be the next man to climb the mountain of dead bodies that pound for pound king Anderson Silva has built his throne upon and Demian Maia will do battle with Serra-Longo product Chris Weidman in the opening bout. All preliminary fights will be aired LIVE on Fuel so be prepared for a day jam packed with great action from what is, on paper, a fantastic card. Let's get it started with the HKL staff's predictions.
Rashad Evans vs. Phil DavisEarl - This is too much too soon for Phil Davis. Rashad is the #2 Light Heavyweight on the planet and Phil is still very raw. Rashad will use his takedown defense and superior striking to put the first blemish on Mr. Wonderful’s record. Rashad Evans, TKO, Round 2.Jack - I suspect this will be another decent showing for Rashad as the UFC continues to get us excited for a match with Jon Jones. I believe Rashad can keep ahead with his passable stand up, heavy hands and excellent work rate, but he will struggle to lay and pray on Davis. While Rashad is not difficult to hit, it all hinges on how hard Davis can hit him. Rashad Evans, Unanimous Decision.Luke - After seeing Rashad Evans link up with Tyrone Spong immediately after leaving Jacksons and after watching Jon Jones struggle with Lyoto Machida until he got him to the mat, I deduced that Evans believes the way he’ll beat the Martian Manhunter is by avoiding the ground at all costs and out pointing him in a kickboxing match. If my sleuthing proves correct, Evans will surely test out the strategy against Davis. I’m not sure this fight will be particularly exciting if that is the case but I do think Evans will execute perfectly. Rashad Evans, Unanimous Decision.Cory - Ill-timed Sandusky comments aside, I kind of like Phil Davis. I tend to like the the quieter folks that don’t really talk too much. Phil has been a damn solid fighter that’s impressed in various ways. His standup, however, has not been one of those ways. Rashad Evans is one of the more complete MMA fighters at light-heavyweight. He has a very solid top-control game, quick hands and knockout power. I loathe his ground and, and his in-ring crotch grabs are eye-rollingly annoying. Davis just doesn’t have the standup to hang with Rashad on the feet, and I’m going to guess that much of the fight is spent there, as so often happens with two wrestlers. The only caveat I’m going to put in here is this, Rashad has shown suspect cardio throughout the years. If this goes into deep waters, Davis could eventually overwhelm a tired Evans. Evans, TKO.
Michael Bisping vs. Chael SonnenEarl - This is the fight that should have been scheduled all along to get the new top contender to Anderson Silva’s throne. Chael should be dominant here because his wrestling will keep Bisping from opening up with his strikes as much as he did against guys like Leben, Miller and Rivera. Chael is going to brutalize Mike here and it is not going to be pretty. It will be beautiful. Chael Sonnen, Unanimous Decision.Jack - It’s no secret that Bisping is a well protected fighter but he is coming off the most legitimate win of his career over Jason Miller. The fact that this fight is not taking place in the UK should give readers a hint of what Joe Silva expects to happen. Chael will almost definitely take Bisping down at will and hit him harder than expected in the stand up when Bisping is worried about sprawling. The rest will be vintage Chael Sonnen, lots of big punches but not much damage, perhaps a late stoppage if he’s really on form. Chael Sonnen, Unanimous Decision.Luke - I wasn’t sure Miller was the most legitimate win of Bisping’s career but a look back at his schedule shows that it just might be. That doesn’t bode well for his chances against a world class fighter like Chael but the truth is that Bisping is a bad match-up for Sonnen. Bisping has calculated stand up, making takedowns difficult. He also has good defensive jiu jitsu and gets back to his feet very well. Sonnen is at his best when he can take you down and work from the guard. When forced to work hard to keep you down, he opens himself up for submissions. Bisping will give us one "oh my!!" moment and catch Sonnen in something but I think the American will survive to get that second fight with Silva. Chael Sonnen, Unanimous Decision.Cory - Ya know what... I’m gonna do it. I’ll go with the upset here. Sonnen’s submission defense is bad. Historically bad. Nearly every time he’s gone against a solid submission grappler, he’s tapped. He can outwrestle people. He hits somewhat hard on the feet. Bisping is not a superior submission grappler. However, he isn’t stupid either. He knows what works for him and who he’s facing. If he isn’t a dimwit and lets Sonnen control the cage the way Henderson did, I can see him realizing his best avenue is through Jiu Jitsu. If Bisping can outwork Sonnen, I’ll be surprised. If he takes an arm and bends it in ways it isn’t supposed to go, I won’t be. Bisping, Submission.Demian Maia vs. Chris WeidmanEarl - In his quest to improve his stand up game, Demian Maia has seemingly forgotten that he is a world class BJJ practitioner. The man who had amazing grappling displays against Jason MacDonald and Chael Sonnen has seemingly vanished and that makes me sad. Weidman is on a serious roll right now but, especially on short notice, he is in the same boat as Phil Davis on this night. Demian Maia, Submission, Round 3.Jack - Calling it now, Maia surprises everyone with improved stand up again! As this is a late replacement, and Maia was already training for a striker, I suspect we’ll see Maia work Weidman over on the ground - but Weidman may be strong enough on the ground to hold out. Demian Maia, Submission, Round 2.Luke - I’m going with the youngster in this one. As Earl points out, Maia has not shown off his remarkable grappling game in years, having spent much of his time working on his striking game. I think he’ll be surprised by the strength and technical acumen of Weidman, who puts Maia on the ground and keeps him there for the entire three round fight. Chris Weidman, Unanimous Decision.Cory - Weidman is a good fighter. He might be really good. Demian Maia IS really good. He’s been with some of the best in the sport and doesn’t lose very often. Maia, Decision.Evan Dunham vs. Nik LentzEarl - Nik Lentz is looking to rebound from his loss to Mark Bocek and he has a tough match-up in Dunham. Lentz has been dabbling in exciting fights recently but if he tries it against Evan, he is going to get busted up. Evan Dunham, TKO, Round 2.Jack - Would love to see Lentz lose here, I cannot stand lay ‘n’ pray. Dunham should be able to stuff the takedowns and use better stand up to beat Lentz down. Evan Dunham, TKO, Round 1.Luke - I was disappointed in Lentz after his fight with Bocek. He essentially spent the entire fight trying to secure a guillotine choke on Bocek that clearly wasn’t happening and he looked frustrated and surprised when the judges gave Bocek the nod. Top control will beat submission attempts from the bottom every time Nik, even in Canada. Lentz doesn’t have anything for Dunham here. Evan Dunham, TKO, Round 2.Cory - There’s no real convincing argument you can give me at this point that would make me think that Lentz wins this fight more than 1 or 2 times out of 10, tops. Dunham, TKO.Mike Russow vs. Jon Olav EinemoEarl - Mike Russow is seeking his 11th straight victory against JOE. Einemo was in a wild brawl with Dave Herman in his first Octagon appearance. Russow has crazy power (especially in his hammerfists) and should take this one. Mike Russow, TKO, Round 1.Jack - As physically unimposing as he is, it’s hard to pick against a guy who is on a double digit winning streak since the death of PRIDE. It is in Einemo’s interest to beat up Russow’s legs and body early to remove the chance of getting caught down the line, then look for a submission. Mike Russow, KO, Round 2.Luke - Could everyman Mike Russow actually win four fights in a row in the UFC Heavyweight division? I was thinking he could, but watching his interview with Ariel Helwani and realizing that he only trained full time for one month before this fight has me thinking otherwise. Jon Olav Einemo looked good against Dave Herman but he probably should have gone to his grappling game a little sooner. He’ll do that this time. Jon Olav Einemo, Submission, Round 1.Cory - I am in nearly perfect agreement with Luke. Einemo, Submission.Cub Swanson vs. George RoopEarl - George has been steadily improving and I pay for it every time I bet against him, save the Hominick fight. I have learned my lesson. George Roop, Unanimous decision.Jack - Roop uses his range to beat up Swanson, knocks him out with a flying knee or head kick and everyone starts talking about Roop vs Aldo. George Roop, KO, Round 1.Luke - Roop is coming off of two very good performances, despite losing to Hatsu Hioki in his last fight. Swanson is not that great and Roop should dispatch him with ease. George Roop, KO, Round 1.Cory - I would not be surprised at all if this is the fight that gets Cub Swanson cut from the UFC. Roop, TKO.Charles Oliveira vs. Eric WiselyEarl - "C DB O" is dropping down to Featherweight where he belongs. He is going to be in beast mode. Charles Oliveira, Submission, Round 2.Jack - On most cards there is an upset. I like this as the upset of UFC on Fox 2. Oliveira keeps coming in and looking as if he buys his own hype. Don’t play guard against Jim Miller or Donald Cerrone; should be pretty obvious to a guy with the talent of Oliveira. Eric Wisely, TKO, Round 1.Luke - If Charles Oliveira loses, could it really be considered an upset? He’s lost his last two outings and didn’t look particularly great against Donald Cerrone. I guess the fact that he’s dropping down a division to face a newcomer to the UFC would make it qualify as an upset. Wait, why did I just spend two minutes working that out? Charles is going to win. Charles Oliveira, Submission, Round 1Cory - Eric Wisely strikes me as a tailor made individual to get Charles Oliveira back into the win column. Unless he suffers from a bad weight cut going down to featherweight for the first time, South Bronx (get it, he’s from South America), should roll right over Wisely. Oliveira, KO.Michael Johnson vs. Shane RollerEarl - Coin flip, I guess. Michael Johnson, Unanimous Decision.Jack - I’m going with Roller, just because I feel he’s tougher. Shane Roller, Unanimous Decision.Luke - Michael Johnson is a disappointment to me. I felt he could have done more against Jonathan Brookins in the TUF final and I also thought he had the fight IQ to avoid getting subbed by Paul Sass. If he can’t beat Roller, he doesn’t belong in the UFC. Michael Johnson, Unanimous Decision.Cory - Michael Johnson has done very little to make me think he’ll succeed against the upper echelon of the division. Shane has already failed against the upper echelon (and T.J. Grant), but I think he’s just better than MJ. Roller, Decision.Joey Beltran vs. Lavar JohnsonEarl - I love a Joey Beltran fight. I hope the UFC never cuts him. Lavar Johnson is making his UFC debut on a 2 fight losing streak. Sadly for him, it will be 3 after he gets MEXICUTED! Joey Beltran, TKO Round 2.Jack - Gonna go with Beltran. Joey Beltran, TKO, Round 1.Luke - Joey Beltran has embraced his role as a UFC gatekeeper, according to his pre-fight interview with Ariel Helwani. Lavar Johnson would have had much better luck if he had tried to get into the UFC through a side door somewhere, instead of through a cage with Beltran inside it. Joey Beltran, TKO, Round 1.Cory - I can’t believe that the Tigers are going to be paying a 35-year old, probably broken-down husk of Prince Fielder 20 million dollars+ in the year 2020. They’re gonna be hating life and … oh wait, Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson? Well, they both have a middling record, the difference is that Joey has been losing to the likes of Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione while Lavar has swum in shallower waters. Joey Beltran, TKO.Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin JacobyEarl - This fight will happen. Dustin Jacoby, Unanimous Decision.Jack - Camozzi has a significant edge in experience over the young finisher. Should be a decent scrap at any rate. Chris Camozzi, Unanimous Decision.Luke - I like Camozzi. He was cut after going 2-1 in his first go-round with the UFC, then was brought back after a single win. Weird. Dustin Jacoby was completely unimpressive in his UFC debut against Clifford Starks and I don’t think much of his chances here. Chris Camozzi, Unanimous Decision.Cory - In my due diligence on looking into young Mr. Jacoby, I was able to find very little about him other than he trains with Robbie Lawlor. That isn’t really a great indication of anything. Tons of midwestern prospects have flamed out, and quite frankly, Jacoby has shown me nothing so far to indicate that he won’t join that long list. Camozzi, Submission.
Posted in: ufc, fight, round, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendRashad Evans Expects Jon Jones to Ruin His ‘Special Night’ at UFC on Fox in Chicago
Rashad Evans was accused by Jon Jones of ruining his "special night" after he won the UFC light heavyweight title. Now Evans thinks Jones will return the favor on Saturday at UFC on Fox: Evans vs....
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, evan, night ’
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC on FOX 2 Main Event Breakdown: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Filed under: UFCRashad Evans has been the light-heavyweight division's No. 1 contender in waiting for 18 months, a lengthy purgatory that will only end if he beats Phil Davis at Saturday night's UFC on FOX 2 show, and emerges uninjured.
On paper, it is a fight he should win. He has twice as many fights as Davis, and has competed against higher-caliber opponents over the last few years. The odds reflect that, with Evans a 2-to-1 favorite by the estimates of most.
But there are also factors that suggest the outcome isn't quite that clear cut. For one, Evans (16-1-1) has only fought once in the last 18 months, against the struggling Tito Ortiz. For another, Davis (9-0) has had 10 months in between fights. Because of the fact that Davis is newer to the sport, he has more to learn, and might have benefited more from the time off between fights.
The biggest improvements Davis can hope to show in this matchup are his overall striking game and wrestling transitions. To date, Davis' best standup weapon has been his kicks, something he has proven to be reliant on. Against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, for example, he threw 18 kicks and 18 punches while standing. A true 1:1 kick/punch ratio is very unusual at the highest levels of MMA.
More: UFC on FOX 2 Fight Card | UFC on FOX 2 Results
That ratio alone isn't troublesome, but the issue comes in the fact that against Nogueira, he landed only two of his 18 arm strikes, just 11 percent. He will have to do more in the pocket to keep Evans honest, because if Evans can completely discount his punches, the fight becomes easier for him. To that end, Davis has been working with fellow light-heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson as well as bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz. After 10 months, it's hard to imagine we won't see any real improvements.
In recent days, Evans has made headlines for saying that Davis isn't a very good wrestler, a statement that doesn't jibe with Davis' pedigree as a former NCAA national champion.
"Your technique is trash," Evans said during a Thursday press conference. "You won a college championship off junk. You could not win on an international level because you have trash technique."
The statement was no doubt a piece of gamesmanship on Evans' part, but the fact is that given Davis' wrestling history, he has underperformed a bit in the takedown department, successfully landing just 50 percent of his tries according to FightMetric. His problems stem from often shooting from too far away with no setup. To date, Nogueira has been his most decorated opponent. Nogueira has no background in wrestling, but Davis was just four of 11 against him. Again, though, this is the type of area that could benefit from some intensive training, and Davis might look significantly better this time around.
On the other hand, in his limited time fighting, Davis has shown some of the best defensive work in MMA. According to FightMetric, he's only been hit .38 times per minute -- by far the lowest number in UFC history. He's also never been taken down, so has a perfect 100 percent takedown defense record.
Both of those numbers will be tested by Evans, who has the most complete game of any opponent Davis has yet to face. Evans won't be lost if just one thing doesn't work. He has good hands, throws kicks, moves well into takedowns and has effective ground and pound.
Evans has said that he has gone back to his wrestling roots, and that showed against Ortiz as most of the fight was spent on the ground. But given the fact that the area is Davis' strength, it's worth wondering if Evans will truly engage him there or simply wants to plant the seed in Davis' mind so he'll have something else to think about.
Evans is a very good MMA wrestler, but it's unlikely he'll put Davis on his back for any stretch of time. That leaves a fight where Evans is likely going to be on the defensive, hoping to avoid Davis' takedowns throughout. Remember, this is a five-round fight, so it could become a grind. Davis may or may not have success in taking the fight to the ground, but he's also quite likely to work Evans against the fence and hope to wear him down with dirty boxing and sheer physicality.
In some ways, that kind of plan could work to Evans' advantage. He's always fought well as a counter-striker, and he's never had any real issues with stamina. Davis has looked strong in fights that have gone the distance, but he's prepared to go five full rounds for the first time in his career, while Evans has had to do it three times now.
Their wrestling games should largely cancel each other out, so unless Davis has made a big leap forward in his striking, this should still be Evans' fight to lose. Evans is more experienced, has shown more power and has big-fight experience. Davis is still a blue-chip prospect, but there's no way to know whether his time off helped him by allowing him time to refine his skills, or it hurt him by adding ring rust. A Davis upset wouldn't be a huge surprise, as he's capable of grinding out a win with his physicality and will, but most other routes to victory seem to favor Evans, and so his perpetual role as top contender should continue by a close decision. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, time, evan, davi, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis Weigh-in Results
UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis weigh-in results from Friday afternoon's festivities at the Chicago Theater.
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, weighin
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRashad Evans vs Phil Davis fight video preview for UFC on FOX 2 main event on Jan. 28 in Chicago
In just over a day, Rashad Evans will take on Phil Davis in the headlining attraction of the UFC on FOX 2 event this Sat., Jan. 28, 2012, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
There's a lot on the line for "Suga," as he's been promised a title shot with a victory. He knows the stakes and already has in his head what he's got to do to win the fight.
"I just gotta impose my will. To come out with the win, I just gotta do what I do best, not just strike, wrestle and just do everything. I don't think there's just one avenue to get it done in. I gotta be able to get it done in all facets of the sport."
As for "Mr. Wonderful," this is as good as it can get for Davis. A win catapults him way up the light heavyweight ladder.
"He's the number one contender and I hope to take that from him. Plain and simple."
Indeed. Evans wins and he gets a title shot, Davis wins and he could put himself in position to have the same. There's a lot on the line in the "Windy City," Maniacs.
Who ya' got?
For all the latest news and notes on the UFC on FOX 2 event be sure to hit up our complete archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, evan, davi, fight i, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans – Embracing The Suffering 2012
In early 2006, Rashad Evans was fresh from winning The Ultimate Fighter’s second season at heavyweight and he was returning to the 205-pound weight class to begin chasing after a UFC title. He was just a prospect then, unbeaten with the world ahead of him. Yet before his fight with Sam Hoger, he spoke of a philosophy that would serve him well in the future. He called it “embracing the suffering.” When reminded of this in a recent interview before his Saturday FOX main event against Phil Davis, he laughed.“The theme for this camp has been embracing the suffering,” said Evans, but it’s been no laughing matter getting to the Davis fight, where a win will once again put him in position to regain the light heavyweight title he lost to Lyoto Machida in 2009. Since the lone defeat of his career, Evans has won three in a row, beating Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson, and Tito Ortiz. But he’s also been plagued with injuries, layoffs, cancelled fights, late replacement opponents, a switch in training camps, and a highly-publicized feud with his former teammate and current 205-pound champion Jon Jones. So there’s been plenty of suffering for Evans to embrace.“Coming back from an injury and not being able to be active with back-to-back injuries like that is kinda hard,” he admitted. “It was a bit tough, I wasn’t finding my rhythm early on and stuff like that, but when you spend so much time out, it tends to happen like that.”In the process, the man whose name should be first on your mind when it comes to contenders for Jones’ throne has become an afterthought to many. On Saturday he gets to reintroduce himself to the world as the number one contender, so at this point, some fans’ apathy doesn’t really affect him now.“In this sport, it’s pretty much what have you done for me lately,” said Evans. “If I’m not out there doing it on a consistent basis, letting everybody see all the time, then people tend to forget. And that’s fine, that’s okay with me. It just gives me a little bit of something more to work for and it gives me a lot more motivation on those days when it’s hard to motivate myself. I just think about where I could be, where I should be, and where I want to be, and that gives me enough drive to push through those days that get hard.”So what are those days like?“On those days, it gets kinda frustrating, I can’t lie,” he said. “I get upset and angry with myself when things don’t go the way that I want them to, but then I remember that it’s all part of the plan, it’s all part of what’s supposed to happen to me. I don’t think that anything happened to me that’s not supposed to happen to me, and I feel that I can make it through and persevere through anything. So I just try to keep a strong mind because it’s easy to start feeling sorry for yourself. And once you start feeling sorry for yourself, only bad things come and you can never get anything done.”Needless to say, Evans keeps his internet surfing to a minimum during camp, choosing to avoid the inevitable stream of haters and advice-givers that always seem to overshadow the true fans.“I stay away from the internet for the most part,” he said. “But I still keep a bead on what’s going on. All I can control is what I need to do on January 28th. That’s my main focus. Everything else is just extra. Kanye West said it best when he said “nothin’s ever promised tomorrow, today.” So it don’t even matter when they say ‘Rashad, you get this next title shot.’ It’s all about what happens when it’s supposed to happen, and I’m not gonna waste no time, thought, or energy trying to be like ‘this should be what it is.’ Because when it is, it is.”At 32, Evans has pretty much seen it all in the sport of mixed martial arts, both good and bad. And once of the key things he’s learned is that all the stuff outside the gym and the Octagon is just that – stuff that needs to stay outside. When the door closes and the bell rings, it’s time to – you guessed it – embrace the suffering. And with his team of Blackzilians in Boca Raton, Florida, he’s getting exactly what he needs to achieve that feeling.“I’ve got a bunch of killers in my training room, and they are not feeling sorry for me or taking it easy on me one bit,” said Evans. “So whenever I go in there, I gotta go against Rumble (Johnson), I gotta go against whoever else they may bring in, and they want a piece of me, so if I’m not competing at that level, I’m gonna be feeling bad in practice as well as outside of practice. I’ve got to swim or drown, and that’s how it’s been and that’s how I’m able to stay sharp, because everybody around me is razor sharp.”Physically, Evans is where he wants to be, and that was the biggest hurdle for him after dealing with serious injuries to his knee and thumb over the last year. As far as the mental game goes, he’s always had that part of things down pat, and nothing has changed leading into this Saturday’s bout. In fact, his motivation comes from way back, and it extends far into the future.“I come from nothing,” said the Niagara Falls, New York native. “Growing up I didn’t really have too much, and I can tap into that anytime that I want to and just remember how bad things were for me growing up and just knowing that I never want to go back there and I don’t want my kids to go through it. So what I’ve got to do is I gotta stay strong and I gotta drive. And more than anything else, this is a dream of mine to become the best and in other words, immortal. How many other people get a chance to be remembered forever? And that’s what I really want. I want to be remembered forever.”Evans’ attitude brings to mind a conversation with future boxing Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins in which he told me that a loss in his upcoming fight with Oscar De La Hoya would knock him out of Pay-Per-View fights and back to fighting on basic cable. He knew that wasn’t going to happen, but he needed to think that in order to keep himself hungry and motivated. Evans has that same mindset.“I never want to get content,” said Evans. “I never want to think that I’m at a certain spot and I’m gonna stay there, because this organization’s hard to stay in, and this is the wrong place to get complacent in. You’ve got so many guys coming up and putting in work, and everybody wants to be in my position, so I gotta be paranoid and think that if I’m not producing, if I’m not going out there and winning fights and winning impressively, I’m gonna be replaced. And I don’t like that and that’s not an easy feeling for me, so I try to do everything in my power to make sure that does not happen.”The unbeaten Davis is one of those guys “coming up and putting in work,” and he would like nothing more than to take Evans’ spot at the top of the light heavyweight contenders’ list. But can a young fighter with raw talent beat an older, but more experienced one? Evans believes so.“If you go in there and you just think that you’re experienced and you’re gonna use that alone to take the young buck out, you might find yourself sitting down and being upset because if he’s got that raw talent and he’s hungry, that could get him the win,” said Evans. But like anyone who has been to the mountaintop and wants to get back there again, it’s not as simple as that. He may be older, but he’s got tricks up his sleeve that he can’t wait to reveal on Saturday night. Evans didn’t embrace the suffering for nothing; now it’s time to dish some out to his opponent. “You gotta be hungry and try to match that intensity,” he said. “I know Phil is preparing for the fight of his life and he’s got everything to gain in this situation. This is his coming out party. So I really got to go in there and beat him mentally first. I’ve got to think like I’m fighting me. I’ve got to tap into that feeling I had when I fought my big fight against Chuck Liddell or Tito Ortiz or Rampage, which was ‘this is my moment to shine.’ If I go in there thinking I’ve got something to keep away from him, it’s not gonna be a good fight for me. I’m going in and I’m gonna hunt for him. I’m trying to take something he’s got.”
Posted in: fight, ’t, i ’m, ’m, evan
Read the full article at UFCTweets of the Week 1/27
UFC on FOX: Evans
vs Davis
@philmrwonderful
riddle me this: if u can't takedown non wrestlers in a fight how do u expect to
take me down?! U need 2 revise your plan! SugaRashadEvans -Rashad Evans
can't believe
neither Rashad or phil gave me cred for the Arsenial Hall joke. @UrijahFaber
@ufc @sugarashadevans @philmrwonderful UrijahFaber -Urijah Faber
@UrijahFaber I
can't either PhilMrWonderful -Phil Davis
My view live from
the press conference right now! yfrog.com/h3q0vywj bisping -Michael Bisping
Hey Gov'nor, I'll
finish you faster than you can devour a Bovril & pie, u doughy wanker. Just
because u have a Queen doesn't make it English sonnench -Chael Sonnen
And here are Chael
@SonnenCh and Michael @Bisping with their soundbytes at today's presser http://t.co/4L13mKOB
ufc -UFC
I'm gonna leave
@CubSwanson singing a Swan song after @ufc this weekend. #ufc GeorgeRoop -George Roop
Don't make me beat
you up before Saturday @GeorgeRoop CubSwanson
-Cub Swanson
I like dancing, and
being awesome @JordanMcDonald EllenbergerMMA
-Jake Ellenberger
Done with all my
interviews for the day. Lil nap then get some training in ChrisWeidmanUFC -Chris Weidman
Chicago is a
beautiful city, but a little cold. Weight is good, body is good, mind is good
now lets do this. evandunham155 -Evan
Dunham
I scored these from
an old timer at tractor supply earlier. lockerz.com/s/177439782
shaneroller -Shane Roller
I'm on weight and
waiting for weigh ins now. Couple more hours until I get to rehydrate and eat
some good Chicago food! ChrisCamozzi
-Chris Camozzi
We have formed the
#Blaxicans @lloydirvin @SutYadPalung @EricDelFierro @manny_mma @amel619
@PhilMrWonderful ANd Me! Boom that just happened mexicutioner760 -Joey Beltran
I Don’t Understand
Either but Do What She Says!
Hey guys I need
more gems on dragonvale! My gamecenter SN is rowdyronda - friend me and send me
gems! I need to get an epic breeding island! RondaRousey -Ronda Rousey
The Debates Lacked
a Certain… Chael.
I'm watching the
republican presidential debate. Who do you like/dislike? MartinKampmann -Martin Kampmann
Because They Don’t
Tweet?
Why do old people
talk so much? Unclecreepymma -Ian McCall
A Question for the
Ages
Wonder who would
win a fight between Big John Mc Carthy n Herb Dean? I've seen herb throw nasty
head kicks in King of cage! #wondering LiLHeathenMMA -Jeremy Stephens
Comfort Food
Cheesecake, you are
my friendly friend theninjaoflove -Nick Denis
The Classics Never
Get Old
If your looking for
a reason to follow @StephanBonnar, he just made a f$&$ing Dan Quale
reference ForrestGriffin -Forrest Griffin
Barry Calls Out
Jorgensen
if @HypeOrDie wants
me he's gonna have to meet me at 205. #ilikecake Scottjorgensen -Scott
jorgensen
@Scottjorgensen I
CAN'T MAKE IT MAN!!! HypeOrDie -Pat Barry
Bang’s Sense of
Humor Uninjured
I cant believe they
stopped my fight! BS call. Haha I joke I joke congrats @joshneer DUANEBANGCOM
-Duane Ludwig
Showtime Kick your
Birthday in the Face
Happy birthday to
my brother @Showtimepettis he is ready to whoop some ass in Japan. NEWBREED04
-Erik Jon Koch
@Showtimepettis
happy bday brotha! Hope u have a good one! chadmendes -Chad Mendes
Posted in: ufc, cant, evan, philmrwonderful, ’t tweet
Read the full article at UFCUFC on Fox 2 weigh-in results and preview videos
UFC on Fox 2Chicago, ILPhil Davis () vs. Rashad Evans ()Michael Bisping () vs. Chael Sonnen ()Demian Maia () vs. Chris Weidman ()Evan Dunham () vs. Nik Lentz ()Michael Johnson () vs. Shane Roller ()Jon Olav Einemo () vs. Mike Russow ()George Roop () vs. Cub Swanson ()Charles Oliveira () vs. Eric Wisely ()Joey Beltran () vs. Lavar Johnson ()Chris Camozzi () vs. Dustin Jacoby ()The UFC on Fox 2 weigh-ins take place at the Chicago Theater with the first fighter on the scale at 5:00PM EST (2:00PM PST). Phil Davis (9-0) vs. Rashad Evans (16-1-1) Michael Bisping (22-3) vs. Chael Sonnen (26-11-1)
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, chicago theater
Read the full article at UltMMAUFC on Fox 2: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis Press Conference Highlight
Short on time to watch the complete UFC on Fox 2 pre-fight press conference? The UFC has released a highlight of headliners Phil Davis and Rashad Evans trading verbal jabs over their wrestling credentials before the light heavyweight contenders meet in the main event of UFC on Fox 2 on Saturday.
Pictured: Rashad Evans and Phil Davis (via @DanaWhite)
Posted in: ufc, fox, rashad evans, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyHistory in the Making: Rashad Evans becomes a star at UFC 88 at the expense of Chuck Liddell
Out with the old, in with the new.
The old adage never felt more fitting than on the warm September night when the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) rolled into Atlanta, Georgia. For the first time in the state capital's history, the city -- once known for being the home of grown men in tights pretend fighting -- was playing host to UFC 88 and the fight promotion built a card that would ensure the Peach State residents a night to remember.
Indeed it was unforgettable. Not because of the shellacking Nate Marquardt gave Martin Kampmann or even the near-flawless striking display Rich Franklin used to fell Matt Hamill but because of the main event between mixed martial arts (MMA) icon and UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 winner Rashad Evans.
Evans steps inside the Octagon again tomorrow (Jan. 28) taking on Phil Davis, headlining the company's second offering on Fox -- and its first proper event on the broadcast station -- in a fight that would secure the former champion his second light heavyweight title shot. "Suga" is no stranger to having to win a bout in order to get his chance at gold. He was in the position that night in Atlanta.
And the results were shocking.
Since being dethroned from the 205-pound mountain by Quinton Jackson a little over a year prior, "The Iceman" appeared to have lost a step or two. After being knocked out by "Rampage," he dropped a split decision to Keith Jardine at UFC 76 in what was supposed to be a tune-up fight to get him back into the title picture. Losing to Jackson didn't necessarily make Liddell's stock plummet but the uninspired showing against "The Dean of Mean" gave fans and analysts more than enough reason to pause and reflect on Liddell's future among the light heavyweight elite.
Thankfully for his fans, Liddell finished off 2007 by stepping inside the Octagon opposite Wanderlei Silva, a fight MMA enthusiasts had been clamoring to see for years. "The Iceman," on a two-fight skid stood even with Silva who had also lost his two previous bouts. The cynical thoughts of "too little, too late" gave way to a more apathetic feeling of "why not, maybe it'll be fun" which eventually blossomed into pure and adulterated joy as the fight played out. Over 15 minutes, Liddell and Silva gave fans what could possibly be the greatest fight in the history of the sport and in the end, "The Iceman" stood triumphant. It seemed the deposed king was ready to return to his throne.
Evans, since winning the heavyweight tournament during the second season of TUF, had been slowly and steadily climbing the UFC ladder. Two Fight Night co-main events and two wins against fellow TUF alumni Sam Hoger and Stephan Bonnar led to "Suga's" pay-per-view (PPV) debut, an impressive victory over Jason Lambert who had yet to see defeat inside the Octagon. Evans was ready to top the bill.
His first taste at headlining ended as well as he could have hoped. A highlight reel head kick knockout (KO) ended his opponent, Sean Salmon's, night early in the second round and offered a glimpse of the striking prowess "Suga" had at his disposal. He returned to PPV for his next bout, a draw against Tito Ortiz before headlining UFC 78 against Michael Bisping. Since his split decision win over "The Count" that night, Evans hasn't been back to the undercard.
The roads Liddell and Evans had each been travelling met in Atlanta on Sept. 6, 2008. It was a match-up nearly as old as sports itself. The battle-hardened veteran was taking on the young, up-and-comer. Youth versus experience, the old guard trying to stay secure in its place while the new guard does everything it can to upend it.
The first round perfectly epitomized the feeling out process as both fighters circled around each other, hoping to better gauge what each was bringing to the table. Surprisingly, the previously wrestling-heavy Evans attempted no takedowns and opted to stand toe to toe with his knockout artist opponent. What "Suga" lacked in technique, he made up for in speed, both on his feet and in his hands. He continuously avoided Liddell's attacks, suffering only minimal damage while beating "The Iceman" to the punch several times over.
By the end of the round, Liddell was bleeding and nursing a decently sized mouse under one eye. When the second stanza began, each fighter came out much more aggressively. Evans let his hands go with more frequency and with even more speed. Liddell, comfortable enough with his appraisal of Evans' stand-up, began to pressure his younger opponent with more tenacity. Attempting to pin "Suga" against the cage, Liddell looked to add the TUF winner to his already impressive list of victims. But Evans continued to circle away, avoiding the onslaught and countering punches like ... well, like Chuck Liddell.
It all culminated when Evans snapped out a jab which Liddell attempted to answer with an uppercut. Had it connected, it may very well have put "Suga" to sleep. We'll never know as a monster overhand right -- the same punch that would be Liddell's finisher if he was ever in a Mortal Kombat game -- barreled its way into the former champion's jaw. He crumpled to the mat and a shocked silence fell over the Philips Arena. It seemed the only sound emanating from the crowd were the ear-piercing shrieks from Evans' elated wife.
The knockout was vicious; perhaps the most devastating in the sport's history. There were many fans -- like myself -- with no dog in this particular fight and simply marveled at the beautiful brutality that had just been unleashed inside the Octagon. Then there were others - a majority of UFC fans - who counted Liddell among their favorite fighters, if not THE favorite. When "The Iceman" dropped, so too did their moods and any hopes of seeing Liddell challenge for the title he once held onto with an iron grip.
In fact, Liddell would never see victory again in his career while Evans would only see defeat once in the five fights since. The career arcs of these two fights crossed at UFC 88 but each were going is distinctly different directions. If Evans hopes to continue his upward trend, a win over Davis tomorrow night is necessary to secure a showdown with former teammate Jon Jones.
Does "Suga" have what it takes?
Posted in: ufc, fight, night, evan, liddell
Read the full article at MMA ManiaThings get heated between headliners at UFC on FOX 2 press conference
When the group of featured fighters set for action at UFC on FOX 2 got together this afternoon as part of a pre-event press conference it seemed likely any sort of significant verbal warfare would be waged between middleweights Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen. However, as things unfolded from the stage it was in fact headliners Rashad Evans and Phil Davis who exchanged insults throughout.
One of the main sources of contention had to do with Evans’ claim that he was a better wrestler than Davis, a decorated amateur with a ton of NCAA success to his credit.
“Cocaine’s a helluva drug,” Davis joked to media while referring to an infamous sketch involving Rick James on The Chappelle Show. “It’s crazy what the kids do now days. I encourage imagination, and it’s good that he has that, but….no, no…he’ll never beat me in wrestling. Not thumb wrestling or anything of the sort.”
Davis Says Evans Isn’t as Good as he Thinks he Is
Evans quickly quipped that Davis’ technique was garbage and his success in college had to do with weak competition more so than his own talent.
“You have trash technique. I’ve watched the way you move. I watched you wrestle in college and it was trash,” Evans fired back.
Check out the entire video below and see how things go down in the Octagon on Saturday night starting at 8:00 PM EST:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, saturday night, chael sonnen, evan, davi
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis Press Conference Gallery
HeavyMMA photographer James Law takes you inside Thursday's press conference in Chicago for UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis.
Posted in: ufc, fox, conference, vs, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans, Phil Davis turn up trahstalking heat in UFC on FOX 2 build-up
CHICAGO - Insulting your opponent, or "talking up the fight" is part of the job being in the UFC, Rashad Evans believes.
"It's like personal, but not really personal-personal," Evans said today during a pre-event press conference in
support of UFC on FOX 2, which takes place Saturday at Chicago's United
Center and airs live on FOX.
Then he proceeded to put in a good day's work against Phil Davis, who stands between him and a shot at the
light-heavyweight title.
Posted in: ufc, fox, phil davis, evan, days work
Read the full article at MMA JunkieEvans: Davis is in deep water at UFC on FOX 2
Former UFC light-heavyweight champion Rashad Evans says that he is "the shark" and his upcoming opponent Phil Davis "is in deep water."
Posted in: ufc, evan, davi, water, evans davis
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC on FOX 2: Rashad Evans and Phil Davis Talk Title Shots
A lot will be on the line when Rashad Evans and Phil Davis meet in the Octagon on Saturday night at UFC on FOX 2.
For Rashad, it means the chance to finally settle the score with his friend-turned-enemy Jon Jones and a shot a his light heavyweight title. Dana White has already promised that Evans will the opportunity if he beats Davis, but as Rashad knows all too well, just because Dana says it doesn’t mean it’s set in stone.
“Jon’s the champion and right now he’s on top of the world so I guess he gets to make those choices,” he said. “I’m trying to get to where he’s at. With that said, I don’t own any spot. I’ve had the privilege to be said I’m the No. 1 contender a couple times, but I’ve still yet to fight for the belt. That said, if the UFC has another contender they want to put in there to make the show go on, then that’s by all means what they have to do. But that does not stop what I’m going to do which is keep on winning. And eventually, no matter what, I will get that title shot.”
For Davis, a win would certainly put him “in the mix,” but with Dan Henderson already on deck, he’d probably have to fight at least once more unless an injury or something were to knock Hendo out of contention. Davis isn’t concerning himself with all that though. He plans to put on such a spectacular performance against Evans on Saturday night that people will be clamoring to see him fight Jon Jones.
“Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “The performance I put on, people will say, ‘Man, I cannot wait to see him do this every weekend on FOX.’ So I don’t worry about what comes next because I’m confident I’ll have a great performance and there will be nothing other than great things ahead for me.”
Davis would probably have to do something really special Saturday night to leapfrog Hendo, but even if he just gets a win, he should find himself in the driver’s seat for a title shot later this year. After all, Jones already destroyed three former champions in Shogun Rua, Rampage Jackson and Lyoto Machida. Beyond him, Rashad and Hendo, there really isn’t anyone else in position to challenge for it.
Check out Esther Lin’s UFC on FOX 2 open workout photo gallery at MMA Fighting
Posted in: saturday night, rashad, phil davis, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ConvertDan Henderson talks Evans vs. Davis, says Bisipng has no chance against Sonnen
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [2 comments]
Posted in: vs, dan, chance, evan, mattyblayze
Read the full article at RedditWhat will Rashad Evans say to Jon Jones if he confronts him inside the cage on Saturday night?
You know the deal by now.
When Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) declares a new division number one contender, they trot him into the Octagon post-fight to confront the champion for a brief staredown.
Or sometimes, it's the other way around.
Sort of how they did with Rashad Evans, bringing him into the cage in the aftermath of UFC 128 to have a brief face off against Jon Jones, who won the light heavyweight title by destroying Mauricio Rua.
Now the roles may be reversed if Evans can defeat Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2 this Saturday night (Jan. 28, 2012) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. "Bones" may be the post-fight interloper.
If so, what will "Suga" tell him?
Via MMA Weekly:
"If he steps into the cage, I won't say nothin' stupid like, 'You're ruining my night! You're ruining my special night, Jon!' I'm not gonna say that. It's immature, it's childish. That's it."
Evans is referring to comments Jones made about his former training partner "ruining his special night" on two separate occasions by being asked to step into the cage.
From his UFC 135 remarks:
"No, I'm sure he's got a lot to say and he's going to do a lot of talking. I'm not going to say anything, I promise you guys, leading up to this fight I'm not going to say much. I'm just going to prove it. He's ruined my special night twice now. The time will come."
None of this means anything if Evans can't get past "Mr. Wonderful," who may ruin a few nights of his own with a win in "The Windy City." Anyone predicting an upset?
Here's Evans' take:
More on Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis right here.
Posted in: ufc, night, rashad evans, evan, im
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2 press conference LIVE updates today (Jan. 26) for 'Evans vs Davis' in Chicago
Ultimate Fighting Championship will be holding a public press conference today (January 26, 2012) in advance of the promotion's second major network event, UFC on Fox 2: "Evans vs. Davis" which is scheduled to take place this Saturday, January 28, 2012.
The conference will begin at 2 p.m. ET live from W Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, the home city of the event. Scheduled to attend will be the headlining fighters of the evening: Rashad Evans, Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen, Michael Bisping, Demian Maia and Chris Wiedman.
Rashad Evans is the former UFC light heavyweight champion and recently came back from significant time away to defeat Tito Ortiz in the main event of UFC 133. He's been the de facto number one contender for over a year now but injuries have kept him from challenging for the belt.
He'll be challenged by Phil Davis, an undefeated UFC prospect who was a four time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and 2008 national champion. He currently holds a spotless MMA record and is looking to take it to the next level by battling Evans, the man he was originally slated to fight at UFC 133 before injuries got in the way.
Chael Sonnen has made as much of a name for himself with his gift for gab as he has with his talent in fighting. The mouthy ex-realtor gave Anderson Silva his toughest test in the UFC to date and has been clamoring for another shot. His opponent, Michael Bisping rose to the occasion when Mark Munoz went down with an injury. The Brit is riding a four fight winning streak and the winner will be earning a crack at the 185 pound title.
Demian Maia is one of the strongest and most dangerous Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners in the UFC. While the submissions haven't been coming lately, he has won three of his last four including a dominant top control victory against Jorge Santiago his last time out. His opponent, Chris Weidman, is one of the most promising middleweights in the UFC. He stepped up on extremely short notice and will be putting his undefeated record on the line in what is a huge leap forward in competition for the former All-American wrestler out of Hofstra.
We'll have complete updates of the UFC on FOX 2 press conference after the jump.
Brian Hemminger here. The conference call is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET.
Posted in: ufc, conference, evan, davi, allamerican wrestler
Read the full article at MMA ManiaWho's the Better Wrestler? Rashad Evans, Phil Davis Go Toe-to-Toe
Filed under: UFCRashad Evans and Phil Davis will determine on Saturday night which one of them is the better mixed martial artist. But they had a spirited discussion on Thursday afternoon about which one of them is the better wrestler.
On the surface, that wouldn't seem to be a close comparison: Both were college wrestlers, but Evans was merely a pretty good wrestler at Michigan State. Evans was a great wrestler, winning the NCAA championship his senior year and coming in second, fifth and seventh in the nation in his other three years.
However, Evans insisted in interviews this week that he's a better wrestler than Davis, prompting a colorful exchange.
"Cocaine's a hell of a drug," Davis said when first told that Evans had claimed to be a better wrestler. "It's crazy what the kids do nowadays. I encourage imagination and it's good that he has that, but no. He'll never beat me in wrestling. Not thumb wrestling. Not anything of the sort."
Evans, however, insisted that Davis merely used his physical strength to win wrestling matches, while Evans had superior technique.
"If I wrestled you in college I guarantee I would beat you," Evans said. "If we wrestled right now I guarantee I would beat you. Your technique is trash. You won a college championship off junk. You could not win on an international level because you have trash technique."
That prompted a brief exchange between the two, which UFC President Dana White ultimately ended:
Davis: "What have you been watching?"
Evans: "I watched you wrestle in college. It was trash."
White: "Next question, please."
The next question between Davis and Evans -- which one of them is the better fighter? -- will be answered on Saturday night. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: technique, evan, davi, wrestler, college
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on FOX 2: By the Odds
Filed under: UFCThe UFC returns to network TV on Saturday night with an interesting lineup that more than one current champ will no doubt want to keep a close eye on. But with all this last-minute match-up shuffling taking place, surely there must be some intriguing adjustments on the betting odds front for the UFC on FOX 2. All that's left is to find out where the deals are...and where they aren't.
Rashad Evans (-210) vs. Phil Davis (+170)
The line on this fight started out a little closer to even -- Evans at -160 and Davis at +135 sounds about right to me -- but soon spread out, leaving us to ask the question: does Evans really deserve to be a 2-1 favorite over a former NCAA champion wrestler who's unbeaten in his MMA career? Really?
As you can probably tell by now, I'm leaning toward no. It's not that I don't think Evans deserves to be the favorite. He's been in this sport longer, knows the tricks of the trade a little better, and is more comfortable in the big fights than the relatively unpolished and still largely one-dimensional Davis. Coming from a wrestling background himself, Evans probably has a good sense of what Davis doesn't even know he doesn't know yet (if that makes any sense at all), and that might be the edge that matters in a close fight. Still, 2-1 over a guy who would most likely beat him in a straight wrestling match? That's hard to swallow. Evans can't rely on wrestling ability or sheer athleticism against a guy like Davis. He'll have to be the smarter, more experienced fighter, and he'll also have to hope that Davis' long layoff will take its toll in the late rounds. Those are all distinct possibilities, but by no means guarantees.
My pick: I hate to sound like a Facebook relationship status here, but it's complicated. If you could have jumped on Evans when he was at -160, I'd tell you to take that. If you feel like waiting to see if Davis creeps up closer to +200, I'd applaud your patience. In other words, I like Evans to win, but these odds aren't worth the risk in a fight this close.
Chael Sonnen (-400) vs. Michael Bisping (+300)
Here's a fight where the line has actually come down a bit from a slightly absurd start when it was first announced. Simply put, oddsmakers seem to think that there's no clear path to victory for Bisping, and I tend to agree. He lacks the knockout power to truly put the fear into Sonnen on the feet, and he's not exactly a submissions artist off his back. Neither is he a high-caliber wrestler with the chops to shut down Sonnen's takedowns and use his hit-and-run tactics to wear the self-proclaimed middleweight champion down. So what's a well-rounded Brit to do? I'm not sure I know the answer, and I doubt that Bisping does either.
My pick: Sonnen. The line makes this a parlay pick all the way, but it's as close to a lock as you'll find on this card.
Chris Weidman (-150) vs. Demian Maia (+120)
Okay oddsmakers, here's where I have to call shenanigans. If Weidman had signed to fight Maia six weeks ago, maybe then I could understand this line. If he'd had all that time to study film and work on countering Maia's style of jiu-jitsu in the gym, then fine, maybe I'd agree that he deserves to be a small favorite. But that's not what happened. Weidman took this fight -- easily the biggest fight of his life and against the most accomplished opponent he's ever faced -- on less than two weeks' notice. He's going from facing the Tom Lawlors and Jesse Bongfeldts of the MMA world to fighting a guy who has perhaps the most dangerous submissions game in the division, and he's doing it with no real training camp to speak of. You take a fight like this on short notice, your big concern is getting your weight right and showing up looking reasonably ready to fight. You're basically saying that you think you could beat Maia if he walked in unannounced to your gym one day and issued a kung fu movie-esque challenge right on the spot. And -- who knows? -- maybe Weidman really is that good. All I know for sure is that we haven't seen it yet, at least not against any opponent of Maia's caliber.
My pick: Maia. His edge in both experience and preparation makes him an underdog I can't pass up.
Quick picks:
- John Olav Einemo (+120) over Mike Russow (-150). Yes, Russow is a tough guy and a local favorite, but I think he's a tad too slow for Einemo.
- George Roop (+115) over Cub Swanson (-145). Roop is slightly better than his recent record indicates, while Swanson still has a lot of holes in his game.
The 'For Entertainment Purposes Only' Parlay: Sonnen + Maia + Evan Dunham (-400) + Joey Beltran (-225). Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, evan, davi, maia, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad Evans vs. Phil Davis Head to Head: Who will win at UFC on FOX 2?
This Saturday a possible shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight title will be on the line when Rashad Evans and Phil Davis face off at Chicago’s United Center in the main event of UFC on FOX 2.
While many fans seem to be focusing on the evening’s co-main event, a fight that will pit Chael Sonnen against Michael Bisping, that does not mean that the fight between Evans and Davis is one that should be missed. This is a big test for both fighters, it will go a long way toward deciding of the Evans, the
Posted in: ufc, michael bisping, chael sonnen, evan, davi
Read the full article at Low KickTo Get to Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Has to Beat Phil Davis and Greatest Foe: Bad Luck
Filed under: UFCIt's hard enough to win a fight at the highest levels of mixed martial arts. If that was Rashad Evans' only task, it would be plenty to think about. But like every other athlete on the UFC roster, Evans wants not only to win, but also to be the best fighter in his division. Unlike most athletes on the roster, though, it's a real possibility for Evans. But it will require peripheral vision; his eyes have to scan wider than what's in front of them on Saturday night.
First things first, of course. At UFC on FOX 2, he'll have his hands full with Phil Davis, an unbeaten hulk who has had 10 months to add weapons into his arsenal. Still, Evans is the favorite. And in order to accomplish his secondary goal of finally securing a title fight, it's not enough just to win; he'll also have to emerge unscathed.
If he only manages the former and not the latter, he will go at least two years since the moment he was first named No. 1 contender, with no title shot in sight.
Yes, you read that right. Two years.
Timing has undone all of Evans' last three bites at the apple.
First, Evans was knocked out of a March 2011 title shot due to an injured knee suffered in training. Then, he was to fight for the belt in August, but an injury sidelined his opponent, Jon Jones. And finally, an Evans' thumb injury torpedoed a proposed December championship encounter.
Now, Jones is saying he will be ready to fight in the spring, preferably at the April 21 UFC event in Atlanta. That would give Evans -- if victorious -- less than three months to rest and prepare. If he can't make that date, he's likely out of luck again, as UFC has Dan Henderson and his right hand of doom cocked and loaded. That would send Evans to the sidelines again, to wait for some other opportunity to open up, probably in the summer at earliest.
The situation leaves him with a small window, both for this specific title opportunity and for his career.
It was back in May of 2010 when Evans was first declared next in line to fight for the belt. At the time, it seemed like little was standing in his way. He was peaking. At 30 years old, he'd just dispatched Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, while Mauricio "Shogun" Rua had just KO'd Lyoto Machida to take the title. Jones had yet to sniff the division's top 10, and Evans seemed to have a clear path to fight for the belt.
But due to various circumstances, he's never gotten the chance to cash in his chip. He's now 32 years old, and while he hasn't yet shown any signs of slowing, most scientific studies suggest that male athletes peak between the ages of 27-30. That means that two of his best years were at best underused, and at worst, wasted.
Keep in mind that Evans has only fought one time in the last 18 months, a second-round TKO win over Tito Ortiz at UFC 133. Let's face it, that win, while impressive in its dominance, didn't tell us anything we didn't already know about Evans. For all of his importance as an MMA pioneer, Ortiz has been on a steady decline, with only a single victory in the last five years. Even if his losses have come against good opposition, they are still losses.
It was a fight that Evans had to win impressively, and he did so. But he didn't leave it without a hand injury, one that cost him a UFC 140 date with Jones. Davis may be green, but he's likely to be a much more competitive opponent for Evans than Ortiz was. He's younger, stronger and probably hungrier, as well.
So where does that leave Evans? Either he's going to have to fight in a conservative style, minimize risk of injury and edge out a win on points, or he can go for broke, look to finish Davis quickly and get out of dodge. Either way, there's no guarantee he'll finally get what he's long been promised.
Despite all the boos Evans routinely hears walking into arenas, there's no denying that he has publicly handled the situation well. Imagine what it would be like to be so close but so far repeatedly. The frustration of it all must be somewhere inside of him, but he refuses to let it out, even though it envelops his situation.
Just this week, he was asked about the possibility that with Jones' request to fight in April, he could be bypassed yet again, No. 1 contender at large, in perpetuity. His answer was quite diplomatic.
"Jon's the champion and right now he's on top of the world so I guess he gets to make those choices," he said. "I'm trying to get to where he's at. With that said, I don't own any spot. I've had the privilege to be said I'm the No. 1 contender a couple times, but I've still yet to fight for the belt. That said, if the UFC has another contender they want to put in there to make the show go on, then that's by all means what they have to do. But that does not stop what I'm going to do which is keep on winning. And eventually, no matter what, I will get that title shot."
It must seem like forever ago when everything was right in front of him. Everything probably seemed so easy then. But time has passed, and Evans knows that there are no easy routes to the top. As he's learned, becoming the champion is not just about winning, and luck hasn't exactly always been on his side. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on FOX 2 video blog with Rashad Evans for Phil Davis fight on Jan. 28 in Chicago
Follow along with Mr. "Suga" Rashad Evans as he prepares to take on "Mr. Wonderful," Phil Davis in the main event of the UFC on Fox 2 fight card scheduled for this Sat., Jan. 28, 2012, from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
In today's edition, you go behind-the-scenes with Evans as he works out for the media, does interviews and gets touched up for a photo shoot. To top it all off, Rashad even appeared on a local news station.
But really, the time for talking is almost over and it can't come soon enough:
"It went pretty good today. Nice interview at NBC. But talking about the fight, I just want to fight already. Friday, er Saturday, can't come here soon enough. I don't even know what day of the week it is, I'm just losing my mind right now just in and out of mindsets. I just want to go and just fight Phil, get it done and over with and move on to greener pastures. But first, I gotta put those hands on him. BOOM!"
Indeed, we're just a press conference, weigh-in and walk out away from Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis with a light heavyweight championship fight against Jon Jones on the line. Here we go, Maniacs.
For all the latest and greatest on UFC on Fox 2 be sure to hit up our event archive right here.
Posted in: fight, rashad, phil, evan, chicago illinois
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans UFC on FOX Vlog - Day 1
submitted by RyanLoco [link] [2 comments]
Posted in: ufc, fox, vlog, evan, ryanloco
Read the full article at RedditRashad Evans UFC On Fox Vlog: Wednesday
Ryan Loco takes you inside Rashad Evans' UFC on Fox fight week. Check out Rashad's Wednesday.
Posted in: ufc, fox, wednesday, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans Talks Phil Davis and What He’ll Do If Jon Jones Walks into the Cage Saturday Night
Rashad Evans talks to MMAWeekly.com about his upcoming fight at UFC on Fox 2 with Phil Davis and a potential bout with old foe Jon Jones.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, phil davis, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyPhil Davis Not Exactly Quaking In His Boots About Rashad Evans’ Wrestling
Former NCAA champion Phil Davis had a good time hearing that Rashad Evans believes he's a better wrestler than the Penn State alum.
Posted in: rashad evans, phil davis, phil, evan, time hearing
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyLatest UFC on FOX 2 odds and betting guide for 'Evans vs Davis' in Chicago
They’re ready for their close ups.
This Saturday (Jan. 28, 2012), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will once again hit the big stage, making its second trip to the primetime airwaves of the FOX nationwide television network.
Leading the way will be Rashad Evans and Phil Davis, who have yet to be at a loss for words when espousing their inevitable victories. In addition, British Baron of Braggadocio Michael Bisping will take on Lord Loudmouth Chael Sonnen to earn the next crack at middleweight champion Anderson Silva, while Chris Weidman steps up on short notice to face the Brazilian jiu-jitsu demon, Demian Maia.
All in all, we have a fantastic set of fights awaiting us this Saturday at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. And where there’s awesome fights, there’s money to be made.
Join us after the break for an in-depth look at the odds behind UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" as we examine the betting lines for the upcoming myriad mixed martial arts (MMA) match ups:
UFC on FOX 2 Odds for the Under Card:
Chris Camozzi (-170) vs. Dustin Jacoby (+140)Joey Beltran (-225) vs. Lavar Johnson (+175)Shane Roller (-260) vs. Michael Johnson (+200)Charles Oliveira (-600) vs. Eric Wisely (+400)Cub Swanson (-145) vs. George Roop (+115)Mike Russow (-150) vs. Jon Olav Einemo (+120)Evan Dunham (-400) vs. Nik Lentz (+300)
Thoughts: Some tempting underdogs and profitable favorites -- I like it.
As far as favorites go, your best bets are Dunham and Camozzi. Dunham pretty much does everything better than Lentz and should be able to handle him in much the same fashion that Mark Bocek did, if not even more one-sidedly. The Camozzi pick is based on Jacoby’s outright incompetence in his Octagon debut, and while I’ve definitely seen the sort of exponential leap between fights Jacoby would have had to make to be competitive in the UFC happen (cough, cough, Alex Caceres, cough), Camozzi still strikes me as a bargain anywhere better than -200.
The two underdogs I have my eye on are Roop and Einemo. While Roop is painfully inconsistent, Swanson is even more so. And unlike Cub, Roop can say he arguably beat the consensus number two-ranked featherweight in the world in Josh Grispi. Roop is the better striker of the two and excels at using his reach to nullify his opponents at range.
I’m quite confident he’ll defeat Swanson, and is worth a straight bet as an underdog.
Though Einemo looked pretty mediocre against Dave Herman in his UFC debut, that doesn’t change the fact that Russow’s primary weapon is his grappling and "The Viking" has won gold at ADCC. This one strikes me as a favorable style match up for the durable Einemo, who has shaken off the built-up ring rust and should be able to take care of himself wherever the fight goes. Put some straight money on "The Viking."
UFC on FOX 2 Odds for the Main Card:
Chris Weidman (-150) vs. Demian Maia (+120)Chael Sonnen (-400) vs. Michael Bisping (+300)Rashad Evans (-210) vs. Phil Davis (+170)
Thoughts: Again, some nice match ups -- let’s see what’s under the hood.
While I would have preferred that Maia open up as the favorite, Weidman still strikes me as a profitable bet. Weidman is a bonafide grappling prodigy -- after two years on the mat, he held his own against Andre Galvao (the same Andre Galvao who beat Rousimar Palhares and won the absolute division this year). He’s only gotten better since then. This is probably going to come back to bite me in the future, but I’ll say it anyway:
Weidman is champion material. It won’t be easy, but he WILL beat Maia this Saturday. Put your money on it.
I have no doubt in my mind that Chael Sonnen is more than capable of winning his fight with Michael Bisping with ease. I doubt "The Count" can stay on his feet and I’m practically certain he has nothing to offer Sonnen off his back. Still, Sonnen has too many submissions losses for me to put money on him against anyone at -400, so I recommend steering clear of this fight.
Even at -210, there’s still money to be made on Rashad Evans. Not only is he far more proven than Davis and a black belt in his own right, but Davis has been out of the cage for more than 10 months, which is the longest fightless stretch of his career. Evans’ stand up is solid, superior to Davis’s, and their wrestling should cancel out or at the very least only favor Davis slightly. I’m always wary about Evans fighting because his chin (while not glass by any means, is definitely questionable), but Davis doesn’t have the stand up tools to exploit that.
Go big on Evans, in conjunction with a smaller favorite elsewhere on the card.
My UFC on Fox 2 Best Bets:
Parlay: Chris Weidman and Evan Dunham -- Bet $20 to make $21.67
Single Bet: John Olav Einemo -- Bet $40 to make $48
Single Bet: George Roop -- Bet $40 to make $46
Parlay: Rashad Evans and Chris Camozzi -- Bet $70.32 to make $94.55
Two fights with title implications and a fight between two of the most decorated grapplers in the middleweight division ... all in one night? Works for me.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver live UFC on FOX 2 results this Saturday, which is as good a place as any to talk about all the action inside the Octagon, as well as what you've got riding on the sportsbook.
See you then, Maniacs.
Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, evan, bet
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2 Preview: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Rashad Evans takes on Phil Davis for a UFC light heavyweight title shot this Saturday, Jan. 28, at UFC on FOX 2.
Posted in: ufc, fox, phil davis, phil, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC on FOX 2 fight card: Rashad Evans vs Phil Davis preview
A shot at Jon Jones and the UFC light heavyweight title is on the line this Saturday night (January 28, 2012) as former champion "Suga" Rashad Evans takes on undefeated wrestler Phil Davis in the main event of UFC on FOX 2 in Chicago.
Evans has been set back by repeated bad luck, missing out on a title shot in 2011 due to injury, and time and time again having his title shot delayed by injuries to Jon Jones or himself. He's already had two post-fight staredowns with Jon Jones and he'll be looking to earn his third with a victory over Phil Davis on Saturday night.
Phil Davis has been talked about as one of the last potential challengers to Jon Jones in the light heavyweight division. The former national champion wrestler out of Penn State holds a spotless record in MMA and has manhandled nearly every UFC opponent he's faced. He'll be hoping to do the same in what is clearly his toughest test to date.
Will Evans finally end his streak of bad luck and get the shot at Jones he desperately desires? Can "Mr. Wonderful" play spoiler and take his UFC career to the next level with an upset victory? What does each man need to do to be victorious this weekend?
Let's find out:
Rashad Evans
Record: 16-1-1 overall, 11-1-1 in the UFC
Key Wins: Quinton Jackson (UFC 114), Forrest Griffin (UFC 92), Tito Ortiz (UFC 133)
Key Losses: Lyoto Machida (UFC 98)
How he got here: After a respectable career wrestling at Michigan State, Rashad Evans, under the wing of former UFC tournament champion Dan Severn, won his first five professional fights. This earned him an opportunity to compete on season two of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).
Despite fighting at a weight class heavier than normal, Evans tore through the heavyweights on the show, eventually working his way to the finale where he earned a split decision victory over the significantly larger Brad Imes to become The Ultimate Fighter season two champion.
After some less than dominant split and majority decision victories over Sam Hoger and Stephan Bonnar, Evans finally found his groove, earning a technical knockout (TKO) over Jason Lambert with ground and pound and then scoring one of the UFC's all time nastiest finishes with the head kick knockout of Sean Salmon.
Evans would go on to have his now infamous draw with Tito Ortiz and would follow it up by defeating Michael Bisping via decision, sending him to the middleweight division. The victory would earn "Suga" a number one contender match against former champion Chuck Liddell and one massive overhand right would change his life forever, flooring Liddell, earning "Knockout of the Year," and earning him his first title shot against champion Forrest Griffin.
After a shaky first couple rounds against Griffin at UFC 92, Evans took advantage of a slip, pounced and pummeled his way to victory to take the title and standing atop the division. His title reign would be short, though, halted by Lyoto Machida in his first defense just five months later.
Since losing the championship, Evans has rebounded nicely by defeating Thiago Silva and "Rampage" Jackson via decision, but an ill-advised choice to sit on the sidelines and wait for Mauricio Rua's knee to recover cost him badly. After nine months on the sidelines, "Suga" injured his knee while training and had to watch teammate Jon Jones crush "Shogun" and win the belt he'd had his eyes on for over a year.
After cutting ties with Jackson's MMA and feuding with Jones, Evans had to deal with opponent change after opponent change from Jones, to Phil Davis and now late replacement Tito Ortiz
How he gets it done: Evans' secret weapon ever since losing his title was going back to his roots in the wrestling department. He was able to completely dominate Thiago Silva positionally, even if he didn't do much damage in the fight and he used a mix of everything to defeat Quinton Jackson.
That's not to say Evans doesn't have power. His ferocious knockouts of Liddell, Salmon and his title victory over Griffin should be a testament to that. He was also the only person in the UFC thus far that has really hurt "Rampage" Jackson in the stand-up, landing a huge right hand in the opening minute of their grudge match.
Expect "Suga" to dance around Davis early, utilizing his speed and movement and looking to land the power. He should be confident in his stand-up for this fight as he should have a significant power and technique edge over Davis with his punches. If Davis comes out throwing a ton of kicks, Evans will likely try to catch one and take him down.
I'm not expecting the same ferocious Evans from the Tito Ortiz fight, as he knew he had his opponent severely outmatched. He will likely be much more cautious on the ground this time around if he can put Davis down. He'll likely be content to stay in Davis' guard and ride some time off the clock, posturing up and dropping punches only if he feels weakness from his opponent.
Phil Davis
Record: 9-0 overall, 5-0 in the UFC
Key Wins: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (UFC Fight Night 24), Alexander Gustafsson (UFC 112), Tim Boetsch (UFC 123)
Key Losses: none
How he got here: Phil Davis was a very successful wrestler at Penn State, competing in the 197 pounds where he was a four-time All-American and the 2008 NCAA Division I national champion. When his college career was over, Davis immediately transitioned into mixed martial arts, even working alongside fellow newcomer Jon Jones for a short time.
After just four fights, "Mr. Wonderful" was signed by the UFC and thrown in against former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian Stann in his debut with the promotion. The Pennsylvania natives scrapped, but it was all Davis as he outmuscled Stann so badly that ex-marine dropped a weight class afterwards.
Davis followed up his victory over Stann with a string of impressive performances which included two submissions over Alexander Gustafsson and Tim Boetch as well as a decision victory against Rodney Wallace. The Boetsch submission in particular was impressive as he used a hybrid move he got to name after himself.
The Alliance MMA fighter took on his toughest test to date in his last bout against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, in which he had to make quick adjustments on the fly and was forced to utilize some of his stand-up attack after having some trouble putting his opponent on the ground. Davis eventually passed the test, scoring a unanimous decision victory over the Pride veteran.
He was originally slated to face Evans at UFC 133, but had to back out with a knee injury and now he once again finds himself matched up against the TUF season two winner.
How he gets it done: Davis has had a significant amount of time to work on his striking since last fighting Nogueira in March. If he's forced to stand for any significant duration, keep an eye out for his kicks more than his punches. "Mr. Wonderful's" kicks weren't thrown with the best technique his last time out, but with all the practice he's had, I expect them to be considerably sharper this time around. Expect lots of kicks from Davis, whether to the leg, body or even the head.
Evans utilizes a ton of movement to the point of wasting energy, so if Davis really wants to hit him, he needs to close the distance and either clinch or work for takedowns. The former Penn State standout doesn't need much space to get the fight to the ground, instead all he needs is an opening to knock Evans off balance whether it's with a trip or simple leverage with his terrific technique.
If he can put Evans on the ground, keeping him there is more important than doing damage. He's got to wear Evans out a bit as "Suga" has been known to slow down in the later rounds. Expect to see a lot of positional control from Davis as he's likely not going to take too many risks if he can put his opponent on the ground. If Evans tires in the later rounds, it could create an opening for him to pull off a submission.
Fight X-Factor: The biggest factor for this fight is not only who can score the first takedown, but how good are both men off their backs? While we've come to expect stand-up fights when two high level wrestlers collide in MMA competition, both of these guys are almost certainly going to try to impose their will on their opponent early and often. We really haven't seen much if any of either man off their backs other than when Evans got dropped by Machida and Rampage. If either man panics or is incapable of defending themselves properly from their backs, it could put them in a very rough situation.
Bottom Line: This fight could be a very intriguing grappling exhibition, featuring some sweeps, ground and pound, takedowns and occasional stand-up exchanges, or it could turn into a very boring drawn-out affair of two men afraid to open up in the stand-up for fear of the other's wrestling. It could also turn into a fight where both men utilize very safe gameplans. There's a title on the line and Rashad Evans has been wanting this for so long and been delayed time and time again, he might do whatever it takes to win, even if it's not exciting. I'm preparing myself for both outcomes and you should as well.
Who will come out on top at UFC on FOX 2? Tell us your predictions in the comments below!
Poll
Who will earn a title shot with a victory in the UFC on FOX 2 main event on Saturday night?
Rashad Evans
Phil Davis
28 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, fight, time, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2: Rashad Evans kind of likes being booed now
When Rashad Evans walks out for his UFC on FOX 2 main event fight against Phil Davis this Sat., Jan. 28, 2012, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, he'll probably do so to a chorus of boos, despite the fact that he'll be performing in the "Windy City," a second home to him.
For whatever reason, Evans still hasn't shaken his hot-shot, showboating reputation he built during his days on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 when Matt Hughes was scolding him for dancing around inside the cage in the middle of a fight.
That was all the way back in 2005. It's 2012 now and "Suga" is still feeling the heat from fans everywhere he goes. It's different now, though. Not only has he gotten used to it, he claims he's actually grown fond of it:
"It's come to the point where I kind of like being booed a little bit now. You know I been getting booed so much it's just like, 'whatever.' If people didn't boo me, it would feel weird. It would be like, 'Man, I don't know why these people aren't booing. Why are they cheering? Something ain't right. Am I going to lose?' You know what I'm saying? It just don't feel like the stars are aligned right if they start cheering for me. I don't want y'all to start cheering me. Boo me. That means you love me, baby."
Whatever helps you fight at night, Rashad.
A victory over Davis would set Evans up for a light heavyweight championship showdown against his former teammate, friend and training partner, Jon Jones. If that match-up comes to be, it shall be most interesting to see which way the crowd sways.
That's for later, though. For now, the focus is on Phil Davis and main eventing the FOX card, an "honor" Evans says he's very grateful for. Hear him talk about that and much more after the jump.
Posted in: rashad, phil davis, event fight, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2: Rashad Evans And The Smoke And Mirrors
I honestly don't understand why everyone seems convinced Rashad Evans will win this Saturday at UFC on Fox 2 against highly touted light heavyweight prospect Phil Davis. I'm not trying to say Evans isn't talented, he's clearly one of the best LHW's in the world, but so is Phil Davis.
Rashad Evans has accomplished quite a bit in MMA, having won the UFC's light heavyweight title, but I don't think the level of competition he's faced inside the octagon warrants his current ranking. Although his only career loss is respectfully to Lyoto Machida, in my opinion he's yet to defeat anyone of true relevance outside of maybe Thiago Silva.
I won't go through his entire record inside the UFC because up until his draw against Tito Ortiz at UFC 73, he really hadn't faced anyone worth mentioning. After the draw, he went on a three fight win streak on his way to claiming the light heavyweight belt, defeating Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin for the title. These are popular names to have on your record, but aren't all that impressive when you read between the lines.
Michael Bisping (now a middleweight) was clearly under sized and out muscled, yet still managed to make it a close fight between the two. Chuck Liddell should have been retired at this point in his career, and Forrest Griffin, despite winning the championship himself, really hasn't ever been an elite fighter in the division.
After losing the title in brutal fashion to Machida, he's since gone on another three fight win streak defeating Thiago Silva, Rampage Jackson, and Tito Ortiz. Certainly these names are a lot more impressive than his first run to the title, but once again these are not names that should warrant his #2 ranking in the division.
It's hard to say anything bad about the win over Thiago Silva, it was an impressive performance and showed he has the heart to battle through adversity. His win over Jackson was also impressive, but let's be real here. He was fighting Jackson the movie star, not the fighter, and was again rocked badly. I really don't think anything needs to be said about the win over Ortiz.
I'm not trying to discredit Evans' wins, only put them in a more realistic light. He's been made out to be something he's not, and his record seems to indicate this. Yes, he's a talented fighter with the kind of wrestling credentials that could give anyone problems, but he also possess serious holes in his game, has spent a great deal of time on the shelf the past few years, and hasn't been facing consistently difficult opposition.
But back to his fight with Phil Davis, this will be the first time he's faced a wrestler with similar (better) credentials on the mat. Although Davis is at a serious disadvantage on the feet, he could potentially pose some problems for Evans, and this isn't being acknowledged by the MMA community enough. Will Rashad Evans win Saturday night? Probably, but Phil Davis has a good chance of pulling off the upset here, and deserves some credit.
Posted in: ufc, rashad evans, evan, davi, he
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendPhil Davis: Rashad Evans Is 'Desperate' to Offend Me
Filed under: MMA Videos, UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, News, VideosCHICAGO -- Watch below as Phil Davis talks about his UFC on FOX 2 fight against Rashad Evans, Evans' attempts to get under his skin, his quick rise up the 205-pound ladder, his place in the division and more.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, mma, evan, davi, news videoschicago
Read the full article at AOL FanhousePhil Davis: "With hard work comes rewards.”
The excitement surrounding the UFC’s second card on FOX has gotten stronger and stronger as the card draws closer. The world’s top MMA organization really pulled out all the stops for this event and this time fans will have nothing to complain about. With three bouts scheduled to be televised, the first two middleweight contests should get fans nice and pumped for what the UFC has in store for them in the main event.
The final match-up has all the makings of a classic battle between two collegiate wrestlers. On one hand you have the veteran, the former champion looking to recapture his lost title. Rashad Evans is a man on a mission, not only does he want the light heavyweight championship wrapped around his waist once again, he wants so desperately to be the man to derail the Jon Jones hype train. Before that can happen, Evans will have his hands full with Phil Davis on FOX, a former four-time Division I All-American wrestler who captured the national championship as a junior in 2007. Make no mistake about it – while Evans may be lauded for his wrestling credentials they are nowhere near the level of Davis’ and as such “Mr. Wonderful” may be in a position to do something to Evans that no one has done inside the Octagon, planting him on his back, i.e. a position no wrestler ever wants to be in.
Davis Thinks he Deserves a Title-Shot if he Beats Evans
His fight with Evans was scheduled to take place at UFC 133 in August, but a knee injury forced him off the card and now he finds himself in the main event of UFC on FOX 2. The whole situation adds up to bright lights, big city, an an even bigger opportunity for this California transplant who’s originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. With the injury behind him, Davis has an opportunity in front of him that fighters with twice his experience rarely get to see.
“I am so excited about this fight,” said Davis in an exclusive conversation with Fighters.com. “My coaches are excited as are my training partners. I can not be any happier with how things are going so far. My teammates at Alliance have been a huge help in helping me prepare for Evans and what he brings to the table. I’ve had some additional help come in for this fight, but I’d rather not say who if you know what I’m saying! My knee is feeling great and I’m ready to go.”
Although Davis has been in some high pressure situations before, whether in college and wrestling for a national championship or in the UFC, fighting Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a Fight Night headliner, he has yet to come close to feeling the type of pressure this fight brings or the amount of media obligations that come along with it. The added responsibilities can sometimes be too much for one too handle.
“I think there have been slightly more media obligations, but the pressure of winning always remains constant,” Davis explained. “It’s no more or less than the time before that.”
While Davis’s ascension up the ranks of the UFC’s light heavyweight class pales somewhat in comparison to that of the current divisional champ Jones, it has still been extremely impressive. Some fans may find it surprising to know that Davis, although very confident in his own abilities, is also taken aback at how quickly success has come to him.
“It is very surprising to me,” offered Davis. “It makes you stop and think to yourself, ‘Wow is this really my life? Is this really happening to me?’ I realize how lucky I am. I feel really blessed and I am very thankful for everything I have accomplished. Being a wrestler I like to think we are some of the hardest workers in the sport and with hard work comes rewards.”
Davis has shown off some slick submissions in his time inside the Octagon. He defeated top prospect Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 112 with an Anaconda Choke and followed that up with a Kimura over the Tim Boetsch at UFC 123. Although he is just a blue belt in BJJ he seems to have a good grasp on the sport.
“I rolled around a little bit during the summer between my junior and senior year of college,” said Davis. “My coach got scared and put a halt to that pretty quickly. I wasn’t able to get into like I wish I had so most of what I have learned came after I graduated. I won a No-Gi Championship at 221 pounds as a blue belt in 2009.”
Whether the success comes via submission, strikes, or a decision, rest assured Davis will be ready for Evans on Saturday night. Make sure to catch their bout when the card starts up on FOX at 8:00 PM EST. Other featured fights include Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman and Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, fight, evan, davi, davis “
Read the full article at Fighters.comRashad Evans: Michael Bisping is a tricky scrapper, but Chael Sonnen will maul him
Take it from Rashad Evans, who knows a thing or two about The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 3 champion, having eeked out a split decision over the Brit at UFC 78 way back in 2007.
Fast-forward to 2012.
Evans will join the former light heavyweight on the upcoming UFC on Fox 2 card this Saturday night (Jan. 28) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, battling Phil Davis for a chance to face off against Jon Jones for the division strap later this year.
So, what's the scouting report for Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen?
After the jump, "Suga" breaks it all down for Bleacher Report:
"Bisping is a scrapper, man, and that's one thing people don't really realize. You can't watch a Bisping tape and get a true appreciation for just how good he really is until you're in there. And by then, it's usually too late. He's very tricky and he's a lot better than what he looks. You underestimate him because he doesn't look strong but he's surprisingly pretty strong. For me, I think the pressure Chael Sonnen brings is hard to match with his offense, takedowns, ground and pound, hand in the face and dropping elbows and shots. It kind of wears down a fighter. And, if he does that to Bisping too much, I think he'll be able to maul him."
Bisping (22-3) is on a four-fight winning streak within the division, including a recent beatdown of fellow TUF 14 coach Jason Miller just last month.
"The Count" is widely-considered one of the top contenders at 185-pounds. Aside from his impressive record, he's one of the few middleweights left on the roster who hasn't already been disposed of by Silva.
That includes Sonnen (26-11-1), who was submitted by "The Spider" at UFC 117 back in August 2010.
Still, the ex-Realtor does have a legitimate claim to a rematch based on the four-and-a-half round ass-whooping he fed the Brazilian prior to getting stuck inside a triangle choke. Can he defeat the British banger and reclaim what he believes is rightfully his?
According to Evans, he can.
See what other people are saying about this fight by clicking here.
Posted in: light heavyweight, bisping, sonnen, evan, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2 Fight Week Kicks Off in South Side Chicago Boxing Gym
Filed under: UFCCHICAGO -- The UFC arrived in town Wednesday, settling down in the south side of the city inside a hearty, no-frills boxing gym to kick off the UFC on FOX 2 fight week festivities leading up to Saturday's event at the United Center.
Gathering inside a muggy room with two boxing rings inside the Chicago Boxing Club gym, Rashad Evans, Phil Davis and the main attractions took turns working out for the media.
The main event on Saturday features two lively personalities in Evans and Davis and much has been made of their willingness to embrace in pre-fight verbal sparring sessions. However, three days removed from their light heavyweight tilt, the two appeared to be in a different mind frame. Perhaps they were saving their material for Thursday's official press conference or the two were simply eager to fight. But gone from the former champion Evans' demeanor on Wednesday was his energetic playfulness prominent at last month's press conference that landed him in hot water.
Instead, Evans completed his shadowboxing and padwork without a hint of a smile. Evans turned on a friendly attitude once he began speaking to the press but even then the Chicago resident was mostly soft-spoken.
Davis, a slight underdog heading into the fight, presented himself as a confident competitor and sounded as self-assured as ever. The unbeaten 27-year-old spoke about benefiting from his lengthy layoff by having greatly improved in his MMA fundamentals.
"He might have outstruck me a year ago," Davis said. "I don't know if that's going to happen on Saturday."
Evans acknowledged the likelihood of seeing an improved Davis, but insisted he already understands the basics of Davis' movement and cadence inside the cage.
Former middleweight title challenger Chael Sonnen chose to handle the media interviews prior to working out, welcoming a discussion with reporters on everything from his fight against Michael Bisping to his political stance to possibly voting for Brian Stann as a write-in candidate.
Sonnen shrugged off the challenges of having initially prepared for Mark Munoz, stating he doesn't believe in things such as a "gameplan" anyway. And contrary to what the UFC is saying, Sonnen also reiterated his belief that a rematch against champion Anderson Silva won't materialize even if Sonnen emerges victorious Saturday.
"The title shot is not going to happen, I'm all for the marketing, I'll get behind it as much as the UFC wants to, but that's not going to happen." Sonnen said. "I'd rather go to Brazil, maybe Vitor [Belfort] or somebody else .... But Silva is not getting in there with me."
The strength of British middleweight contender Bisping lies in his effective boxing and he spent his entire workout with his hands. Bisping worked basic punching combos mixed with slips while trainer Tiki Ghosn held mitts.
Judging from their workouts, the wrestling-centric Chris Weidman and jiu-jitsu specialist Demian Maia are anticipating a ground war. Weidman practiced a variety fundamental wrestling takedowns -- single-legs, double-legs, trips, ankle picks, etc. with training parter and Strikeforce fighter Gian Villante. The 2007 ADCC grapplng champion Maia was the rare fighter to incorporate jiu-jitsu into his workout for the press.
Embracing this grand opportunity, Weidman was in such positive spirits that you wouldn't have guessed he's in the process of a difficult weight cut. His camp admits the one-week notice has been challenging on their preparations but assures Weidman will be on target come Friday's weigh-in.
Following the workouts, former WEC champ Miguel Torres and UFC on FOX 2 competitor Mike Russow spoke with teens about the importance of staying focused and avoiding the temptations of drugs and alcohol. After the brief talk, Torres guided the teens through boxing drills. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, boxing, sonnen, evan, davi
Read the full article at AOL FanhousePhil Davis Confident a Jon Jones Fight Would Go His Way
Filed under: UFCCHICAGO -- Three days out from his main event battle with Rashad Evans on Saturday night, Phil Davis was brimming with confidence. And not just about how he matches up with Evans.
In addition to explaining why he thinks he's going to come out on top against Evans, Davis also said he believes that he would beat the man at the top of the light heavyweight division, Jon Jones.
"I think a fight with me and Jon would go like any other fight I've had," Davis said.
When I asked him if that meant he would win, Davis answered, "I am undefeated."
Davis said he's aware that Jones has said publicly that he's expecting Evans to win on Saturday night, and therefore earn a title shot. But Davis said he's not particularly concerned about Jones's opinions, and that he expects to show on Saturday night that he's the most worthy future opponent to Jones, who has looked practically unbeatable in running through the UFC light heavyweight division.
As for Saturday's fight with Evans, Davis noted that his own credentials as an NCAA champion at Penn State dwarf the wrestling accomplishments of Evans at Michigan State, and he said he expects to be the one who's in control throughout their fight on Saturday night.
"I'm the man who determines what happens," Davis said.
Davis hasn't fought since his unanimous decision victory over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in March, and he said he has improved so much in the gym since then that Evans will be seeing a completely different fighter.
"Truthfully, he has no idea," Davis said. "I haven't fought in a year and a lot can change in a year's time. I'm very young in my career, and the last time I fought I knew a lot less about my style of fighting, and Rashad Evans knows even less about my style as a fighter. He has no idea what to expect. He doesn't know my wrestling, he doesn't know my standing, he doesn't know."
In addition to that wrestling advantage, Davis said he believes his time in the gym has made him a better stand-up fighter than he was when he faced Nogueira.
"He might have out-struck me a year ago," Davis said. "I'm planning on him not being able to stop a lot of the things I do well. ... My game has come a long way since my fight with Nogueira, and I'm anxious for people to see how far I've come since my time off."
If Davis has come far enough that he can beat Evans, then Jones might be next. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, saturday, evan, davi, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad Evans: Win, lose or draw, I'm going to put on a show against Phil Davis
Former Light Heavyweight Champion "Suga" Rashad Evans, who will look to reassert himself as the division's number-one contender on Saturday, discusses his opponent, Phil Davis, as well as his place in the main event. Evans says he is "honored" to headline the FOX card, and promises that, no matter the outcome, he'll put on a good show in Chicago.
Posted in: rashad evans, phil davis, evan, fox card, event evans
Read the full article at Low KickUFC on FOX 2 Predictions
Filed under: UFCWill Rashad Evans finally earn the shot at the light heavyweight title that has been evading him for the last two years? Or will Phil Davis pull off the biggest win of his career? Will Chael Sonnen earn the rematch with Anderson Silva he so desperately wants? Or is Michael Bisping going to become the No. 1 contender in the middleweight division? Can Chris Weidman take a big step forward on by far the biggest stage of his career? Or will Demian Maia's jiu jitsu be too much for Weidman to handle?
I'll attempt to answer those questions as I pick the winners of UFC on Fox 2 below.
What: UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis
When: Saturday, the preliminary card starts at 4 p.m. ET on Fuel TV, and the main card starts at 8 p.m. on FOX.
Where: United Center, Chicago
More: UFC on FOX 2 Fight Card | UFC on FOX 2 Results
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
What makes this fight so dangerous for Evans is that the methods he's used to win his last three fights (against Tito Ortiz, Rampage Jackson and Thiago Silva) aren't likely to be effective against Davis. Davis is more naturally talented than Evans, he was a better college wrestler than Evans, he's bigger than Evans and stronger than Evans, and I think Davis will come out on top if Evans attempts to clinch with him and take him down.
So then it becomes a question of whether the more experienced Evans can fight a smarter fight than Davis, pick his spots standing and change levels to keep Davis guessing. Evans has much more experience fighting high-level opponents than Davis does, and if Evans can take Davis out of his comfort zone, he'll be able to frustrate him.
I'm tempted to pick Davis to pull off the upset, but I think Evans is crafty enough to find a way to beat Davis, probably by decision in a fight that stays mostly standing. With the win, Evans will finally get a shot at Jon Jones and his light heavyweight title.
Pick: Evans
Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen
The battle for the right to face middleweight champion Anderson Silva is an easy fight for the UFC to hype this week because Bisping and Silva are such natural trash talkers. Unfortunately, I don't see it as being a particularly competitive fight once the Octagon door closes. Sonnen is just on another level than Bisping at this point in his career, and it will be shocking if Sonnen doesn't take Bisping down and beat him up on the ground. A Sonnen-Silva rematch is the huge money fight the UFC wants to book, and after Sonnen whips Bisping, it's a fight that a whole lot of FOX viewers will be willing to buy on pay-per-view.
Pick: Sonnen
Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
Weidman agreed to take the biggest fight of his life on very short notice last week when this card was re-shuffled because of Mark Munoz's injury. I was surprised when the betting odds came out for this one and Weidman was labeled the favorite, because I think Maia's world-class Brazilian jiu jitsu skills are going to make this a very tough fight for Weidman to win. Weidman was a good college wrestler who has built up a 7-0 record in MMA, but Maia is on another level, and I expect this fight to end with Weidman tapping.
Pick: Maia.
Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
Lentz needs a win after looking surprisingly bad in a loss to Mark Bocek at UFC 140, and I think he's going to get it against Dunham. Lentz is the better wrestler in this fight and should be able to take Dunham down and stay on top of him, and I don't think Dunham is good enough off his back to do much about it. Look for Lentz to win a decision.
Pick: Lentz
Mike Russow vs. John-Olav Einemo
Russow, a Chicago cop, should have a great home crowd on his side at the United Center. But the crowd won't be enough to carry him through a tough battle with Einemo. Russow hasn't fought in almost a year, and ring rust and conditioning could be issues, and Einemo is such a high-level grappler that I expect him to submit Russow.
Pick: Einemo
Johnny Bedford vs. Mitch Gagnon
Fresh off a one-sided win over Louis Gaudinot at the Ultimate Fighter Finale, Bedford draws the Canadian Gagnon, a UFC newcomer. Gagnon is 8-1 with all eight wins coming by submission, so he could be a threat to Beford on the ground, but Bedford is bigger, much more experienced and a better striker and should take this one.
Pick: Bedford
Cub Swanson vs. George Roop
Roop is coming off a tough split decision loss to Hatsu Hioki in a fight where a win would have done big things for his career. I see him bouncing back and out-striking Swanson on his way to a decision victory.
Pick: Roop
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
The 22-year-old Oliveira entered the UFC as a very hot 12-0 prospect and then won his first two fights inside the Octagon, and it looked like just a matter of time before he was in title contention. Unfortunately, Oliveira has two bad losses and an unfortunate no contest in his last three fights. Now the UFC is wisely giving Oliveira a step down against Wisely, a UFC newcomer. Oliveira may not be able to finish Wisely, who has never been stopped in 25 pro fights, but he should win a decision.
Pick: Oliveira
Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller
Johnson, the former Ultimate Fighter finalist, is a good athlete and strong wrestler who sometimes relies too much on playing a top control game, as he did when he got submitted by Paul Sass in his last fight. But against Roller I like Johnson's chances of getting the better of the striking exchanges and winning a decision.
Pick: Johnson
Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
This heavyweight fight should be a fun slugfest for fans who are willing to forgive a lack of technique if they get lots of sloppy brawling. Beltran and Johnson are both big guys who hit hard, and the question is going to be who connects with a fight-changing punch first. I think it'll be Johnson.
Pick: Johnson
Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby
Camozzi appeared on the 11th season of The Ultimate Fighter and has been a middling UFC competitor since then, going 2-2 inside the Octagon. Jacoby lost his UFC debut in October and will probably lose his spot on the UFC roster after this one.
Pick: Camozzi Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, evan, davi
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on Fox 2 video blog with Phil Davis for Rashad Evans fight (Episode 1)
Undefeated (9-0) light heavyweight mixed martial arts (MMA) super prospect, Phil Davis, will "face his greatest opponent so far in his career," Rashad Evans, in the UFC on Fox 2 main event from the United Center in Chicago, Ill., on Jan. 28, 2012.
The Swedish website Kimura.se followed "Mr Wonderful" during a typical training day, going behind the scenes with the Division I NCAA national collegiate wrestling champion from Penn State University (PSU) as he prepares to battle "Suga" before a massive television audience.
This is the first of three episodes, featuring Davis tuning up his boxing skills at Alliance MMA in San Diego, Calif., as well as checking out his post-fight workout routine/diet and more.
Check it out after the jump:
For more on the 205-pound showdown between Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis be sure to check out our complete fight archive right here.
Posted in: phil, evan, davi, alliance mma, television audience
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans: “It’s come to a point where I like being booed now.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans will take part in one of the biggest, and most important, fights of his MMA career on Saturday night. “Suga” ‘Shad will headline UFC on FOX 2 against Phil Davis and place himself in a bout with divisional king Jon Jones with a win.
For Evans, this is a chance to showcase his skills in front of his second home as the event takes place in Chicago at the United Center. However, Evans has become one of the most hated UFC fighters out there in terms of crowd support, as the former Michigan State University standout wrestler continually hears boos from those in attendance and very well may again even in front of his hometown fans. While that might bother some, it doesn’t have an effect on Evans.
“Win, lose or draw, I’m going to put on a good show,” Evans said in a video blog he made documenting his life leading up to this weekend’s show. “It’s come to a point where I like being booed now. I’ve been getting booed so much, if people didn’t boo me, it’d be weird. Boo me, that means you love me.”
Check out the video below and make sure to check out Evans-Davis this weekend when the card starts on FOX at 8:00 PM EST:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, i ’m, video blog, evan, ” check
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC plays it safe with 'Evans vs Davis' event on FOX and it could produce disastrous results
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will make its second venture into the network television waters this coming Sat., Jan. 28, 2012, when it brings the UFC on Fox 2: "Evans vs. Davis" event to the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
It's a pay-per-view caliber fight card featuring two different match-ups that could determine the next challengers to the middleweight and light heavyweight championships. If that sounds like a good thing, that's because it is, but the match-ups themselves could result in three of the least aesthetically pleasing fights possible.
When the UFC dipped its toes in to test the waters with FOX last November, it did so with a heavyweight championship fight that all but guaranteed a knockout. Sure enough, 64 seconds into the bout, Junior dos Santos floored Cain Velasquez with a looping punch to win the title and send the fans home happy.
When the ratings came in, the fight was deemed a smashing success, having garnered a peak of 8.8 million viewers for the short but sweet contest. Obviously, that gives hope for something to build on.
However, UFC President Dana White was quick to tell folks that he was dealing with a lot of heat behind the scenes and we, both the media and fans, are not privy to the kind of pressure his organization is put under from various sources. Perhaps that played a big part in the "play it safe" mentality when it came to booking the next FOX card.
Let's take a brief look at the three match-ups on tap for Saturday that feature big names but are likely going to be duds inside the cage.
205 lbs.: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
A solid match-up featuring two guys who have shown no aversion to trash talking each other to help hype the fight. But they've also both made no bones about the fact that wrestling is going to play a big part in the eventual outcome. Evans boasts knockout power in his hands that is to be respected, enough so that we could very well be looking at 25 minutes of Davis shooting for takedowns and because Rashad has serviceable takedown defense, they could end up stalling each other out up against the fence while the Chicago crowd showers them with boos. Not exactly a good look for live TV and not something that will maintain viewership. When you factor in Davis best route to victory is to get Evans to the floor, and Rashad isn't exactly a jiu-jitsu wizard, this one has potential snoozefest written all over it. If Evans wins he earns a title shot, sure, but if he does it in a fight everyone hates, will anyone want to see his championship chase? Will the casuals convert to pay-per-view buyers because of it?
185 lbs.: Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
This fight isn't much different than the main event. Bisping has hands that have best been described by his peers as "pillow fists." That's because he's not knocking anyone out with them and Sonnen isn't the kind of fighter who takes frequent trips to Queer Street anyway. Chael, meanwhile, has made his name by simply dragging opponents to the mat and outworking them from top position on his way to decision victories. Sure, he's got submissions in his arsenal, as he showed against Brian Stann, but those are few and far between. Bisping is better off his back and should cancel any threat of that type of attack. The blueprint here seems to be Sonnen taking the Brit down and "The Count" hunting for submissions. It's likely going to look that way for all three rounds, too. Or Sonnen gets a takedown and Bisping manages to get back up (which he's very good at doing) and they simply repeat that process. Unless Bisping finds a submission or Sonnen's ground and pound actually scores a knockout (as if), this should serve as the worst possible appetizer to the main event to come.
185 lbs.: Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
Despite these two having the least amount of name value, they have the biggest potential to deliver the most fireworks. Maia is a jiu-jitsu wizard who creates sweet poetry when he works his craft on the mat against what always seems to be helpless opponents. Weidman is the furthest thing from that, as he provides quite the foil for Maia's vaunted grappling. So what's the problem here? Well, even if they get into a glorified jiu-jitsu match and trade submission attempts on the mat, how likely is the casual crowd tuning in on FOX to be enamored with it? Sure, the educated portion of the fanbase will have a gay old time but folks tuning in hoping to see some free FIGHTS -- you know, where two guys stand and trade punches until someone gets knocked out -- will be terribly disappointed. And believe me, there are far more of those fans that exist than anyone cares to admit.
This is a fascinating card for many reasons, but the biggest of which is that UFC decided to play it so safe with the matchmaking, offering three separate fights between foes who could all cancel out the strengths of the other. It's entirely possible -- likely, even -- that all three bouts go to decision. One on the one hand, that means casual fans will be exposed to all aspects of MMA but on the other it means they may very well come to learn terms like "lay-n-pray."
No one wants that.
Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen could earn title shots against Jon Jones and Anderson Silva, respectively, by winning their fights this Saturday night. It's just unfortunate they may very well do so in the most mundane, spiritless way possible.
Now who wants to tell me why I'm full of crap?
Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, sonnen, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans: “Whether I win, lose, or draw I’m gonna put on a good show for you guys.”
This Saturday night won’t mark the first time UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans has headlined a show but even he understands fighting in the main event on the first major FOX card means more than any match-up he’s been in before. It’s a distinction Evans embraces as a competitor who is not only confident in his abilities but also appreciates the opportunity he’s been given by his bosses.
Evans opened up about his UFC on FOX 2 fight against Phil Davis during a video blog for the event where the camera follows him from signing the contract to training sessions and media appearances. In it the former divisional champion acknowledged the pressure to win but also plans to entertain no matter what.
Evans Sees Davis as a “Boy”, Not a “Fighter
“Being a main event, having to be the anchor of the show, pretty much gotta close the show…that’s always a tough position because you want to go out there and perform but at the same time you don’t wanna do nothin crazy to jeopardize the win,” Evans explained on the topic. “But you’ve gotta give just enough excitement to where it’s entertaining but at the same time you wanna win.”
Beyond simply the notion of coming out victorious on network television Evans also wants to live up to the expectations of his employers, adding, “I’m excited that the UFC’s got so much faith in me. Dana (White), Lorenzo (Feritta) and those guys…Joe Silva…they put me in the main event and that’s an honor in itself. That’s something where I want to go out there and fight hard just for those guys alone. Just so they know you that you put me at the end of the show to close out a show no matter how big it’s gonna be and I’m gonna put on a good show. Whether I win, lose, or draw I’m gonna put on a good show for you guys and I’m honored they gave me that spot.”
Make sure to catch Evans-Davis on FOX when the card starts at 8:00 PM EST and in the meantime watch his video blog below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: guy, show, i ’m, ’m, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comRashad Evans to Phil Davis: I know you aren't a fighter
When it was announced that Michael Bisping would be replacing the injured Mark Munoz in the co-main event for Saturday’s UFC on FOX 2 fight card, many thought that the verbal warfare between those two fights would be the focus in the days leading up to the fight. That has not come to be. Instead, the fighters in the main event, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis have taken center stage with their verbal exchanges.
During last week’s media call, Evans answered a question regarding the fight by
Posted in: fight, rashad evans, evan, mark munoz, center stage
Read the full article at Low KickUFC on Fox 2 Sold Out for “Evans vs. Davis” in Chicago
UFC on Fox 2 has officially sold out the United Center in Chicago for Saturday’s event, which is headlined by light heavyweight contenders Rashad Evans and Phil Davis, the UFC announced on Monday.
The Fox-televised tripleheader also features a middleweight number one contender’s bout between Chael Sonenn and Michael Bisping and another middleweight matchup between Demian Maia and Chris Weidman.
Check out the latest UFC on Fox 2 fight card below and stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for complete UFC on Fox 2 coverage.
MAIN CARD
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
PRELIMINARY CARD
Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
Mike Russow vs. John-Olav Einemo
Johnny Bedford vs. Mitch Gagnon
George Roop vs. Cub Swanson
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller
Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby
Pictured: Rashad Evans
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC Undisputed 3 Prediction for Evans vs. Davis: "Suga" via KO/TKO in Round 3
According to THQ's UFC Undisputed 3, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion "Suga" Rashad Evans will get his hand raised on Saturday, after finishing Phil Davis via KO/TKO in Round 3. UFC Undisputed 3 simulated 25 AI bouts of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, with "Suga" winning 28% of them via KO/TKO.
UFC Undisputed 3 release date is currently set to February 14th in North America, and February 17th in Europe.
Further Reading: Submit you picks for UFC on FOX
Posted in: ufc, evan, davi, kotko ufc, suga
Read the full article at Low KickUFC on Fox 2: Rashad Evans, ‘Phil Davis Knows I’m a Better Wrestler’
Rashad Evans doesn't just believe, he knows he's got Phil Davis worried because the former NCAA champion can't match his wrestling in the cage.
Posted in: i ’m, phil davis, phil, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyThe Undisputed Winner – Evans vs. Davis (Video)
Rashad Evans takes on Phil Davis in a light heavyweight battle at UFC on FOX 2 on Saturday night. Watch the UFC on FOX 2 Undisputed 3 Fight Simulation.
Posted in: ufc, saturday night, fox, phil davis, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones assures dislike for Rashad Evans is real, pulling for "Suga" to defeat Phil Davis
For those of you who have grown wary of the unauthentic trash-talk that seems to have become all the rage as of late in the lead up to PPV fights, have no fear, Jonny "Bones" is here. According to the UFC Light Heavyweight champ, there's no faking the disdain that he has for former friend and training partner, Rashad Evans. In fact, Jones says that his desire to meet "Suga" inside of the cage is so strong, that he'll be pulling for Evans this weekend when he squares off with Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2.
Posted in: jon jones, rashad evans, phil davis, evan, fact jones
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans vs. Phil Davis: Let the Fireworks Begin at UFC on Fox
A week before their main event at UFC on Fox, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis have already started with the verbal sparring.
Posted in: ufc, fox, phil davis, phil, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAThe Blueprint - Evans vs. Davis
A string of injuries and a bit of bad luck has nearly rendered Rashad Evans an afterthought in the collective minds of mixed martial arts fans as he prepares to headline UFC on FOX 2 this Saturday night. Evans saw three opportunities to challenge for the UFC light heavyweight championship slip through his fingers due to injuries. Two of those opportunities were to come against reigning champion Jon Jones, a former teammate turned bitter rival. Now fully healthy, Rashad Evans must pass one more test before finally securing his eagerly awaited bout with champion Jon Jones. That test comes in the form of undefeated, red hot prospect Phil Davis on January 28. Davis is far from a tune-up bout for “Suga.” He may, indeed, be the most dangerous opponent that Evans has faced since losing the championship back in 2009. Davis might not have the same MMA credentials of Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson, and Tito Ortiz. But he certainly does possess the one skill that many think is Evans’ kryptonite—elite wrestling.Davis is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best wrestler that Evans has faced in his career to date. The four-time Division I All-American won an individual national championship in 2008 and finished in the top 10 nationally in each of his four years at Penn State. His collegiate record was 116-17. Evans also wrestled in the Big Ten sports conference, along with Davis, though he experienced far less success. In three years at Michigan State University, Evans racked up 48 wins in 82 attempts. MMA isn’t wrestling. An amateur wrestling pedigree doesn’t always translate into elite takedown efficiency. Georges St-Pierre, who possesses some of the best takedowns and takedown defense in the sport, proved that point. Nonetheless, the spread between Evans and Davis, in terms of pure wrestling ability, is enormous. If Davis is able to devolve the action into a wrestling match, which is precisely how Evans fought Jackson and Silva, then he is in a whole heap of trouble. Why do I write those words? Phil Davis has never been taken down in a UFC bout. Pause for a moment. Now, go back and read the preceding paragraph again. Ok, that was overly dramatic. I know. I’ll quickly concede that Davis has never faced a highly decorated wrestler in the UFC. I’ll also concede that Evans has far superior takedowns to any of his previous opponents, and he is very adept at setting up those takedowns with strikes. I don’t care. I don’t see any way for Evans to dominate, or even stalemate, the takedowns in this fight. He will not be able to take the action to the ground whenever he wants, unlike in just about all of his previous fights. That may seem like a major problem for Evans. I actually believe the opposite is true.Evans was at his very best when he had complete confidence in his standup skills and chin. The results back up the statement. Dramatic knockout wins over Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin remain the best performances of his career. They also elevated him to the top of the sport, albeit for only a brief reign.Sure, he got blasted out by Lyoto Machida after defeating Griffin, and he certainly fought Machida with all the standup bravado that he showed against Liddell and Griffin, but that can happen to anyone on any given Saturday in the UFC.Since that loss, Evans has been a tentative, and dare I say somewhat boring, fighter. The Machida loss looked to erase any confidence he previously had in his ability to survive a power strike from a standup killer. His game plans, therefore, focused solely on quickly getting the fight to the ground and keeping it there at all costs. Submissions and stoppages from ground strikes weren’t really part of the blueprint. Those actions require the attacker to take chances. Taking chances means risking an opponent escaping to his feet. Avoiding any scenario where that could happen was of paramount concern for Evans, once he scored a takedown. I’m not surprising anyone by suggesting that his wins over Jackson and Silva were sleepers, rather than slobberknockers. Evans’ win over Ortiz in his most recent bout was anything but a sleeper. Why? He didn’t respect Ortiz’s standup or his power. He knew for sure that he could take whatever Tito could dish out on the feet. The result speaks for itself—his first win inside the distance in two-and-a-half years. I firmly believe that Evans can take the same approach with Davis. “Mr. Wonderful” is far more athletic than Ortiz, but he poses no greater threat on the feet, in terms of strikes. The former collegiate wrestling star remains a work in progress in MMA. He defeats opponents with his wrestling base and pure athleticism. But his gaps in skills make it tough for him to finish top-level opponents. I know the submission against Tim Boetsch was a thing of beauty, but Boetsch isn’t on Evans’ level.Evans should come out and see if Davis has the guts to initiate the action. Davis enjoys solid height and reach advantages, but he has nothing on Evans in terms of speed and striking technique. If Evans can bait him into throwing a jab, which Davis does with a noticeable hitch, the former champion will able to slip to his right and step in with a ferocious overhand right, his money punch.If Davis refuses to lead, Evans should circle until he has opening to attack from an angle. Davis won’t be able to effectively change levels and power through for a double-leg when Evans is attacking off of one of his shoulders, rather than square to his core. Davis is not an expert striker, nor is he overly comfortable on the feet, so he will retreat in the face of pressure. Liddell is one of the few mixed martial artists over the last several years who had the power and skill to land knockout strikes while retreating. Davis does not have that ability, which means Evans should really turn up the heat with his hands once his foe begins to move backward.The pressure will cause Davis to do one of two things—cover up or desperately lunge for a takedown. Neither of those will cause Evans much agita. If Evans continues with a spirited attack, then a stoppage should soon follow.I would not look to take Davis down, even if he opens the door by covering up. Evans has no idea if he will be able to control Mr. Wonderful on the ground. Why take the chance of a sweep and end up in the one position where Davis will have a major advantage—Evans on his back.It probably goes without saying that Davis must get the fight to the ground in order to win. I believe that with all my being. His awkward strikes were somewhat effective in a few of his fights, but they won’t be against Evans, assuming the former champion rediscovered his standup swagger in the Ortiz fight.Is this too much too soon for Davis? Will his otherworldly wrestling skills be enough to carry the day, or has he developed enough well-rounded skills to beat Evans in multiple positions?Or, will Evans lock up what he so desperately covets—another shot at the title, which also has the fringe benefit of putting him in the cage with his bitter rival?If forced to choose, my money would be on Rashad Evans. This guy really is the complete package. The only question mark hanging over his head are his chin and confidence. Neither should be a problem on the 28th. I think Phil Davis has tremendous potential. If he can get up the striking curve, the sky just might be the limit for this truly special athlete. I just don’t think that wrestling alone will be enough to get it done this time. Prove me wrong, big fella.Quick Facts:Rashad Evans• 32 years old• 5’11, 205 lbs• 74.5-inch reach• 21-1-1 overall • 4-1 in last 5 fights• 8-1-1 in last 10 fights• 4-1-1 against 5 current or former UFC champions• Former UFC light heavyweight champion• 147-day reign as champion; no successful title defenses• Former heavyweight winner on The Ultimate Fighter 2• Fight of the Night – TKO2 over Tito Ortiz at UFC 133• Fight of the Night –TKO3 over Forrest Griffin to win UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 92• Knockout of the Night – KO2 over Chuck Liddell at UFC 88• Knockout of the Night – KO2 over Sean Salmon at UFC Fight Night: Evans vs Salmon• Current layoff is 175 days• Longest layoff of career is 434 daysPhil Davis• 27 yrs old• 6’2, 205 lbs• 79-inch reach• 9-0 overall • Has never faced a current or former UFC or PRIDE champion• Submission of the Night – SUB2 over Tim Boetsch at UFC 123<br>• Current layoff of 308 days is the longest of his career
Posted in: ufc, ’t, evan, davi, •nbspnbsp
Read the full article at UFCJon Jones rooting for Rashad Evans against Phil Davis
When Rashad Evans takes on Phil Davis this coming weekend in the main event at UFC on FOX 2 he’ll have the current light heavyweight champion in his corner. Not literally, of course, as Evans’ rivalry with Jon Jones is well-documented with their days of professional kinship little more than dust in the Albuquerque wind at this point. Rather, Jones has come out to say he’ll be pulling for Evans based on an overwhelming desire to put his nemesis in his place on the biggest stage possible.
“I’m picking Rashad Evans. I’m in his corner. I want to fight Rashad,” said Jones on the post-event show from this last Friday night’s UFC on FX event.
“He’s the antagonist of my career. There’s no just pumping up pay per views when it comes to me and Rashad. Everything about us disliking each other is true,” the animated 24-year old title-holder continued. “After we fight each other it’ll all be clear and he can go have a seat somewhere.”
It is believed Jones will make his next title defense in Atlanta this April 21 at UFC 145. If Evans wins and remains healthy he has been guaranteed a crack at the divisional belt, while a victory for Davis could also earn him a shot or open up the door for Dan Henderson to slide in.
Jones Can See Davis Out-Wrestling Rashad
The issue between Jones-Evans stems from a comment “Bones” made while the two were teammates, saying he would fight Evans for the title if necessary. The two had been scheduled to face off a few times before in the past since the falling out but injuries have prevented the pairing thus far.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: jone, rashad, rashad evans, evan, davi
Read the full article at Fighters.comRashad Evans and Phil Davis spar verbally in advance of UFC on FOX 2 fight
Most of the attention for the UFC on Fox 2 event scheduled to go down this coming Sat., Jan. 28, 2012, from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, has been on Chael Sonnen. And rightfully so. The dude is a lightning rod for controversy, always ready and eager to give the media a good quote to run with.
But let's not forget about Rashad Evans and his opponent in the main event of the evening, Phil Davis.
Evans is fighting for the right to finally get his crack at his former stablemate and friend, Jon Jones, who recently outed the fact that tensions between them are very real. Davis, meanwhile, is simply hoping to play spoilsport and maintain his undefeated record as he slowly rises through the light heavyweight ranks.
No, they're not delivering one liners a mile a minute like Sonnen. But they've been bickering back and forth from the first press conference held to announce the event.
Now, in a recent conference call, they've gone right back to verbally ripping each other's throats out. Get your popcorn ready to enjoy the show (via Slam Sports) after the jump.
Evans gets the volley started by interrupting Davis to let him know how he feels:
"Let's get one thing straight, you aren't beating me. It can't come fast enough. I'm going to smash you, dude. He isn't ready and he knows he isn't ready. When I look into his eyes, he isn't ready. You're just a boy."
Davis, never one to back down, responds:
"I was kind of thinking you shouldn't be too concerned about that title shot. It's not going to be for a little while. You've got a little while before you can worry about a title shot. It's not going to happen this time around."
"Suga" doesn't feel "Mr. Wonderful" is ready for the bright lights and the big stage.
"We're going to see what happens when those lights hit you. When you walk out and that crowd is roaring. We're going to see what kind of man you are. We're going to see what kind of fighter you are, because I know you aren't a fighter. When you get hit in the mouth, things change. When you got hit by Lil Nog (Antonio Rogerio Nogueira), you didn't know what to do. When I hit you in the mouth, you're going to feel it."
Na-na-na-na-na-na.
"Oh, that's scary."
Evans isn't a big fan of the fact that Davis thinks he beat him nor that he wouldn't fight for free because the game just isn't in his blood.
"Come one, come all-it doesn't matter who they put against me. I've got to beat them all the same, no matter what, no matter how they stack them up. If Phil is next in line, Phil is next in line. But the fact that this kid actually thinks he can beat me kind of bothers me now. Look, there are some people that will fight if they weren't getting paid to fight, and I'm one of those people. Phil is not one of those people."
He'll find no disagreement with Phil.
"You're absolutely right; I'd be pushing a pen. But since I get paid to fight, it looks like you're next."
Evans parting words are simple and to the point. Once they step inside the Octagon, it's time to party ... and there's no turning back.
"There's a difference with the mindset. You're going to find out what that difference in mindset is ... You can say what you want to over the phone, but once we get in that cage and you can't get out, we're going to see how you feel then."
Davis is simply using Evans trash talking as motivation.
"When I'm on top of you, I'm going to remind you with every shot what you said. Remind you with every shot."
Less than one week away, Maniacs. Everybody ready to rock and roll?
Posted in: phil, evan, davi, isnt, youre
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones picks Rashad Evans to best Phil Davis, says 'Suga' is antagonist of his career
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and former training partner-turned bitter rival Rashad Evans, absolutely do not like each other.
The pair have engaged in a well-publicized war of words over the last year and a half that caused former UFC light heavyweight champion Evans to split from long time training camp, Jackson's MMA, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. "Suga" packed his bags and headed east to sunny Florida to become a member of the "The Blackzillians" alongside mixed martial arts (MMA) stars Jorge Santiago and Antonio Silva just to name a few.
Jones, meanwhile, stayed with Jackson's and has since been coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn's prized pupil.
So it makes you wonder, in a rivalry that seems to be "as real as it gets," why would "Bones" be rooting for Rashad to best Phil Davis when the two tangle next week (Jan, 28, 2012) at UFC on Fox 2?
The 205-pound champion explains in his comments at the "UFC on FUEL TV: Post-Fight Show" after the jump"
"I'm picking Rashad Evans. I'm in his corner. I want to fight Rashad. He's the antagonist of my career. There's no just pumping up pay per views when it comes to me and Rashad. Everything about us disliking each other is true. After we fight each other it'll all be clear and he can go have a seat somewhere."
No playing for cameras going on around here.
Jones is coming off of one of the most impressive years in MMA history, defeating Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida, three of the best light heavyweights in the world, in brutal fashion. He also pulled it off in a span of nine months.
Evans, on the other hand, is riding a three win streak himself, defeating Thiago Silva, Tito Ortiz and the aforementioned "Rampage" Jackson in his last three outings.
The much anticipated bout between two of the best light heavyweights in the world has been canceled on more than one occasion due to injuries from both parties. However, if all cards fall into place and Evans can get past the wrestling powerhouse that is "Mr. Wonderful" in Chicago, Ill., the fight just may finally go down and both Jones and Evans will finally have the chance to cash those hefty checks that their mouths have written over the last year.
What say you Maniacs, will this fight finally go down later this year? Or will Davis play the role of spoiler in "Chi-Town?"
Sound off!
Posted in: jone, jackson, rashad, light heavyweights, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Says He'll Be Ready to Defend Belt by Upcoming Atlanta Event
Filed under: UFC, NewsAfter four dominant wins in a banner 2011 that saw him ascend to UFC light-heavyweight champion, Jon Jones said he was headed for a long vacation, but after about one month on the sidelines taking care of other business, Jones is ready to begin preparations to get back into the octagon.
During an interview on Friday night's UFC on FX post-fight show, Jones said that he's awaiting his next assignment, which is likely to come in the form of either Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson or Phil Davis.
Asked when he might return, Jones (15-1) said he was "hearing rumors" of a date in Atlanta for what would be UFC 145.
Given the current scheduling situation, Jones is a near lock to be slotted into the card, which will take place on April 21 at Philips Arena. The UFC has already announced 10 bouts for the event, but it is conspicuously missing a headliner.
Jones may know his fate as early as next weekend, when Evans and Davis battle in the main event of UFC on FOX 2. If Evans wins, he has been assured a chance to fight for the belt in a bout that would likely be the grudge match of the year. He would, however, have to come out of the fight injury-free, no sure thing against the grinding style of Davis. With less than three months between the January 28 FOX fight and the April date, Evans could miss out on another title opportunity should he suffer any injury setback.
If that were the case, Henderson would almost certainly be thrust into the spot ahead of Evans. Henderson is coming off his epic UFC 139 win against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a bout that many are calling the best fight in UFC history. In the aftermath, Henderson turned down a fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in order to wait and see how Evans-Davis turns out. The calculated gamble may turn out to provide dividends.
A Davis win would muddle the picture greatly. Though UFC president Dana White has said he'd prefer the 41-year-old Henderson over a victorious Davis, a dominant performance by the young upstart might cause him to reconsider.
Either way, it seems likely that Jones will have one of the three queued up and ready to go within two weeks as the champion looks to follow up his brilliant 2011. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, davi
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on FOX 2 Conference Call Audio & Highlights: Evans & Davis Get Into It, Sonnen Says Silva Will Never Fight Again
Whenever you have Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen on a conference call there’s bound to be some fiery words thrown around and that’s exactly what happened on Friday’s UFC on FOX 2 conference call. Evans got into it with his opponent Phil Davis while Sonnen chose to focus all his attention on Anderson Silva, not Michael Bisping.
Oddly enough, it wasn’t Rashad who started the back-and-forth barbs though. It was Phil Davis and all it took was him mentioning fighting for the title after he wins next Saturday night to set Evans off. Transcription via MMA Fighting:
“After I beat Rashad on the 28th, they won’t really have anything else to do with me other than to have me fight [Jones],” Davis said. “Rashad is the true number one contender, and after he loses, who else do I fight? The champion.”
“You ain’t beating me, dog,” said the former 205-pound champ. “And you know what? It can’t get here fast enough, because I’m going to smash you, dude.”
…
Evans: “He ain’t ready. He knows he ain’t ready. I look in his eyes and see he ain’t ready. Just a boy.”
Davis: “It’s a shame. I was kind of thinking, you really shouldn’t be too concerned about that title shot. That’s just one of those things. It’s not going to be for a little while. You’ve got a little while until you’ve got to worry about a title shot.”
Evans: “We’re going to see what happens when those lights hit you, when you walk out and that crowd is roaring. We’re going to see. We’re going to see what kind of man you are. We’re going to see what kind of fighter you are, because I know you ain’t no fighter.”
It didn’t stop there, but yeah, I think you get the picture.
Meanwhile, Chael Sonnen continued to claim a rematch with Anderson Silva will never happen. He says Silva just flat out refuses to fight him or anybody for that matter. Trnascription via MMA Junkie:
“I can guarantee you – Anderson Silva and I will never cross paths again,” Sonnen said today.
“I don’t if he’s going to retire, or [the UFC is] going to retire him,” Sonnen said. “I think the plan was if I could get past Munoz and if Michael was successful against Demian, they were going to do an interim championship between Bisping and I.
“I know Anderson’s not going to fight. The folks at the UFC know he’s not going to fight. I’m all for promoting and marketing and all that good stuff. I don’t want to throw water on a perfectly hot flame, but Anderson Silva’s not going to fight anybody.”
“I can tell you that behind the scenes, they tried to put me and Anderson together four times, and four times he said no,” he said. “I called him out publicly. You call out a Brazilian publicly, you’re going to be fighting that Brazilian. That’s in their culture, and he sat there and covered his mouth and hid behind Charles Barkley, which is a smart move. It saved him a trip to the hospital. But Anderson Silva is not going to fight me. I don’t believe he’s going to fight Bisping. I don’t believe he’s going to fight again. That’s my personal opinion.
“He even said no to (UFC executive) Lorenzo Fertitta’s face. Face-to-face, not over the phone – Lorenzo brought him out, sat him down, and said, ‘This is the fight we want.’ And Anderson said no.”
Full conference call audio above via BJPenn.com.
Posted in: fight, silva, sonnen, anderson, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC on FOX 2 weigh in results, information and details for 'Evans vs Davis' on Jan. 27 in Chicago
The official weigh in event for UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" is set to take place next Friday (Jan. 27, 2012) live from the Chicago Theater in Chicago, Illinois.
The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 5 p.m. ET.
As usual, MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the UFC on FOX 2 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude.
UFC on FOX 2 will feature a light heavyweight match-up between former division champion Rashad Evans and undefeated prospect Phil Davis. The winner could be in line for a shot at Jon Jones 205-pound title.
Also booked for the "Windy City" fight card is a middleweight bout between Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping. UFC President Dana White has declared the winner the new 185-pound number one contender.
Here is the current UFC on FOX 2 fight card and line-up:
Main Event:
205 lbs.: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Main Card (FOX):
185 lbs.: Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping185 lbs.: Chris Weidman vs. Demian Maia
Preliminary Card (FUEL TV):
265 lbs.: Jon Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow155 lbs.: Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely155 lbs.: Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz135 lbs.: Johnny Bedford vs. Mitch Gagnon145 lbs.: George Roop vs. Cub Swanson185 lbs.: Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby265 lbs.: Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson155 lbs.: Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller
For those fortunate enough to be in "Chi-town" next week, remember the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open at 3 p.m. CT. In addition, UFC Fight Club members will be able to attend a special Q&A session with light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones at 2 p.m. local time.
Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Jan. 28), which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on FOX. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 6 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts on FUEL TV.
It's going to be a fun night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC on FOX 2 coverage you can handle.
For all the latest news and notes on "Evans vs. Davis" be sure to hit up our event archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, lb, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans and Phil Davis Crank Up the Trash-Talk Before UFC on FOX 2
Filed under: UFCIt took a little over a half-hour for Rashad Evans and Phil Davis to stop being polite and start being real on Friday's UFC on FOX 2 media call. But once it happened, there was no going back.
The catalyst, innocently enough, was a straightforward question for Davis about the odds of him being the very next challenger for UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones if he gets past Evans in Chicago. Not surprisingly, Davis likes his chances.
"After I beat Rashad on the 28th, they won't really have anything else to do with me other than to have me fight [Jones]," Davis said. "Rashad is the true number one contender, and after he loses, who else do I fight? The champion."
A few awkward silences later, Evans decided to cut out the middle man and address his foe directly.
"You ain't beating me, dog," said the former 205-pound champ. "And you know what? It can't get here fast enough, because I'm going to smash you, dude."
And away we went.
"It's about time," quipped UFC middleweight Michael Bisping, who was also on the call, but keeping things relatively tame with his new opponent, Chael Sonnen. "I was falling asleep here."
The hard part about arguing on a media conference call is that you never know for sure when the other guy is finished, and when it's your turn to retort. This results in a lot of talking over one another, with clever threats and unsubtle predictions lost in the static of two men trying to drown one another out. Imagine those political roundtable shows if no one could see each other.
But for a few brief moments on Friday, Evans and Davis actually managed to have something resembling a conversation. It went a little something like this:
Evans: "He ain't ready. He know he ain't ready. I look in his eyes and see he ain't ready. Just a boy."
Davis: "It's a shame. I was kind of thinking, you really shouldn't be too concerned about that title shot. That's just one of those things. It's not going to be for a little while. You've got a little while until you've got to worry about a title shot."
Evans: "We're going to see what happens when those lights hit you, when you walk out and that crowd is roaring. We're going to see. We're going to see what kind of man you are. We're going to see what kind of fighter you are, because I know you ain't no fighter."
Here the trash-talk beams were once again crossed, and neither could hear over the sound of his own voice. But when pressed on his claim that Davis was not a fighter, despite the 9-0 record as a professional that would seem to argue otherwise, things calmed down enough for Evans to explain.
"Look, there's some people that would fight if they weren't getting paid to fight, and I'm one of those people. Phil is not one of those people."
If he was expecting Davis to protest this characterization, he was quickly disappointed. The former NCAA champion wrestler told Evans he was "absolutely right," saying that if he wasn't doing this for a living, "I'd be pushing a pen."
"But since I get paid to fight, looks like you next," he added.
More loud noises, more talking over one another, more missed sound bytes.
According to Evans, however, there is a difference between the people who will fight only for money and the people for whom the money is just a bonus. "There's a difference in mindset," he said over and over again. Was Davis convinced by this argument? He was not.
"Right now, you can say what you want to over the phone, but when we get in that cage and you can't get out, we're going to see how you feel then," Evans added.
Which is, of course, what pre-fight trash-talk battles always boil down to. One guy predicts victory for himself and crushing defeat for the other guy, while his opponent offers his reasons for disagreeing. Sooner or later, it always comes back to, 'We'll find out on fight night.'
And we will. That's the great part about this sport. But as long as we're waiting, you can't blame these two for wanting to give us all -- not to mention one another -- something to think about. According to Davis, these pre-fight exchanges will not be forgotten when the cage door closes.
"I'm going to remind you with every shot," he told Evans. "When I'm on top of you, I'm going to remind you with every shot what you said."
As if Evans is in any danger of forgetting this conversation by next Saturday night. As if any of us are.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, people, evan, davi, aint
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on FOX 2 conference call LIVE updates today (Jan. 20) for 'Evans vs Davis'
Ultimate Fighting Championship will be holding a media conference call today (Dec. 7, 2011) in advance of the promotion's second major network event, UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" which will take place next weekend on Saturday, January 28, 2012.
The conference call will begin at 2 p.m. ET. Scheduled to attend will be the headlining fighters of the evening: Rashad Evans, Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen, Michael Bisping, Demian Maia and Chris Wiedman.
Rashad Evans is the former UFC light heavyweight champion and recently came back from significant time away to defeat Tito Ortiz in the main event of UFC 133. He's been the de facto number one contender for over a year now but injuries have kept him from challenging for the belt.
He'll be challenged by Phil Davis, an undefeated UFC prospect who was a four time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and 2008 national champion. He currently holds a spotless MMA record and is looking to take it to the next level by battling Evans, the man he was originally slated to fight at UFC 133 before injuries got in the way.
Chael Sonnen has made as much of a name for himself with his gift for gab as he has with his talent in fighting. The mouthy ex-realtor gave Anderson Silva his toughest test in the UFC to date and has been clamoring for another shot. His opponent, Michael Bisping rose to the occasion when Mark Munoz went down with an injury. The Brit is riding a four fight winning streak and the winner will be earning a crack at the 185 pound title.
Demian Maia is one of the strongest and most dangerous Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners in the UFC. While the submissions haven't been coming lately, he has won three of his last four including a dominant top control victory against Jorge Santiago his last time out. His opponent, Chris Weidman, is one of the most promising middleweights in the UFC. He stepped up on extremely short notice and will be putting his undefeated record on the line in what is a huge leap forward in competition for the former All-American wrestler out of Hofstra.
We'll have complete updates of the UFC on FOX 2 conference call after the jump.
Brian Hemminger here. The conference call is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET.
Posted in: ufc, conference, evan, mark munoz, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2
UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis
Date: January 28, 2012
Venue: United Center
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Articles
Video
UFC on FOX 2 play-by-play
Main Bouts (on Fox):
-Rashad Evans (16-1-1; #2 Light Heavyweight) vs. P
[...]
Posted in: ufc, fox, heavyweight, vs, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC on Fox 2 Card: Evans vs. Davis
An injury to Mark Munoz has completely remade the top of the UFC on Fox 2 card, which takes place on January 28th in Chicago, IL. Munoz was originally scheduled to face Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping was scheduled to face Demian Maia, but everything got flip-turned upside down. Sonnen will now face Bisping in a number one contenders matchup, and Maia will now meet undefeated uber-prospect Chris Weidman. And you've got Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis still in the main event. How do you like that, Chicago? Here's the revised and current card (undercard after the jump):
Jan 28th, live on Fox from Chicago, IL:
Main Card:
Rashad Evans (16-1-1) vs. Phil Davis (9-0)
Michael Bisping (22-3) vs. Chael Sonnen (27-11-1)
Chris Weidman (7-0) vs. Demian Maia (15-3)
More SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
Preliminary Card:
Evan Dunham (12-2) vs. Nik Lentz (21-4-2, 1 NC)
Michael Johnson (9-6) vs. Shane Roller (10-5)
Johnny Bedford (18-9-1) vs. Mitch Gagnon (8-1)
Jon Olav Einemo (6-2) vs. Mike Russow (14-1, 1 NC)
George Roop (12-8-1) vs. Cub Swanson (15-5)
Charles Oliveira (14-2, 1 NC) vs. Eric Wisely (19-6)
Joey Beltran (13-6) vs. Lavar Johnson (15-5)
Chris Camozzi (15-5) vs. Dustin Jacoby (6-1)
Posted in: fox, vs, card, evan, chicago il
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans: “This fight in Chicago is the biggest fight of my career.”
Former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans has headlined events, coached the Ultimate Fighter, and fought legitimate stars like Quinton Jackson, Forrest Griffin, and Chuck Liddell. However, when he meets Phil Davis next weekend at UFC on FOX 2 even Evans knows it will be unlike any other bout he’s been in.
Evans offered his opinion on the match-up and show in general while blogging for the Chicago Sun Times where he explained solidifying his spot as top contender is secondary to the opportunity he’s been given by fighting on FOX.
Davis Wants Title-Shot Too with Win Over Evans
“If I win the fight, I should get a shot at the UFC light heavyweight title I held once before, but I’m not even thinking about that,” wrote Evans. “For me, this fight in Chicago is the biggest fight of my career. To main event a massive show like this on national television is a huge honor and easily the biggest opportunity of my life.”
While the 16-1-1 Evans did bring up the millions of viewers likely to tune in based on the ratings for UFC on FOX: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos, his desire to come out with his hand raised goes far beyond exposure and relates to personal reasons more than professional ones.
“I’ve lived in Chicago for over four years, and I’m going to be proud to represent the city when I step inside the Octagon,” Evans explained before singing the praises of Chi-Town.
Fans can catch Evans-Davis in headlining action on January 28 with other main card clashes including Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz and Michael Bisping vs. Demian Maia.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, fight, i ’m, evan, evans “
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC on FOX 2: Will fight fans finally cheer for Rashad Evans on Jan. 28 in Chicago?
Anyone who has ever gone to see Rashad Evans compete under the ZUFFA banner knows it's not unusual to hear the boo-birds singing in unison at the mere mention of his name.
Perhaps it has to do with the fact that he's consistently beaten fan favorites, or that he's not afraid to speak his mind. Or maybe it just feels like the cool thing for sheeple to do.
Whatever the case may be, that streak could be broken at UFC on FOX 2, when Evans steps into the Octagon against rising star Phil Davis as part of the promotion's return to the FOX airwaves at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
After the jump, hear "Suga" explain why in his blog for the Chicago Sun Times.
"There are 11 big bouts on the card – and some of the biggest names in mixed martial arts like Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping are appearing in big fights – and the UFC told me there are only a couple of hundred tickets left. By fight night there will be over 14,000 fans packed into the arena and, as a Chicago guy, I know I’m going to have a lot of support come fight night. More than nine million Americans watched the first UFC on FOX fight last November, with tens of millions more watching around the world. I’m so excited to be given the chance to perform on such a gigantic stage. It’s a little crazy, but at the same time because it is happening in Chicago, it’s weirdly familiar too. I’ve lived in Chicago for over four years, and I’m going to be proud to represent the city when I step inside the Octagon."
Evans is expected to earn a light heavyweight title shot against Jon Jones should he be able to overcome the rise of "Mr. Wonderful" later this month.
"Bones," himself the subject of more than a few boos, could also help Evans get back into good graces with fight fans. And if he wins? Well, that remains to be seen.
Stay tuned.
For more on the UFC on FOX 2 light heavyweight contendership fight of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, evan, chicago
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC stopping in Atlanta for April event
The last time the UFC rolled into Atlanta a new star was born in the form of Rashad Evans who went on to knock Chuck Liddell out in memorable fashion at UFC 88, an event also featuring memorable match-ups like Rousimar Palhares vs. Dan Henderson and Matt Hamill vs. Rich Franklin. The next time the organization stops there Evans may very well have another opportunity to shine, at least depending on how his bout against Phil Davis goes later this month.
On the most recent episode of UFC Tonight it was revealed that the promotion will be returning to Atlanta this spring for the first time since the aforementioned event in 2008. Though few specifics were offered the show will take place on April 21 at the Philips Arena and will be a PPV (UFC 146). The venue is normally used by the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and can seat up to 21,000 people.
Evans has not been linked to the card but would have nearly three months to prepare for a potential fight against Jon Jones at the show who himself has come out to say he wants to fight again as soon as possible.
Jones Itching to Get in the Ring Again
In fact, no match-ups were named at all, but with UFC on Fuel 2 (April 14) filling up it’s likely pairings will be announced in the next few weeks. Prelims will be shown on Fuel TV or FX.
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, event, evan, atlanta, april
Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Will 'Get Going' if Evans Beats Phil Davis
Recently UFC president Dana White said that light heavyweight Jon Jones was ready to jump back in the ring as soon as possible and even said that he may want Jones to fight Dan Henderson before fighting Rashad Evans. That did cause a minor stir as, at some point, Jones and Rashad Evans need to get on the same schedule to deliver the fight that fans have wanted to see ever since Jones won the title.
Now, Dana is saying that that they're gunning to make a bout between Jones and Evans as long as Rashad can get by Phil Davis. Via Yahoo! Sports:
"We're working on it now. We're going to obviously see what happens in this Rashad fight at the end of the month. The next fight on Fox, Rashad is fighting (Phil) Davis, so we'll see what happens there," White said on Tuesday.
"If Rashad wins, if Rashad comes out injury free, we'll get the Jon ‘Bones' Jones/Rashad Evans fight going."
This is good news as Jones and Evans being about one month apart on all of their fights is hard to deal with when you're dying to see a fight between the two men.
It would now seem that the ball is fully in Rashad's court. As long as he doesn't slip up against Davis, he will finally get his shot at regaining the title.
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad, phil davis, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowDana White Clarifies UFC Light Heavyweight Title Picture
A few days after stating that Dan Henderson could leapfrog Rashad Evans in the UFC light heavyweight title picture, Dana White has offered more clarification on the situation.
On The Jim Rome show earlier today, Dana clearly stated that Rashad Evans will indeed get the opportunity if he beats Phil Davis next week at UFC on FOX 2. Transcription via Fighters Only:
“We’re working on it now. We’re going to obviously see what happens in this Rashad fight at the end of the month. The next fight on Fox, Rashad is fighting [Phil] Davis [January 28], so we’ll see what happens there,” White said on Tuesday,” he said.
“If Rashad wins, if Rashad comes out injury free, we’ll get the Jon ‘Bones’ Jones/Rashad Evans fight going.”
So what about Dan Henderson? Well, here’s Ariel Helwani will a little insight on his situation.
Also reported, Dana White said that Dan Henderson turned down a fight against Lil’ Nog, so they then decided to book Nog-Gustafsson (at UFC on FUEL 2). The original plan was if Evans beat Davis, he would face Jones. The winner of Hendo/Nog would then fight for the #1 contender. Now, since Hendo turned down the Nog fight, his status is unclear.
In essence, Hendo is pulling the same move Rashad Evans did after he beat Rampage Jackson. He’s up there at the top of ladder and has chosen to wait his turn. It’s a decision that could pay off if Davis beats Evans next week, but if not it could also backfire like it did for Evans. It’s a tough call if you’re Hendo, but it’s probably worth waiting to see what happens at UFC on FOX 2 before taking another fight.
Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog
Posted in: ufc, fight, dan henderson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertDana White: Rashad Evans Wins and Remains Injury Free, He Gets Bones Jones Next
When Rashad Evans faces Phil Davis on Jan 28 in Chicago, he will control his own destiny and his goal of facing former friend and training partner Jon 'Bones' Jones next.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, phil davis, evan, bones jones
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRashad Evans: The Unluckiest Fighter in the UFC
The story of Rashad Evans' quest for a second crack at UFC gold is well documented. After losing the title to Lyoto Machida, Evans took decisions over Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson to earn another shot at the title. But then champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua injured his knee, and Evans decided to wait it out...
Posted in: quinton jackson, rashad evans, evan, thiago silva, unluckiest fighter
Read the full article at Low KickUFC on Fox 2 Fight Card: Evans vs. Davis
The UFC returns to the big time with it's second live card on Fox on January 28th. Instead of just one fight on the main card, they will go with three this time. The main event will be a five-rounder between top light heavyweight contenders Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. The televised card also includes two excellent middleweight fights, with Chael Sonnen and Mark Munoz facing off in a probable number one contender's bout, and Michael Bisping meeting Demian Maia. Here's the whole card (prelims after the jump):
Jan 28th, live on Fox from Chicago, IL:
Main Card:
Rashad Evans (16-2-1) vs. Phil Davis (9-0)
Mark Munoz (12-2) vs. Chael Sonnen (27-11-1)
Michael Bisping (22-3) vs. Demian Maia (15-3)
More SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
Preliminary Card:
Evan Dunham (12-2) vs. Nik Lentz (21-4-2, 1 NC)
Michael Johnson (9-6) vs. Shane Roller (10-5)
Johnny Bedford (18-9-1) vs. Mitch Gagnon (8-1)
Jon Olav Einemo (6-2) vs. Mike Russow (14-1, 1 NC)
George Roop (12-8-1) vs. Cub Swanson (15-5)
Charles Oliveira (14-2, 1 NC) vs. Eric Wisely (19-6)
Joey Beltran (13-6) vs. Lavar Johnson (15-5)
Chris Camozzi (15-5) vs. Dustin Jacoby (6-1)
Posted in: fox, vs, card, evan, chicago il
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowApocalypse Now! 4 Things to Hope for in 2012
A final look into this strange new year before we inevitably find ourselves gazing back, it is...Four Things to Hope for in 2012...
A Change in Format for TUF
As I've noted previously, The Ultimate Fighter has not only grown stale, but it also seems increasingly ineffectual, as with every season the number of quality recruits to the UFC shrinks. As the show moves from Spike TV to FX, maybe producers will take the change of network as an opportunity to change the show itself, at least a little. Whether that means leaving more time in between seasons for talent pools to deepen before the show fishes them for new fighters, or featuring a smaller cast in a more documentary-style fashion, I don't know. At this point, I think any little tweaks would be for the better.
New and Improved UFC Policy
Fans and pundits alike spend a lot of time criticizing Dana White and company, be it for strictly regulating sponsors or rewarding performances of uncertain technical merit. Credit where credit's due, though: as the UFC grows, its fighters are sure to profit. From hefty fight night bonuses to health coverage for fighters, the UFC has made great strides recently in supporting its mixed martial artists. One hopes that the organization continues to build on these accomplishments, perhaps with co-promotion or a formal PR policy that helps fighters like Miguel Torres keep themselves out of hot water.
After the jump, more stirring optimism...
The Growth of Women's MMA
Many suspect that Cristiane Santos' recent suspension will serve as a death knell for WMMA in Strikeforce, but I think it may just free up event space and promotional resources to push the underexposed yet promising bantam and, perhaps, flyweight divisions. The fact is, now that Strikeforce is operating under the Zuffa banner, WMMA may be the organization's most distinguishing characteristic. As it continues its partnership with Showtime, it would make sense for Strikeforce to make greater use of this relatively untapped resource.
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
One of MMA's great white whales of 2011. This fight started out as an intriguing, grudge-laden affair and has become some sort of weird, phantom match-up that hovers over pretty much anything that Jones or Evans is involved in, be it Evans' upcoming fight with Phil Davis, or Jones' rumored match-up against Dan Henderson (which will, of course, only push a fight with Evans further into the realm of the hypothetical). At this point, I half-way want the fight to happen just to get it off our minds. Am I aware that by talking about it I'm perpetuating the problem? Yes. Can I help it? No.
Posted in: ufc, fight, fighter, evan, point i
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendJon Jones Itching to Fight, So Dan Henderson May Be Next
Filed under: UFC, NewsDan Henderson may have leapfrogged Rashad Evans as the No. 1 contender in the UFC light heavyweight division.
With champion Jon Jones now saying that he wants to fight as soon as he can -- changing his mind after previously saying he needed some time off following a very busy 2011 -- it appears likely that Henderson will get the next crack at the champion, and Evans' quest for the belt will have to wait.
UFC President Dana White said on ESPN 1100 in Las Vegas that Jones had called him and said he's hoping to get back into the Octagon as soon as possible. Evans is already booked for a January 28 fight on Fox against Phil Davis, so Henderson may get the next title fight.
"He had said he wanted to take some time off (but) he called about four days ago and said, 'OK, let's go. ... Let's get back to work. I'm ready to get productive again,'" White said of Jones. "He wants to fight as soon as possible."
Based on the UFC's calendar, as soon as possible would likely be UFC 145, on March 24 in Montreal. That fight still needs a main event, and Jones vs. Henderson would be a big one.
"We've got to see how this thing plays out but what could end up happening is Dan Henderson fights Jon Jones first," White said.
But some would say it would be unfair to Evans: A former light heavyweight champion, Evans has been waiting for a title shot and wants to fight Jones, his former friend and teammate. The UFC has promoted Evans vs. Davis as the opportunity for Evans to earn his shot at Jones, but if the UFC wants to book Jones in the first quarter of 2012, then Evans is going to have to wait.
One way or another, White said, the light heavyweight division has plenty of challengers who can contend for Jones's belt. If Henderson gets the next shot, that just means the winner of the Evans vs. Davis fight would be first in line to face the winner of Jones vs. Henderson.
"I think we have a ton of guys," White said. "It's not like everything depends on one guy or two guys. The great thing about us is we've got 10 of 15 guys so it's never like we have to depend on one person." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhousePhil Davis: “I like to think that a win would put me in line for a title shot.”
Much has been made of Rashad Evans wrestling credentials and how he used them during his mixed martial arts career, but what some fail to realize is that his collegiate record is a mediocre 48-34 during his three years at Michigan State. Davis on the other hand has a superb record of 116-17. Will that translate for Davis when the two meet on January 28? “Mr. Wonderful” certainly thinks so.
“I don’t see how I wouldn’t have the advantage in wrestling,” a confident Davis stated in a conversation with Five Ounces of Pain. “When I say it like that it sounds cocky, but Rashad Evans’ wrestling record was barely over .500 while my record was well above that. Numbers can be misleading at times so I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I’m going to go ahead and say that I am probably the favorite as far as wrestling is concerned.”
The UFC has been trying to match Evans up with Jones for some time now and because of injuries to both men it just hasn’t come together. Dan Henderson recently staked his claim to the number one contender spot with a thrilling, Fight of the Year candidate with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139. The assumption here is a win by Evans will finally see him face Jon Jones in a grudge match that could sell a million pay-per-views, but what happens if Davis walks away with his arm raised that night in light of Henderson’s recent success?
“I like to think that a win would put me in line for a title shot,” said a confident Davis. “At the end of the day let’s just see what a win over Rashad Evans in impressive fashion will mean for me. It kind of goes like this, if I beat him let’s find out what will happen, but if I don’t beat him I don’t really care either way. I’ve heard that I may or may not get a title shot if I win, but it doesn’t bother me. Winning will only point you in one direction and that’s up.”
Speaking of Jones, no one has yet to come close to figuring him out, yet Davis has seen a few things thus far he’s taken away and could utilize in the event that the two meet inside the Octagon in the near futur.
“Anyone who is going to beat Jones is going to need a first round that Machida had,” Davis explained. “He’s going to need a lot of things to go his way, but since no one has really done it it’s tough to say what is necessary to beat him. When someone defeats him then I can tell you what is needed to win. He has done very well for himself and will continue to do so.”
The UFC’s light heavyweight division has always been considered one of its deepest and until Jones defeated Machida at UFC 140 no one man had been able to defend the title more than once. In fact, before Jones three of the last four champions (Forrest Griffin, Evans, and Rua) were all unsuccessful in defending the title even a single time. So with the top five fighters at 205 constantly changing, who does Davis have on his personal list?
“To be 100% honest that’s a question that is tough for me to answer,” said a puzzled Davis. “Sometimes I catch myself following the sport, but not enough to know who’s in the top five. I would say Evans, Rampage, and Machida who are all former champions. Dan Henderson is up there, but after that I start drawing a blank.”
Many fighters are very confident and have no problem offering a prediction while other fighters have enough confidence in themselves without having to brag to anyone who will listen. Davis has been competing long enough to know that anything can happen, but he is the one who controls his own destiny.
“I do have a prediction, however I am not very descriptive,” offered Davis. “I’ve never been a very descriptive person ever since I was in school and had to write book reports. If I had to point out one of my faults it’s I lack detail. I definitely see this fight ending in a victory for me.
“I don’t really know how it will end and I’d rather not say,” Davis continued. “I don’t want to script an ending and say I am going to knock him out. That paints me into a corner. I am going to take what’s there, if a knockout is there I’ll take it, if a submission is available I’ll grab it. More than likely I’m going to take a win anyway that I can get it.”
Fans can catch Evans-Davis mix it up on January 28 in headlining action at UFC on FOX 2. Other bouts on the card include Michael Bisping-Demian Maia and Chael Sonnen-Mark Munoz.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, evan, davi
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainHKL's 2011 MMA Awards: The Leonard Garcia Memorial Award (Robbery Of The Year)
It is time for us here at HKL to pass out the awards for the best and worst of 2011.
First up on the list of awards is the 2011 Leonard Garcia Memorial Award for Robbery Of The Year. Strangely enough, the man who's name appears on this award has not been chosen. He did, however take a stab at the crown with his absurd split decision victory over Nam Phan. Sadly for Leonard, it was not to be for him.
Let's go to the results to see who got the nod from the HKL staff:
MDH - Diego Sanchez’s "victory" over Martin Kampmann, hands down. How does a man win a fight in which he is successful on 1 of 15 takedown attempts, gets outstruck clearly in the first two rounds and has the appearance of someone who’s face got assaulted by a wolverine? We would have to ask Chris Lee, Sal D’Amato and Mattingly William who scored this fight 29-28 Sanchez across the cards. Perhaps it was his Leonard Garcia-esque style of ambling forward, windmilling haymakers ala Lisa Simpson all while getting absolutely busted apart by crisp counters. Perhaps they though it was all blood transfer from Kampmann that occurred while Martin was shaking off 93% of Diego’s takedowns. Who knows. Hopefully the massive $160,000 FOTN bonus Dana handed out to each fighter took away some of the pain for Martin. Surely rolling around in a huge pile of money helped heal Kampmann’s non-existent wounds.
Rainer - Fighter injuries vs. Fans. This year has played host to what feels like an unprecedented number of high-profile fighter injuries and illnesses, resulting in the cancellation of some potentially tremendous fights and leaving some of the sport’s biggest stars sidelined. Brock Lesnar’s career was put on hold for the year until he returned seemingly diminished and ready for retirement. Georges St. Pierre pulled out of his fight with Nick Diaz and won’t be back until late this year, at best. Jones vs. Evans has been set and then cancelled more times than I care to remember. Up and down the cards, UFC matchmakers and hopeful fans have been confounded. Plus, I hurt my knee, leaving the world of Brazilian jiu-jitsu bereft of a brilliant rising star. Chris - Gotta be Rashad Evans’s title shot. It’s been well over a year and a half since Rashad Evans earned his title shot in a victorious decision over Rampage Jackson. In March 2011, Jon Jones got that shot after Rashad suffered a knee injury in training. Then Jones pulled the ole’ bait and switch, after being set to face Evans this past summer. Again Evans was promised a shot after a destruction of Tito Ortiz and Jones first defense against Rampage Jackson. Once again, Rashad’s title aspirations were foiled when Jones was set to match Lyoto Machida instead. Who knows, maybe 2012 will finally be the year Evans finally gets another chance at the title or maybe not.
Poll
Who Gets Your Vote?
Sanchez v. Kampmann
Injured Fighters v. The Fans
Rashad Evans' Title Shot
These are all terrible! I'll tell you who should have won in the comments!
0 votes | Results
Posted in: jone, year, shot, evan, award
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendUFC on Fox 2: Wineland and Sass Injured, Nik Lentz In Against Evan Dunham
Nik Lentz has replaced an injured Paul Sass and will face Evan Dunham in a lightweight bout at UFC on Fox 2, while bantamweight Eddie Wineland has also been sidelined from his matchup with Johnny Bedford at the Jan. 28 event in Chicago, the UFC announced Monday night.
Wineland’s replacement has not yet been determined.
Lentz (21-4-2) dropped a unanimous decision to Mark Bocek at UFC 140 earlier this month for his first UFC loss in eight fights, while Dunham (12-2) rebounded from losses Sean Sherk and Melvin Guillard with a win over Shamar Bailey in September.
UFC on Fox 2 is headlined by Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis and also features Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz and Michael Bisping vs. Demian Maia on its Fox-televised main card.
For complete coverage of UFC on Fox 2 stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Evan Dunham
Posted in: ufc, dunham, fox, evan, paul sass
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones' Trainer Likes Champ's Chances Against Henderson, Davis and Evans
Mike Winkeljohn, trainer of Jon Jones, was recently on Sherdog Radio where he talked about Jones' chances of success against any of his major challengers. Winkeljohn thinks that Jones is simply too good to be beaten by Dan Henderson, Phil Davis or Rashad Evans.
Mike's take on the Henderson fight:
"They all present different challenges," Winkeljohn told the Sherdog Radio Network's "Savage Dog Show." "I'm not sure which one's the biggest. Dan's big right hand is always a big challenge. [He's] somebody that could be able to close that gap and find a hole and try to get to Jon's chin. That's probably the dilemma with him, but he's small. I don't think he can outwrestle Jon. I think Jon beats him everywhere. I don't think he can hit [Jones] with that right hand."
In addition to thinking that Hendo wouldn't be able to hit Jones or outwrestle him, he also thinks that Davis doesn't have the striking and that Evans would get picked apart at long range.
It's hard for me to disagree with any of those opinions at this point. Evans has the speed to get inside but Jones is simply too good in the clinch. Henderson is too slow to reliably get in with heavy shots, although he has far more determination and always seems to find ways to get the right hand in on his opponents even if they know it is coming. And Davis hasn't shown the level of effective wrestling of Jones in MMA and is not even on the same planet in terms of striking.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to see all three men get their chance.
Posted in: jon, jone, henderson, evan, right hand
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowWinkeljohn Analyzes Jones Versus Hendo, Evans
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [comment]
Posted in: hendo, evan, mattyblayze, mattyblayze link, hendo evans
Read the full article at RedditRashad Evans vs Phil Davis odds: Who opened as the -150 favorite for UFC on FOX 2?
According to noted oddsmaker Nick Kalikas of BetOnFighting.com, it's none other than former Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans. "Suga" opens as a -150 favorite headed into his showdown against Phil Davis, which is scheduled for UFC on Fox 2 on Jan. 28, 2012, in Chicago, Illinois.
"Mr. Wonderful" comes in as the slight underdog at +105.
Anyone jumping on this line with wallets wide open? Or do you expect a dramatic shift as we get closer and closer to fight night?
These two were originally set to square off back at UFC 133 before an injury forced Davis to ride the pine until early next year. The line at that time was essentially a pick 'em with Evans around -125. Kalikas tells MMAmania.com that early action is coming in on Davis but he expects to see it move back to Rashad as we get closer to fight night.
Do you agree?
As noted, Evans vs. Davis was supposed to go down back in August until the latter injured his knee. Rashad went on to tango with Tito Ortiz but in a winning effort that was supposed to earn him a title shot, hurt his thumb. This forced the UFC to once again make a difficult decision, which it did by booking Jon Jones against Lyoto Machida.
"Bones" went on to win that bout with no problems and now awaits Evans.
And that's where Phil Davis comes in.
"Mr. Wonderful" has been recovering from the knee issue that kept him out of the first scheduled booking against Evans during the summer. Now, though, he's finally healthy and raring to get back inside the Octagon.
What better way to do it than against the number one contender to the 205-pound belt?
We're still about a month away from fight time, Maniacs, but who do you like for your money and who ya' got straight up?
To see the "Evans vs. Davis" odds and betting lines plus all the action for upcoming UFC and Strikeforce events click here.
Posted in: ufc, rashad, fight night, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2: Rashad Evans won't be standing around waiting for Phil Davis to take him down
Wrestlemania?
Undefeated UFC light heavyweight contender Phil Davis is "never going to abandon his wrestling," no matter how much he evolves as a mixed martial arts fighter, because it's his "strong suit."
It should come as no surprise then, to learn that "Mr. Wonderful" intends on putting Rashad Evans on his back when they hook 'em up in the UFC on FOX 2 main event next month in Chicago.
There's just one problem.
Evans, himself an accomplished wrestler, doesn't "stand around too much and do things that a wrestler is looking for him to do," which means his footwork will dictate when -- and if -- his opponent can get this thing to the ground.
"Suga" breaks it all down for Fight Hype:
"I'm approaching this fight as Phil Davis is trying to make a big name for himself off of me because a lot of people don't know who Phil Davis is. I know he's coming with that mindset as spoiler, so I'm just going to go in there and show the world why I should be fighting for the title and why I'm the #1 contender and why I am the best light heavyweight in the division. I'll bet anything, dog, I'll bet anything he'll definitely be the first to shoot in on me. I just think that's where he wants to take the fight. I think that's where he thinks his game works best at. I don't think he's going to try and bang with me. I definitely believe he's going to try and take me down ... I know where to move and where to circle and things I should do when I'm fighting somebody who is looking for the takedown or has the ability to take me down. I don't stand around too much and do things that a wrestler is looking for me to do. I think that Phil has a great pedigree in wrestling, but this is MMA, and MMA and wrestling are not the same. There are differences when it comes to going for a takedown and transitioning into punches and takedowns; there is a big difference there and if you don't transition well into that, it doesn't matter if you are a 3-time world champion, if you don't have all aspects of the game, you won't be taking anybody down."
Any time spent on the feet has to be seen as a huge advantage for the more experienced Evans, but can the same be said for Davis if he can put the former champion on his back? Or will the former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 champion surprise us with his defensive grappling?
How does this fight play out?
"Evans vs. Davis," emanating from Chicago's United Center, will headline the Jan. 28, 2012, broadcast, which kicks off the promotion's seven year, $100 million agreement with the network television powerhouse. Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz and Michael Bisping vs. Demian Maia are also featured on the "Windy City" fight card.
To see the current UFC on FOX 2 fight card and line-up click here.
Posted in: fight, phil davis, evan, davi, dont
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans: Phil Davis won't be taking anybody down at UFC on Fox 2
Contrary to his recent statements, top Light Heavyweight contender Phil Davis won't be taking anybody down at UFC on Fox 2. At least, not according to his opponent, Rashad Evans, who acknowledges Davis' wrestling pedigree, but insists that, without "all aspects of the game," it won't help "Mr. Wonderful" much come January 28th. Instead, Evans, also an accomplished collegiate wrestler, says he expects much of the bout to be contested upright, where the man with the better...
Posted in: ufc, fox, phil, evan, davi
Read the full article at Low KickUFC on FOX 2 video trailer for 'Evans vs Davis' on Jan. 28 in Chicago
Remember when the UFC's deal with FOX was announced and everyone worried that the fights made for free television wouldn't exactly be anything worthwhile? Turns out those fears were unfounded.
That's because UFC on Fox 2, which is scheduled for the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Jan. 28, 2012, is bringing a triple main event to network TV. In the headlining bout, Rashad Evans will look to earn a shot at Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones when he battles undefeated wrestler Phil Davis.
In the co-main event, Chael Sonnen continues his crusade on the middleweight division with another bout against a buddy, as he'll look to take Mark Munoz out of the 185-pound championship chase.
Anderson Silva awaits the winner.
Finally, British banger Michael Bisping will square off against Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Demian Maia for the right to be next in line for a title shot against whoever is holding the middleweight title when Sonnen, Munoz and Silva settle up.
It's a hell of a card, Maniacs. And it's free. Can't beat that.
For all the latest news and notes on the UFC on Fox 2: "Evans vs. Davis" event click here.
Posted in: ufc, fox, event, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaPhil Davis Plans to Use Wrestling to Test "Same Old Guy" Rashad Evans
Phil Davis will be receiving the biggest opportunity of his career when he steps into the Octagon to face Rashad Evans at UFC on Fox 2. The winner of the bout will be in prime position to receive a title shot in the near future.
Davis spoke to the media recently about the fight and Pro MMA Now was there to capture it:
Quote:
"I think he's the same old Rashad, which is very dangerous, very skilled. He's definitely gotten better over the years but I think he's the same old guy."
...
"The problem is that we're both known for excellent wrestling, but only one of us actually has it. So, I'm thinking about using the wrestling and mixing it up and doing what I can."
More quotes after the jump...
More from the video:
"There is no point in my career where I plan on abandoning my wrestling. It's always a part of my game plan. It's who I am. It's my strong suit. That is something that I am going into fight making my opponent respect."
"I definitely want to sharpen up my wrestling, so it looks crisp ... and my striking. Rashad Evans is a pretty good striker and I want to be prepared for that. And lastly I gotta stay strong in jiu-jitsu because the fight will go there and I can't let Rashad stand back up."
"How good is Rashad's jiu-jitsu on his back? I don't know but we'll find out."
Posted in: fight, rashad, evan, davi, plan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowPhil Davis on Rashad Evans: We're both known for wrestling but only one of us actually has it
My wrestling credentials are better than yours.
Undefeated Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight contender and wrestling powerhouse Phil Davis can truly lay claim to being one of the most accomplished amateur wrestlers in the promotion today.
Amassing a 116-17 record during his collegiate days at Penn State and being a four-time NCAA Division 1 All American, along with winning a NCAA title in 2008, it's easy to see why Davis depends so much on the wrestling aspect of his mixed martial arts (MMA) game.
Undefeated in his young career, "Mr. Wonderful" will take on what will undoubtedly be his toughest test to date in his next bout, as he squares off against former champion Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC on Fox 2 on Jan. 28, 2012, in Chicago, Illinois.
But, as Davis tells Pro MMA Now, even though both he and "Suga" are known for having great wrestling, only one of them actually has it.
"Rashad is the same old Rashad, which is very dangerous and very skilled. I mean, he definitely has gotten better over the years but I think he's the same old guy. The problem is that we're both known for excellent wrestling but only one of us actually has it. So, I'm thinking about using the wrestling and mixing it up and doing what I can. There is no point in my career where I plan on abandoning my wrestling. It's always a part of my game plan, it's who I am, it's my strong suit. That is something that I am going into with every fight making my point of respect. I definitely want to sharpen up my wrestling so it looks crisp and my striking. Rashad Evans is a pretty good striker and I want to be prepared for that and I gotta stay strong in jiu-jitsu because the fight will go there and I can't let Rashad back up. How good is Rashad's jiu-jitsu on his back? I don't know but we will find out."
A former junior college wrestling champion at Niagara County Community College and a starter for the Michigan State Spartans wrestling team for three years; Evans is no slouch when it comes to the grappling department.
He's no slouch on in the striking department either; Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin can attest to that.
Wrestling credentials aside, the experience and overall complete skill set that Evans brings to the table could prove to be an important factor when he takes on the young Nittany Lion.On the other hand, Davis makes no bones about what his game plan will be in what could prove to be his coming out party on Fox.
What's your take, Maniacs? Will this fight come down to who has the better wrestling when the two square off in the house that Michael Jordan built? Or will we be treated to a stand up war once the Octagon door is locked behind them?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: rashad, rashad evans, evan, davi, game plan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaPhil Davis: Rashad Evans is still the same old fighter
Top Light Heavyweight contender Phil Davis, who will fight Rashad Evans in the UFC on Fox 2 headliner, discusses his opponent, as well as his strategy for the bout. Davis explains that, while both he and Evans are both known as excellent wrestlers, only one of them actually are, and says that the former champ is still the "same old fighter" he's always been. Photo: MMAWeekly.com
Posted in: rashad evans, evan, davi, fighter hes, bout davis
Read the full article at Low KickNo sure bet: Who has the best odds to defeat UFC champion Jon Jones?
Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida ... who's next?
It is hard to believe (or imagine) a 24-year-old having such an illustrious career so fast. However, Jon Jones is doing something that none of us can believe, or at the very least, doing it the way he has so brilliantly.
Four top 10 light heavyweights, one The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner, three former world champions: Jones has finished them with only having one round raising any eyebrows. The only comparable meteoric rise to fame is that of what Russian heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko was able to do in Pride FC.
Who would you bet on in a fight with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones?
Follow me after the jump as we explore all the possibilities:
There is little to no money to be made on "Bones" when you visit your local bookie or online -- he's emerged as the consummate heavy favorite. He has run through his division and opponents like a hot knife into butter.
On the flip side of that coin, perhaps there is a Matt Serra-like underdog waiting in the wings to land one big shot and turn the mixed martial arts (MMA) world upside-down.
As it stands today, the 205-pound division has three viable challengers; however, only two of them can secure a title fight in 2012. Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis are all in the direct sight lines of the Greg Jackson-trained pupil and seemingly unbeatable champion.
None of them have the same elusive and unpredictable striking as Lyoto Machida, who at UFC 140 got the better of an impressive exchange over Jones, clipping the long-limbed champion with a solid punch when he threw a leg kick. In fact, it was perhaps the first time we've ever seen Jones in a position of danger inside the Octagon.
Can any of these three contenders replicate that striking?
UFC on Fox 2 is headlined by former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans taking on Phil Davis. It's an interesting match up as UFC president Dana White said that the winner would likely emerge as the next division contender tasked with dethroning Jones.
Several days later, White slightly backed off that position, saying that if Davis won, he probably would not earn a title shot. He's likely too green and his striking still to unrefined, even though his wrestling, which can set up submissions like the one secured over Tim Boetsch, can take him very far, very fast.
Evans, meanwhile, is a viewed as a small light heavyweight, standing only at 5'11" and doesn't cut drastic weight to make the 205-pound division limit. His reach is 75," which is on par with many other fighters at his weight class, but is still much shorter than Jones' 84" reach.
Having said all of that, Evans and Davis both posses some of the best wrestling in the sport as they both can wrestle their ways to unanimous decisions in most fights if required. And the upcoming fight between them will come down to who can impose their will to get to their strong hold.
Davis is a very good submission practitioner who trains under Llyod Irvin. He holds notable submissions over Alexander Gustafsson (UFC 112) and Tim Boetsch (UFC 123). If Davis can get Evans down and secure top position, then he could win this one fast. His long limbs and four each reach advantage will allow him to grabs limbs and twist them.
Evans will look to use his wrestling to keep the fight standing, possessing the power and striking advantage. Evans has been criticized for his chin even though he has only been knocked out once by Lyoto Machida (UFC 98), he has been buzzed in other fights. Evans holds notable stoppages over Jason Lambert (UFC 63), Sean Salmon (UFC Fight Night: 'Evans vs. Salmon'), Chuck Liddell (UFC 88), Forrest Griffin (UFC 92) and Tito Ortiz (UFC 133).
Both have faced fighters who create interesting insight into possible match ups with champion Jon Jones should they win ... and only one of them can.
In the case of Davis his, tilt with Gustafsson gives us an insight how he can elude a far better better striker with his wrestling. Gustaffson made the unlucky draw of getting Davis is his UFC debut at UFC 112. He had not faced anyone with the wrestling pedigree of the Penn State University (PSU) alum.
Davis wrestled Gustaffson with ease and secure a submission win. Gustafsson has some of the best striking in the light heavyweight division and since his loss to Davis, has gone undefeated (4-0) and holds a technical knockout win over Matt Hamill, another dominant wrestler who recently retired. "Wonderful" was able to impose his will without getting clipped and beat up on the feet.
His striking may not lead to highlight reel knockouts yet, but it sure has given him enough to use his wrestling to do what he wants, which is make dudes tap.
In the case of Evans, his best example may be his fights with Chuck Liddell and Brad Imes. Yes, Brad Imes at heavyweight. When "Suga" began in the UFC he fought at heavyweight on the second season of "The Ultimate Fighter," making it to the finals and facing the biggest man from Jefferson City, Missouri.
Imes, a former professional football player, was 6'7" and weighed more than 250 pounds. He was never a stud in the Octagon, but the "Hillbilly Hearthrob" could hit like a Mack truck. And at the finals he did just that.
Evans survived the massive size and reach advantage of Imes and fought a three round back-and-forth battle of attrition. He lit up Imes, with his superior boxing skill getting him past the reach advantage. His wrestling wasn't hugely affective, but it was more than enough to win a close split decision. We also learned that Evans competed tiny at heavyweight and could eat a punch from an actual giant man.
In another example, Evans took on former UFC light heavyweight weight champion Chuck Liddell, who was coming off his first loss in years when Quinton Jackson knocked him out cold at UFC 71. Evans was taking on his first huge challenge, which he passed with flying colors.
Evans would go on to knockout Liddell, who was the first elite striker he had faced to that point, in brutal fashion. Liddell may be predictable, but regardless, he can knockout anyone and put him down for the count with one punch. His takedown defense is one of the best ever and his use of his range is much like "Bones."
So, who would put my money on?
I'd place money on Evans because his range of arsenal is deeper then Davis' and his wrestling is top notch. Davis may be the better of the two at grappling while on the attack, but Evans has always used his to get up to his feet. These two only have one distinct difference and that's striking, which clearly favors Evans.
In short, my wallet and the cash within it would be put toward Evans if he can knockout or smash Davis for all five rounds. I think he is smart enough and holds the distinct advantage of having trained with Jones. He knows how his striking is used and how to carry his weight, too.
Now we have the wild card, Dan Henderson, who seems to have no apparent foe before him nor a reason he can't be the number one contender. His performance against Mauricio Rua at UFC 139 was phenomenal, and except for a debatable 10-8 in the final stanza, he delivered the performance for the ages.
Are we going to wait for "Shogun" to repair himself and get a rematch that many don't seem all too interested in?Jones may have had the best 2011, but Hendo's year wasn't too shabby, either, which included a Strikeforce light heavyweight title win over Rafael Cavalcante, a knockout of Fedor Emelianenko and a five round war with the aforementioned Brazilian.
Henderson has two things every bar patron wishes they had: An iron chin and a iron right hand to boot. Henderson is 7-1 in his past eight and his lone loss was at middleweight against a natural welterweight, Jake Shields. He doesn't leverage his Olympic-level wresting, but he does use his clinch game to look for trips and avoid going to the ground. He has wins over some of the best strikers (Mauricio Rua, Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort, among others) and some of the best best grapplers (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Renato Sobral and Rousimar Palhares).
Henderson is 1-1 against competition considered to be the best in Emelianenko and Anderson Silva. "Hendo" lost a UFC-Pride FC middleweight title unification bout against Silva at UFC 82. Henderson in many eyes won the first round against "The Spider," but seemed gassed in round two, which led to the Silva's rear naked choke victory.
"Dangerous" Dan has never looked that great at middlweight and has always looked his best when he took heavyweights or competed at 205 pounds. At Strikeforce: "Fedor vs. Hendo" Henderson would become the first man to knockout Emeilanenko. Fedor swarmed in and put the pressure on Henderson who was able to get back to his feet and drop the Russian with a short uppercut.
The most comparable fighter to Jon Jones that Henderson has fought is Silva. Silva has unpredictable striking and long limbs that can create crazy power with little set up. As stated, Henderson isn't great at middleweight as he gassed hard in round two at UFC 82. The biggest difference between Silva and Jones is the wrestling, but Henderson does have some of the best takedown defense since Liddell's heyday.
If Henderson and Jones was announced today (or soon), I'd be okay betting Henderson and actually pretty confident that it be much closer than some others would believe. I think they match up pretty close and Henderson's knockout power is just too crazy even with that reach in favor of Jones.
I must say this though, even if i were to bet against Jon Jones it be a very small amount. He had what many will consider the best year in MMA history. Jones won't replicate his 2011 simply because of having cleared all possible contenders. And even though Machida just woke up about five minutes ago, his first round has people thinking he'd win a rematch.
If that's the closest we see anyone take out Jones, 24, then get a nice seat and enjoy the show because he could be here doing his thing for the next decade years or so. It's going to be hard to stop him and the odds will be stacked against whoever the promotion locks inside a cage with him.
In fact, it may not even matter.
Check out the full recap of the event that was UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaTorres tweet causes dismissal
MMA Junkie reported late last week that Miguel Torres was fired due to a tweet he sent out in reference to rape. White announced Torres release due to his tweet regarding rape.
Torres stated that the tweet, which was erased and then revised to omit the offending language, was a gag in the FX show “Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
Payout Perspective:
Irony that Torres’ tweet originated from a Fox show?
The Torres dismissal underscores the competing interests of Zuffa fighters. From one perspective, they encourage to tweet and serve as a brand ambassador for the UFC. As incentive for their use of twitter, Zuffa awards quarterly bonuses. On the other hand, fighters must know the parameters of their behavior and be responsible for their tweets.
Rashad Evans’ Penn State comments directed to alumnus Phil Davis and Forrest Griffin’s “rape is the new missionary” tweet are examples of questionable comments by fighters that went without punishment. With these as examples, perhaps Torres felt he could push the line with the twitter joke and get noticed by the twittersphere.
One of the winners of Zuffa’s first quarterly twitter awards, Griffin apologized for his tweet and did some damage control by donating money to a local rape crisis center. Not that it is an excuse, but Evans’ comments were made in the heat of trash talk with Davis. While the intent was there, the analogy to the Sandusky situation was unfortunate.
The recent remarks prompted the debate on whether a personal code of conduct should be instituted. This was dismissed by White as Torres was made an example for others not to follow.
Practically, Zuffa fighters must be smart about their place in the company. Evans and Griffin will be given much more leniency than a Miguel Torres. Regardless, fighters must recognize that they may be held accountable for what they say or tweet. While there is an award for being creative, fighters must figure a way to do it while knowing what’s appropriate.
From a PR standpoint, the UFC cannot condone its fighters joking about rape or child molestation on any communication platform. Torres was made an example as Evans and Griffin are more known within the UFC. As the UFC moves into the mainstream, it cannot have its fighters make any kind of joke regarding rape.
Posted in: fighter, evan, torre, tweet, rape
Read the full article at MMA PayoutIs Rashad Evans or Dan Henderson The One to Beat Jon Jones?
Filed under: UFCWith his second-round TKO win at UFC 140 on Saturday night, Jon Jones might well be off to the greatest career start in MMA history.
Through 16 pro fights, he has only lost once, in a fight he thoroughly dominated before making a mistake by throwing illegal downward elbows and getting disqualified. Since then he has been nearly flawless in the cage. He has defeated three former UFC champions in a nine-month span. He has finished each of his last seven wins in what has historically been MMA's most competitive division.
But there are still challenges waiting ahead of him. The two biggest threats? No. 1 contender Rashad Evans, who will risk his position to face Phil Davis in January, and sledgehammer-fisted Dan Henderson, who is fresh off his instant classic win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
After fighting four times in 2011, Jones has a well-deserved vacation coming to him. In the post-fight press conference, he said he would like to take 4-5 months off. But when he comes back, he'll likely have one of those two lined up to face him.
More Coverage: UFC 140 Results | UFC 140 Post-Fight Press Conference Video
From a business perspective, the Evans-Jones fight makes more sense as a gate attraction. The two have a built-in rivalry based on their time together as teammates at the Greg Jackson camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico and eventual split after Jones acknowledged that he would fight Evans if the UFC requested it. Since then, there's been plenty of trash talk between them, and as Jones' star grows, the possibility of a serious grudge match could sell big. After all, Evans rivalry with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson did over 1 million pay-per-view buys, so why not one with Jones?
From a style matchup, it is intriguing. Jones has yet to face an opponent who offers seamless transitions from striking to wrestling, yet that's exactly what Evans brings to the table. While the Lyoto Machida matchup puzzle is mostly based on timing, feints and distance, Evans is a legitimate threat with power striking, takedowns and work against the cage, offering a triple threat to contemplate.
But some of the same old, same old would apply. Namely, Evans would be at a massive disadvantage in reach and height, giving up 9.5 inches in the former and 5 inches in the latter, so his challenge like many would be to find a way to get into striking range without taking damage on the way in. That might be a bit tricky for Evans, who often likes to sit back and let his opponent come to him. That particular approach is never going to be the best one against Jones, who is long enough to hit you as you're simply trying to gauge distance.
Machida, for instance, had his best moments when he was aggressive and flurried while coming forward. When he sat back and countered, Jones fired off kicks to keep him on the defensive. The fight-ending sequence in fact began when Machida patiently waited with his back near the fence, waiting for Jones to fire. When he did, Machida's counter left hand was quite literally beaten to the punch by Jones' own left by virtue of his reach. The strike dropped Machida and led to the fight-ending guillotine choke.
Because Evans and Jones trained together for a time, they each have an insight into the other. But I would argue that it benefits Jones. Let's face it, Evans was much further along in his career at the time and a more fully formed fighter, while Jones was still in the neophyte stages of the game. Which one do you think is more different now? If your answer is Jones, Evans' memories from their time together are mostly useless.
The interesting thing about Evans is that he doesn't do any one thing exceptionally. He's very good at several things, and melds them all together well in a way that makes him hard to prepare for, and harder to beat. That's what he'd bring to the table against Jones.
%VIRTUAL-Gallery-141546%
The other option is Henderson, the 41-year-old Californian who some consider the greatest American mixed martial artist in history. A winner of seven of his last eight fights, Henderson has smashed his way through other studs in the past, and his massive right hand can end anyone's night. Because of that, he might pose the biggest one-punch knockout threat of anyone Jones has ever.
While Jones' chin was once thought to be a question mark, after having gone through Rua, Machida and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, it's safe to assume it's just fine.
Like Evans, Henderson would have to navigate some serious distance to land his punches, as his 74-inch reach puts him at a full 10.5 inches less than Jones.
Stylistically though, a Henderson fight for Jones would be quite similar to his recent fight over Jackson. Henderson certainly has a much more decorated wrestling pedigree than Jackson, but in terms of functional MMA, Jackson is better statistically. According to FightMetric, Henderson successfully defends 58 percent of takedowns against him while Jackson defends 80 percent.
Striking-wise, both Henderson and Jackson are both reliant on their boxing first and foremost, trusting their hands to power them to victory. Obviously, most of the time it works out fine for them. Just because Jackson lost to Jones doesn't mean Henderson will, but the style and approach would not seem unfamiliar to him, and that's an edge in his favor.
Both men have legitimate routes to victory. Evans would need to keep Jones off-balance by changing his attacks minute by minute. Jones showed in the Machida fight that he can adjust if you continue the same attack, so variability is a key. And Henderson offers a pure power threat that is probably unmatched right now at 205.
When you look objectively though, Jones' overall package will continue to make him a favorite to win going forward. He has length and uses it smartly. He is generous with his kicks, keeping his opponent at bay. He switches stances. He throws unorthodox strikes. He is insanely strong in the clinch and has powered every one of his opponents down from the position. He is murder on the ground, particularly with his elbows. He is analytical, processing information and adjusting on the fly. And finally, he has a killer instinct that can not be taught.
Whether it's Evans or Henderson next -- or even Davis, who could crash the party by upsetting Evans -- Jones' next challenger will have his work cut out for him. And if the champion wins and defends the belt again, he will continue what is probably the best start to an MMA career we've ever seen. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: jone, jackson, henderson, evan, machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseThe UFC’s Reasoning to Cut Miguel Torres Is Not Going to Cut It
On Thursday evening, news broke that Miguel Torres was being released from the UFC. Dana White announced in an interview with Sports Illustrated that the former WEC champion was being cut from the organization due to a tweet that Torres posted the day before.
In the interview, White mentioned that he was being interviewed by a Canadian reporter, who referenced the tweet, which left White speechless. Following that interview, White then had a member of his staff talk with Miguel, who stated the tweet was a joke, and is a quote from a television show. White’s staff member then relayed this to White, who then released Torres from the organization.
The problem with all of this is not the premise of releasing a fighter due to his behavior outside of the octagon. The problem with it is the premise of who is more important than what. The person who is making the inappropriate comment is considered more than what the comment is.
Over the last few weeks, rape has somehow become a popular reference for UFC fighters. It started with Forrest Griffin tweeting “Rape is the new missionary”.
Griffin was publicly criticized for the comment, and later apologized for his remark. He then went to a local crisis center for victims of rape, and tried to clear up the air regarding his statement. He said to White that he was watching television, switching to multiple news broadcasts, all of which were discussing a different victim of rape. Griffin then tweeted that statement, attempting to make light of how often the crime occurs.
This was apparently explained to White, who has since explained to media members this is why Griffin was not disciplined for his remarks.
The disconnect from Griffin to Torres, who were essentially doing the same act, is what is most confusing.
White seems to have an issue with Torres tweeting something he saw on television, but does not have a problem with Griffin tweeting something he saw on television.
A different instance regarding a controversial remark actually occurred the day of Torres’ original statement, in which Rashad Evans referenced the ongoing scandal taking place at Penn State involving Jerry Sandusky, who is being charged with multiple counts of sexual assault on underage children.
Evans, a former wrestler at Michigan State, was arguing with his UFC on FOX opponent, former Penn State wrestler Phil Davis, at the event’s press conference in Chicago.
Nearing the end of the event, the two got into a heated argument, discussing the possibility of either being knocked out. Evans ended the argument, stating “I’m gonna put those hands on you worse than that dude did on them other kids at Penn State!”
White stated in the interview with Sports Illustrated that he did not hear Evans’ comment, and was not even aware of what was said until hours after the press conference. Meanwhile, in the video of the press conference, White can clearly be seen laughing right next to Evans following his remark.
This all occurs while Evans is sitting directly next to Chael Sonnen, who has long been both praised and criticized for comments he has made over the last two years.
White states that Evans also came up to him following his remark, and said he was wrong and apologized. White then decided that Evans was not going to be punished for his actions.
Following Torres’ statement on Twitter, White did not even talk to Torres personally. He only used information that was given to him, and made a decision based on that information.
With so many examples of multiple comments, remarks, and insults being made without punishment, how is Torres supposed to know what is and is not allowed?
The UFC announced earlier this year they will give bonuses for fighters that use Twitter actively, specifically for the best tweets during a certain period of time. For a company that promotes their clients to use the social media website, a fighter being released for using the website only makes the decision even more puzzling.
Using the criteria given, putting the names Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Chael Sonnen, and Miguel Torres together, not only is there a large difference in physical stature, but a large difference in media stature as well. Griffin and Evans are both winners of The Ultimate Fighter and former UFC light heavyweight champions. Sonnen is a former middleweight title challenger and Pay-Per-View headliner who could possibly be a part of the biggest rematch of the year in 2012 with Anderson Silva.
Meanwhile, Torres, himself a former champion, albeit in the now defunct WEC, fought on Facebook in his most recent fight at UFC 139 in November.
Which comes back to the apparent reasoning of the dismissal, with Torres being a much less popular fighter, being as confusing as the attempt to defend it by White.
White has long been criticized for his brash behavior towards the media and fans of the UFC. He has publicly called reporters words that rhyme with maggots and start with the letter ‘F’. He has also repeatedly called fans a word that rhymes with runt and starts with the letter ‘C’.
An organization can not be led by a person who makes these kinds of decisions on whether a fighter can be released for insensitive remarks, if that person is also making repeated insensitive remarks.
Just as consistency is the key for a fighter’s career and the success he or she may experience fighting, consistency has to be the key to determining whether that person has a career when not fighting.
Posted in: ufc, evan, torre, griffin, remark
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyRashad Evans Blasted By ESPN's Jim Rome For Penn State Comment
Traditionally, ESPN personality/national radio host Jim Rome is very pro-UFC and often has UFC President Dana White and fighters on his show like Tito Ortiz, who appeared earlier this week.
But when you want your sport to be recognized by the mainstream, you have to accept the criticism from those same outlets. Rome did just that Thursday, blasting former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans on ESPN's Rome Is Burning.
After saying that he was surprised that an athlete's comments can still shock him, Rome led into a clip of Evans making the infamous comment about Penn State to Phil Davis from Wednesday's UFC On Fox 2 press conference and then unleashed the following. Thanks to Fight Opinion for the assist on transcription from the audio available here (6:00 mark in):
"Rashad, you’ve got to be kidding me. What is that, other than totally insensitive and just dumb? Guys have run regrettable smack before. David Haye saying that his fight with Audley Harrison was going to be ‘as one-sided as gang rape’ immediately comes to mind but you, my man, might be the new standard bearer.
Look, I get that these guys are in hype mode and the blood starts to flow at these pressers. I just don’t care. You can’t say you’re going to do to your opponent what Jerry Sandusky allegedly did to these kids. Not that I haven’t done this 100 times already before but memo to all athletes — there’s certain things you cannot ever talk junk about. Ever. Keep all references to 9/11 and Hitler out of your mouths and, I never thought I’d have to say it, but you can officially add Jerry Sandusky to that list as well.
Look, I work in smack for a living. I put food on my family’s table with smack. Smack is the family business, so I know smack and that’s some of the worst smack I’ve ever heard."
White said that he spoke with Evans, calling the remark "one of the dumbest things you can say" but had no plans to further reprimand him. With the Thursday release of Miguel Torres for an ill-conceived tweet, it's been quite a week for fighters saying the wrong things.
Posted in: espn, evan, rome, penn state, jerry sandusky
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowWhat's Missing From UFC's Response to Miguel Torres, Rashad Evans? Consistency
Filed under: UFCHere's a question that became very important, yet difficult to answer this week: If you're a UFC fighter living in this wild world of social media, how do you know when you've crossed the line between edgy and irredeemably offensive? Better yet, how do you know when crossing that line will get you chewed out by your boss, and how do you know when you've committed an offense so egregious that it's cause for termination?
Answer: You don't. Not until it's too late. Not until your fate is already sealed. And that, whether you think of yourself as a shockingly clever Twitter comedian or a press conference trash-talk specialist, is a problem.
It's a problem for fighters, and it's a problem for the UFC. It's also a problem that has a solution, if the UFC cares enough about fairness and clarity to implement it.
As you probably know by now, two UFC fighters made the issue of sexual assault into fodder for their own attempts at entertainment this week, but with very different repercussions.
At a UFC on FOX press conference earlier this week, light heavyweight Rashad Evans referenced the Penn State sex abuse scandal when trying to zing former Nittany Lions wrestler Phil Davis. Meanwhile on Twitter, bantamweight Miguel Torres joked about "rape vans," suggesting that if they were renamed "surprise vans," maybe people would be more likely to ride in them.
Go out on the street and present these two cases to strangers who know nothing about the world of the UFC. See if they can guess which guy got fired, and which got off with just a stern talking to. I'll bet you a six-pack of your finest domestic ale that more people guess wrong than right.
And honestly, who could blame them? At the risk of getting into the nebulous business of doling out offensiveness points for each remark, I feel pretty confident asserting that what Evans said was far worse than what Torres tweeted. Evans took a real situation, involving real, living children who have suffered through an unimaginable nightmare (here we insert that useful qualifier allegedly), and made light of it for the purposes of insulting a future opponent.
Torres? His tweet similarly made light of sexual assault, but at least he wasn't using a specific incident involving living people as his springboard to comedy. At least he was dealing more in the abstract, and at least he didn't say it while trying to promote a fight being broadcast by the UFC's new network TV partner.
But really, that's splitting hairs. Both guys messed up. Both should have known better, especially after Forrest Griffin made headlines with the exact same mistake very recently. But the consequences for Evans and for Torres were so bafflingly different, it's hard to call it anything other than open hypocrisy on the UFC's part.
UFC president Dana White told our own Ariel Helwani that he likes to decide these things on a case-by-case basis. He talks to the parties involved (or, in the case of Torres, has someone else talk to him and report back), asks them to explain just what in the hell was going on in their heads when they made these remarks, then decides on how to deal with them.
In the case of Evans, the explanation was that he got carried away trying to burn a college rival for the entertainment of others. This, apparently, was good enough. He got a lecture from White, and that was that.
In the case of Torres, he was trying to be funny. As anyone who follows his Twitter already knows, it's something he strives for often, and he probably hits more than he misses. This time he missed, and it cost him his job. Could he have possibly known beforehand that this tweet would get him fired? Not really. He should have known that it might get him in trouble, that it was a bad idea and a pretty tasteless attempt at humor, but there was no precedent to suggest that a UFC fighter might lose his job for joking about sexual assault. Those jokes had happened already, but the firings hadn't.
That's the problem with the whole case-by-case basis method, as presented by White. Fighters are put in the position not of figuring out what's right and wrong, or what's a good idea and what's a bad one. No, they just have to figure out how the boss is going to react, and that seems largely dependent on who they are and what they mean to the company.
Don't believe me? Imagine for a moment that Brock Lesnar had sent out the exact same tweet as Torres. You think he'd be headed back to the WWE with his pink slip in his enormous hands right now? Not a chance. He'd have gotten a phone call from White and a slap on his enormous wrists, and that would have been that.
But Torres? He sends out a tweet that Michael Landsberg uses to surprise and embarrass White with on Canadian TV, and on the week of an event in Toronto? Screw him. He's done.
Not only is that not fair, it doesn't even serve the desired purpose. It doesn't make UFC fighters in general more sensitive to what might offend others. It just makes them perform an internal calculus to assess their own standing and value to the UFC before they determine what they can get away with.
This is only part of the reason why the UFC needs a clear, consistent code of conduct for its fighters. It needs some formal policy that not only tells fighters in plain English (or Portuguese or Japanese or French, etc.) what not to do before they do it, but also what's gong to happen to them if they do it anyway.
The UFC needs this not just for tweets and jokes and public comments, but also for more serious issues like drug abuse and criminal offenses. Anybody remember Vinicius Quieroz? He's the Brazilian fighter who was released after one fight when the UFC's independent drug tests nabbed him for steroid use. Meanwhile, Chris Leben tested positive for the same exact steroid on a different fight card, then tested positive for prescription painkillers Oxycodone and Oxymorphone in his most recent outing, and he got off with suspension in both cases.
That's what you call a double-standard. When two UFC employees can commit the same offenses and receive different punishments, it tells everyone -- fans, fighters, media, sponsors -- that this is not a level playing field. All are not equal in the UFC's commonwealth. Some guys can be jerks and get away with it, while others get fired.
It's not just a question of forcing the UFC to slap all the wrists equally. When White says he doesn't see the point of reading some canned statement written by a lawyer just to mollify critics, he makes a good point. That wouldn't accomplish much, and it would clearly be an empty gesture designed solely to get people off his back.
But neither does it help to apply a hazy standard of decency unevenly after the fact. If no one knows for sure what's permitted and what isn't, some people are bound to mess up without realizing what they've done. As of now, UFC fighters have no way to determine how the UFC will punish them, or even if it will punish them at all.
That's not fair to the guys like Torres, who got made an example of even after previous examples got away with almost the exact same thing. It's also not helpful to guys like Griffin or Evans, who have essentially learned that they can get away with the kind of stuff that will get the Miguel Torreses of the UFC world fired.
That's why the UFC needs a code of conduct that spells out which infractions will result in which punishments. It needs to let fighters know where the line is before they've crossed it. It needs to let fans know that it's serious about making sure fighters conduct themselves like professionals, and not just with smacking them around after the fact, with the force and severity of the blows dependent on how many pay-per-views they sell. It needs a little consistency and a little fairness. The sooner it institutes such a policy, the sooner it can stop some of this stuff before it starts. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fighter, evan, torre, what
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseDana White hints at a Dan Henderson title shot if Rashad Evans loses to Phil Davis
It appears that the light heavyweight number one contenders match between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis scheduled for the UFC on FOX 2 event in Chicago may only be a number one contender fight for one man.
During the press conference for UFC 140 today, a fan closed it with a question, "Who will get the next shot at the light heavyweight title, the winner of Evans vs. Davis or Dan Henderson?
White's response?
"The FOX fight, in January will be Evans versus Davis and if Evans wins that fight, Evans will get the next shot at the title. If he doesn't, then, you know, we'll see. "
We'll see, indeed.
MMA is a very fickle business. What's there one day may not be there the next. Ask Jon Fitch and the two or three title shots he was supposed to earn in the last few years.
With that simple two word statement, White has blown open the doors for Dan Henderson to potentially usurp the next title shot at 205 pounds. That is, if Evans were to lose to the upset-minded Phil Davis this upcoming January.
"Hendo" has done more than enough to earn his shot as well.
Dan Henderson is coming off perhaps one of the most impressive one year runs of all time. He destroyed Ranatu Sobral last December, won the Strikeforce light heavyweight title with a knockout of Rafael Cavalcante in March and then followed it up with a first round stoppage of legendary Fedor Emelianenko at heavyweight this past July.
To top it off? Oh, he only went out and had what many consider to be the greatest fight in UFC history, earning a unanimous decision against Mauricio Rua just a few short weeks ago in the main event of UFC 139.
At 41 years old, Henderson's age must be taken into consideration. There's not nearly as lengthy of a window for him to be a relevant title contender as Davis. If there ever was a time for him to earn his shot, it's now.
Lastly, one must not forget that the UFC is a business which runs on a pay-per-view model. Unless Phil Davis knocks Rashad Evans out with a flying, spinning axe kick, he's not going to have the drawing power of Henderson, at least not yet.
Of course, this speculation could all be for naught if Evans goes out and defeats Davis as expected.
What say you, Maniacs?
If Phil Davis upsets Rashad Evans in January, who would you rather see challenge for the belt?
Speak up!
Posted in: title, henderson, shot, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDana White comments on Rashad Evans 'stupid' comment about Jerry Sandusky and Penn State
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is now on the FOX network with increased exposure and the chance to blow up the mainstream sports world. There has never been a more sensitive time in the promotion's history.
Hey, I know, let's tell rape jokes!
Most of the mixed martial arts community has their panties up in a bunch over the comments Rashad Evans made at the UFC on FOX 2 pre-fight press conference back on Dec. 7 in Chicago, Illinois.
"Suga" told his main event opponent and former Nittany Lion, Phil Davis, that he was going to treat him worse than Jerry Sandusky treated the children he allegedly (cough) molested at Penn State.
Doh!
While Evans was getting into a verbal back-and-forth with "Mr. Wonderful," much to the approval of the giggling sheeple in attendance, he tried to hit a home run -- but instead struck out swinging.
Premeditated? No. Malicious? Hardly. Tasteless? Absolutely. Or, as UFC President Dana White told media members at the UFC 140 presser earlier today (via MMA Fighting), it was simply a "stupid" thing to say.
"We talked. It's not like I'm dealing with stupid people here. It's one thing when you're dealing with dummies. When you're dealing with people who are really stupid, it's tough to talk to them. But when you call a guy who's an intelligent guy, he gets it. He knows. The whole thing with me is people are looking to me, and I saw a couple of stupid stories that were written, people who want attention -- you know who those people are. What do you want me to do? You want me to have our lawyers draw something up and I'll come out and read it to you guys? You know, he said something stupid. It's probably one of the dumbest things you could say. He gets it, and he knows it was a stupid thing to say, and we'll see what happens."
Like the man said, we'll see.
"Evans vs. Davis," emanating from Chicago's United Center, will headline the Jan. 28, 2012, broadcast, which kicks off the promotion's seven year, $100 million agreement with the network television powerhouse. Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz and Michael Bisping vs. Demian Maia are also featured on the "Windy City" fight card.
To hear how it all went down at the UFC on FOX 2 press conference click here.
Posted in: ufc, people, thing, evan, jerry sandusky
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC president: Evans' Penn State comment 'stupid,' but not sure on official action
TORONTO - It's unfortunate when otherwise intelligent people say really stupid things. But to get out the pitchfork and punish, that's another matter.
So said UFC president Dana White today when asked by MMAjunkie.com for a reaction on the comments made by former light-heavyweight champ Rashad Evans, who's off-color comments on the recent Penn State scandal ended a pre-event press conference promoting UFC on FOX 2 on a bad note.
"It's not like I'm dealing with stupid people here," White said.
Posted in: ufc, people, penn, evan, state
Read the full article at MMA JunkieDana White: Rashad Evans' Penn State Joke 'One of the Dumbest Things You Could Say'
Filed under: UFCTORONTO -- UFC president Dana White is well aware that Rashad Evans stepped over the line with his pre-fight trash-talk when he referenced the Penn State sex abuse scandal while taking a verbal jab at former Nittany Lions wrestler Phil Davis on Wednesday.
As White told reporters following Thursday's UFC 140 press conference, he made sure Evans knew it too.
"We talked." said White, who called Evans' remark "one of the dumbest things you could say," in light of the child abuse allegations against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. According to White, he didn't have to convince Evans that he'd made a mistake in using the story as a topical reference point at the UFC on FOX presser in Chicago yesterday.
"It's not like I'm dealing with stupid people here," White said. "It's one thing when you're dealing with dummies. When you're dealing with people who are really stupid, it's tough to talk to them. But when you call a guy who's an intelligent guy, he gets it. He knows."
Evans brought the heat on himself when exchanging words with Davis at the press conference, telling the former NCAA Division I wrestling champ: "I guarantee you'll be the first one to take a shot cause I'm going to put my hands on you worse than that dude did them other kids at Penn State."
Evans, who wrestled at Michigan State, later told MMA Fighting that he has nothing against Davis, but was merely trying to play up a rivalry for entertainment value.
"I have plenty of respect for him as a fighter and as a person," said Evans. "But when it comes to competing with me, I gotta let my mouth go a little bit."
He let it go too far this time, White said, but the UFC president sounded hesitant to take any official punitive action over the remark.
"The whole thing with me is people are looking to me, and I saw a couple of stupid stories that were written, people who want attention -- you know who those people are," White said. "What do you want me to do? You want me to have our lawyers draw something up and I'll come out and read it to you guys? You know, he said something stupid. It's probably one of the dumbest things you could say. He gets it, and he knows it was a stupid thing to say, and we'll see what happens." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: people, penn, thing, evan, state
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad Evans: When Trash Talking Goes Wrong
Rashad Evans has always been good for a few verbal jabs at his opponents, but he decided to push the envelope even further by referencing the recent child abuse cases at Penn State when going after Phil Davis.
Posted in: rashad, rashad evans, evan, case, penn state
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC on FOX 2: Dana White not playing it safe in primetime with Evans vs Davis, Sonnen vs Munoz
When the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) invades the United Center in Chicago, Ill., on Jan. 28, 2012, with UFC on Fox 2, five of the six participants in the events triple-header main event are highly accomplished grapplers (sorry Michael Bisping).
Rashad Evans, Chael Sonnen, Mark Munoz and Phil Davis have all had successful amateur wrestling careers in college and have utilized those skills to great effect in MMA.
Demian Maia is one of the most accomplished and decorated grapplers in the world, having participated in the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) grappling tournament; placing 1st and 2nd in separate events, and winning the UFC's "Submission of the Night" award four times.
But if that makes you think that Zuffa officials were cautious when it comes to matchmaking to keep their new partners over at FOX happy, think again.
When asked if the UFC deliberately matched up so many wrestlers on the main card to avoid having potentially brutal knockouts aired on network television in primetime, a baffled UFC President Dana White assured fans and media in attendance that that's simply not the case:
"This guy (Mark Munoz) has got one of the nastiest ground-and-pounds in the business. One of the most vicious, nasty, smash you up against the cage ground-and-pound there is. This guy (Rashad Evans) comes out with one of the most vicious knockout highlights I have ever seen when he kicked Sean Salmons in the face. I don't think you can see anything more vicious than that. Anything can happen on any given night with anybody. I mean I can't look at two fighters and say, "Hey, let's put this one on because this won't happen or that won't happen." The thing that makes this sport so exciting is that it's completely unpredictable. We got over our hump with the first FOX fight. We went out there, the presentation was perfect, it came off great, quick knockout which people are used to and more importantly, no complaints. So, it is what it is. This sport is on FOX and its going to be for seven years and there are going to be knockouts and there are going to be submissions, there is going to be some nasty ground-and-pound. It is what it is."
The inaugural UFC on FOX show, which went down on Nov. 12, 2011, from Anaheim, Calif., ended in brutal fashion as Junior Dos Santos knocked out then UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez just 64 seconds into the fight.
That right there would seem to quell the notion that FOX is scared of knockouts.
Then again, upon crunching some numbers, all six headlining competitors (Demian Maia, Chael Sonnen, Mark Munoz, Phil Davis, Michael Bisping, Rashad Evans) have a combined total of five knockout victories, nine submission wins, 12 technical knockouts and, wait for it ... 24 combined wins by way of decision.
What do you say Maniacs, careful planning or sheer coincidence?
Posted in: ufc, fox, knockout, evan, munoz
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans' Joke About the Penn State Scandal is No Laughing Matter
For the rest of the world that is bound by decency, and ethics, rape has been the topic of a tragic scandal. Jerry Sandusky, the former Assistant coach of Penn State under Joe Paterno, was recently indicted for 40 charges of sex crimes involving young boys: actions that were enabled by a once respected institution. That number has increased with the addition of two new accusers.
Words like 'oral sex' in this context are vile, and Sandusky's acts seem to transcend disgust. It's what has validated the fog of shame that now proxies for Joe Paterno's once heralded status. The Penn State case was not just about a flesh and blood monster. It was also about corruption. When students idiotically protested the termination of Paterno, it prompted Dave Zirin of The Nation, in contrasting the Penn State protests with the protests that occurred on the campus at Berkeley, to ask the question: "Do you defend the ugliest manifestations of unchecked power or do you fight for a better world with an altogether different set of values?"
That's a fine question for students. And perhaps an unfair one for athletes. But is it too much to ask to be even moderately civilized?
For MMA fighters, the scandal has turned into a sandbox for auditions at the comedy club. During the press conference for UFC on FOX 2 that will feature Phil Davis and Rashad Evans, Evans joked "I'm gonna put my hands on you worse than that dude on those kids at Penn State". This of course, harkens back to another example of brainless behavior when Forrest Griffin tweeted that "rape is the new missionary" (Griffin was also bouncing off the rape cases at Penn State). To make matters worse, Phil Davis is on the record defending Paterno's actions. While we're at it, let's pour another into the comedy stew and add Miguel Torres to the list of fighters who think rape is hilarious.
Inevitably, people will criticize this moral outrage as "too sensitive", and that running "stories" like this reveals the real crime of 'political correctness': a criticism so excessively dumb, it possesses a seat on the stupid branch right alongside creationism. If we take seriously the injustice that is rape, we should take seriously the verbal representation of that injustice when it is mocked, and cheapened.
At this point, I'm not asking for Rashad to be fined, or punished (not that I would be opposed to some form of punishment). But who approves of his words? No one. So where is the disapproval?
This is not like Martin Scorsese or other acclaimed artists dealing with network censorship. "The prohibition against swearing in broadcast media makes artists and historians into liars, and subverts the responsibility of grown-ups to learn how life is lived in worlds distant from their own", explains Steven Pinker. Discouraging Evans' statement is not about censorship. It's a question about moral philosophy, and what kind of culture we're interested in nurturing.
Right now the UFC is looking to the federal judicial system to take action against the ban on MMA in New York. And they've molded for themselves an interesting argument: that MMA is a form of free speech. It's not some parlor trick: it's a clever way of attacking the language used to justify the ban, namely, that MMA promotes a 'message of violence'.
Obviously, this is false, and the ban on MMA itself is unjustified. But it prompts the question, 'if not violence, what does MMA stand for?' This is not a pretentious question. It's a question that will be directly addressed in the courtroom given the argument Zuffa is looking to make in order to get MMA legalized.
What values do we share as a community? What principles should be cherished, either as media, as fighters, or as fans? There are some fantastic individuals in MMA's unique universe. And Rashad Evans doesn't speak for everyone. But the silence feels like a confession: the confession we don't stand for much of anything. Foregoing any sense of community, the silence in response to Evans' statement would appear to out us as a faceless cauldron of indifference.
Posted in: mma, question, penn, evan, state
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Brings Up Penn State Scandal in Pre-Fight Trash Talk With Phil Davis
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, News, UFC on FOXCHICAGO -- Rashad Evans used the alleged troubles of former Penn State football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky as ammo Wednesday in a "verbal battle" against Phil Davis at the UFC on FOX 2 press conference at the United Center.
When asked by fan on what to expect from him come Jan. 28, Evans replied, "I prefer to bring the knockout [version of myself] because Phil, he needs to get knocked out."
Davis quickly retorted, bringing up a comment UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones made this past Monday on The MMA Hour.
"Glad you mention that cause one of your buddies Jon Jones said you don't have much of a chin."
Not to be outdone, Evans had the final word, referencing the recent scandal that took place at Davis' alma mater.
"I guarantee you'll be the first one to take a shot cause I'm going to put my hands on you worse than that dude on those kids at Penn State."
Evans has never been one to shy away from trash-talking. As a matter of fact, he refers to the time from now until the fight as just another element of the sport.
"Fans don't want to see people fight that like each other," Evans told MMA Fighting after the conference. "And I don't got anything against Phil but at the same time, we signed a contract to do a job. It's a fight. It's not a competition to be friends. And a fight is fought on many levels. The physical fight will be fought on Jan. 28, but until then, it's a mental war.
"... Every single chance I get, I'm going to talk about Phil Davis. I'm going to talk about the ugly thing he got growing out the end of his chin. What is that? What is it? I don't know. It's just hairs that haven't really come together yet," Evans said with an expressive smile on his face. "I don't know if he ain't mature yet to grow it fully, fully thick, but I don't know. It don't look right. I want to shave it."
For Evans, it all boils down to having fun. Because after all, in addition to the competition aspect of MMA, he's there to entertain the audience.
"When it comes down to it, I have respect for him as a fighter. But this is entertainment. People want to be entertained. I want to entertain myself. I have plenty of respect for him as a fighter and as a person. But when it comes to competing with me, I gotta let my mouth go a little bit."
As the two head into a No. 1 contender bout on network television for the opportunity to challenge Jones for the belt; if Evans wants to talk, Davis will oblige.
"At the end of the day, I'm just having fun," Davis told MMA Fighting. "I'm not saying anything disrespectful or too mean or anything. Just have fun." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: phil, evan, davi, im, dont
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseProgramming alert: UFC Unleashed 'Evans vs. Davis' set for Jan. 28 on Spike TV
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will hit the FOX airwaves for its UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" network television event on Jan. 28, 2012, live from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
And in preparation for the official kickoff to the promotion's seven year, $100 million broadcast deal, you can tune into Spike TV for a special presentation of "Unleashed."
Wait, what?
Spike TV still has control of the rights to the UFC tape library through 2012, which means it can use any footage at its disposal to help its own ratings -- or hinder those of the UFC and FOX.
All's fair in love and TV.
That means you can expect a block of counter-programming, conveniently titled UFC Unleashed: "Evans vs. Davis" for the (extremely) casual fan who may tune in on Jan. 28 and not know the difference between live and Memorex.
The complete line-up for Spike TV presents: "UFC Unleashed: Evans vs. Davis," after the jump.
4:00pm ET/re-airs at 9pm PT - UFC Unleashed - Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera
5:00pm ET/re-airs 10:00pm PT - UFC 137 - Phil Davis vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
7:00pm ET/ 4:00pm PT - UFC Unleashed - Chael Sonnen vs. Renato Sobral (UFC 55)
8:00pm ET/ 5:00pm PT - UFC Unleashed - Mark Munoz vs. Kendall Grove (UFC 112)
9:00pm ET/ 6:00pm PT- UFC Unleashed - Rashad Evans vs. Brad Imes ("TheUltimate Fighter 2" finale)
10:00pm ET/ 7:00pm PT - UFC Unleashed - Rashad Evans vs. RampageJackson (UFC 114)
11:00pm ET/ 8:00pm PT - UFC Unleashed - Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida (UFC 98)
Anyone flipping back and forth in between the live action? For more on UFC on FOX 2 click here.
Posted in: ufc, vs, pm, pt, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2 press conference LIVE updates today (Dec. 7) for 'Evans vs Davis' in Chicago
Ultimate Fighting Championship will be holding a public press conference today (Dec. 7, 2011) to officially announce the promotion's second major network event, UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 28, 2012.
The conference will begin at 2 p.m. ET live from the The United Center in Chicago, Illinois, which is where the event is scheduled to take place.
Scheduled to attend will be the headlining fighters of the evening: Rashad Evans, Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen and Mark Munoz as well as UFC President Dana White.
Rashad Evans is the former UFC light heavyweight champion and recently came back from significant time away to defeat Tito Ortiz in the main event of UFC 133. He's been the de facto number one contender for over a year now but injuries have kept him from challenging for the belt.
He'll be challenged by Phil Davis, an undefeated UFC prospect who was a four time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and 2008 national champion. He currently holds a spotless MMA record and is looking to take it to the next level by battling Evans, the man he was originally slated to fight at UFC 133 before injuries got in the way.
Chael Sonnen has made as much of a name for himself with his gift for gab as he has with his talent in fighting. The mouthy ex-realtor gave Anderson Silva his toughest test in the UFC to date and recently came back from over a year away from the sport to dominate top contender Brian Stann at UFC 136. His post-fight speech where he challenged Silva to a rematch was the stuff of legends and victory on over Munoz will all but confirm the title bout.
Mark Munoz has launched himself quickly up the middleweight division with a solid 7-1 record in the division as well as a four fight winning streak which includes impressive victories over Demian Maia and Chris Leben in his last two bouts. He asked for a title shot after dominating Chris Leben in the UFC 138 main event but he'll settle for a number one contender match.
We'll have complete updates of the UFC on FOX 2 press conference after the jump.
Brian Hemminger here. The press conference is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET.
Posted in: ufc, conference, chris leben, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaSpike TV Will Counter-Program Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis on Fox
Filed under: MMA Media Watch, UFC, UFC on FOXThe UFC's TV contract with Spike runs out at the end of the year, and Spike has already announced that it plans to aggressively counter-program the UFC's programming with its new TV partner, Fox.
Spike sent out a press release on Wednesday announcing that it will air a Saturday night programming lineup on January 28 entitled UFC Unleashed: Evans vs. Davis, which will run simultaneously with the UFC on Fox card headlined by Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis.
Spike's lineup will run from 4 PM to midnight and feature fights involving Evans and Davis, as well as Chael Sonnen, Mark Munoz and Michael Bisping, all of whom are also fighting on the Fox card on January 28.
For Spike, this is basically an attempt to use the powerful marketing of the UFC and Fox against them: Fox will market Evans and Davis during NFL games, and the UFC will put Evans and Davis on billboards, and when fight night rolls around, some viewers flipping through the channels will end up watching their old fights on Spike.
Labeling the event "Evans vs. Davis" may do a disservice to some viewers who will set their DVRs for "Evans vs. Davis" only to realize after the fact that they recorded the wrong program, although it's hard to imagine many viewers will be fooled into watching the wrong fight. But this is the way Spike programming is likely to look for the remainder of 2012: When UFC fighters are live in the Octagon, Spike will treat its viewers to a heavy dose of reruns from the same fighters. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fox, spike, evan, davi
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones: “Rashad does not have a chin, trust me.”
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones may be defending his title against Lyoto Machida this weekend at UFC 140 but “Bones” appears to still have rival (and former teammate) Rashad Evans on his mind.
Evans, who faces 9-0 grappler Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2 in late January, first butted heads with Jones after the 24-year old sensation implied he would be open to a bout between the two while still active members of Greg Jackson’s group in New Mexico. The two have exchanged words a number of times since though things have cooled down as of late, at least until now.
“Rashad doesn’t have a chin. Rashad does not have a chin, trust me,” Jones candidly explained in a recent conversation with The MMA Hour.
Evans has only been stopped with strikes a single time in his eighteen-fight career albeit in devastating, “stanky leg” fashion against Lyoto Machida at UFC 98.
“Sugar” ‘Shad Comments on Jones’ Match-Up with Machida
Though Jones stopped short of saying Davis would defeat Evans let alone knock him out he did mention the bout could be extremely competitive as long as “Mr. Wonderful” trusts in his own abilities rather than succumbs to the pressure of fighting someone with Evans’ reputation as a 16-1-1 former champion.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, lyoto machida, chin trust
Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones: Trust me, Rashad Evans has no chin
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones shared his thoughts about the upcoming UFC on FOX 2 main event bout between "Suga" Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. It seems like Evans is still in Jon Jones' head, after the fight between the two arch rivals has been cancelled for a second consecutive time.MMAFighting.com (via MMAMania.com)
"It's an interesting fight. I'll go with Rashad because of the experience factor. But Phil Davis can win more than he realizes, he has to be comfortable striking. I won't say too
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad, phil davis, evan
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones Thinks Rashad Evans Has a Suspect Chin
Filed under: UFC, NewsJon Jones and Rashad Evans have a long history, having gone from friends and training partners to enemies and rivals, and eventually, most likely, competitors for the UFC light heavyweight title.
But a Jones-Evans title fight has already been delayed a couple times and can't happen unless both men win their upcoming fights, with Jones taking on Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 and Evans fighting Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2. And Jones has some doubts about whether a fight with Evans is going to happen at all.
Instead, Jones said on The MMA Hour, he believes it's entirely possible that Davis will expose Evans as a fighter who has a suspect chin and can't handle a more powerful opponent.
"Rashad doesn't have a chin," Jones said. "Rashad does not have a chin, trust me."
Saying Evans doesn't have a chin wouldn't seem to mesh with Evans' career record: In 18 professional MMA fights, Evans has only been beaten once, by Lyoto Machida. It's true that Machida knocked Evans out in brutal fashion, but Evans has managed to beat a lot of guys with significant punching power, including Rampage Jackson, Chuck Liddell and Thiago Silva. However, Jones's comments may reflect what Jones has witnessed in training with Evans, as the two of them sparred plenty of times when they were both based at Greg Jackson's gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Jones said he expects Davis to give Evans a competitive fight, and it wouldn't surprise him if Davis is the one who earns a shot at the light heavyweight title.
"If Phil can have faith in his stand-up abilities and faith in his grappling abilities this will be a closer fight than people realize," Jones said.
But if Evans gets by that tough fight with Davis, it may finally be time for Jones and Evans to stop talking about each other, and actually fight each other. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, davi, chin
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on FOX 2 Fight Card: Evans vs. Davis
Filed under: UFCThe UFC on FOX 2 fight card headlined by Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis is fast shaping up for the Jan. 22, 2012 event from the United Center in Chicago, Ill.
After hosting a heavyweight championship bout in November, the second live FOX event will feature two No. 1 contender bouts. Evans meets Davis for the next shot at the UFC light heavyweight title against Jon Jones/Lyoto Machida. Meanwhile, Chael Sonnen and Mark Munoz will battle for a future shot against middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
The current lineup is below.
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz
Evan Dunham vs. Paul Sass
Michael Johnson vs. Cody McKenzie
Cub Swanson vs. George Roop
John-Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow
Demetrious Johnson vs. Eddie Wineland Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, vs, evan, davi, future shot
Read the full article at AOL Fanhouse'UFC on FOX 2: Evans vs. Davis' tickets on sale this week
Tickets for the UFC's second FOX-televised event go on sale this week.
"UFC on FOX 2: Evans vs. Davis" takes place Jan. 28 at United Center in Chicago, and announced co-headliners include light heavyweights Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis and middleweights Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz.
Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, though a pre-sale period begins on Wednesday.
Posted in: ufc, vs, ticket, evan, week tickets
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJon Jones: I believe in my heart that I am the best, I believe that I won't lose
Jon Jones has been on a rollercoaster ride since replacing Rashad Evans in the main event at UFC 128. Evans was originally scheduled to face UFC Light Heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua on the card, but was forced to withdraw due to a training camp injury. Jones, a training partner of Evans’ at Jackson’s Gym stepped in and took the fight.
The acceptance of the fight started a rift between Jones and Evans and when Jones captured the UFC Light Heavyweight title from Mauricio Rua at UFC 128
Posted in: ufc, jone, mauricio rua, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Low KickReport: Evan Dunham vs. Paul Sass Booked for UFC on Fox 2
British submission specialist Paul Sass, unbeaten with 11 of 12 wins by tapout, will meet Evan Dunham in Chicago.
Posted in: dunham, evan, paul, sas, evan dunham
Read the full article at Heavy MMAEvan Dunham vs. Paul Sass targeted for UFC on FOX 2
Jiu-jitsu brown belt Paul Sass will test his slick submission skills against a black belt.
Sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com that the British lightweight is expected to meet Evan Dunham at UFC on FOX 2. ESPN.com initially reported the fight.
UFC on FOX 2 takes place Jan. 28 at United Center in Chicago. A light-heavyweight bout between former champ Rashad Evans and Phil Davis is expected to headline.
Posted in: ufc, evan, submission skills, lightheavyweight bout, belt sources
Read the full article at MMA JunkieReport: Evan Dunham vs Paul Sass possible for UFC on FOX 2 on Jan. 28 in Chicago
There's a fantastic lightweight battle brewing for the UFC on FOX 2 event, pitting top division prospect Evan Dunham against the sassy stylings of British submission specialist Paul Sass.
ESPN UK first brought word of the pending match-up, which is under consideration for the United Center on Jan. 28, 2012, in Chicago, Illinois.
Dunham (12-2) rocketed to the top of the lightweight buzz list with wins over Efrain Escudero and Tyson Griffin; however, a close split decision loss to Sean Sherk, followed by a first-round ass-whooping at the hands of Melvin Guillard, sent the talented Oregon native to the back of the line.
He quickly rebounded with a lopsided unanimous decision win over Shamar Bailey at UFC Fight Night 25 back in September.
Can he survive the dreaded "Sassangle" in the "Windy City?"
Sass is undefeated at 12-0 and has finished 11 of his victims by way of submission. If you're keeping score at home, the count is eight triangle chokes and three heel hooks -- including one over Michael Johnson at UFC on Versus 6 back in October.
Scary stuff.
UFC on FOX 2 is expected to be headlined by a 205-pound showdown pitting former light heavyweight champion "Suga" Rashad Evans against "Wonderful" undefeated contender Phil Davis.
Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more updates to the UFC on FOX 2 card as they become available.
Posted in: ufc, dunham, fox, evan, sas
Read the full article at MMA ManiaEvan Dunham vs. Paul Sass Added to UFC on Fox 2
Lightweights Evan Dunham and Paul Sass are slated to meet on the undercard of UFC on Fox 2 on January 28 in Chicago, according to ESPN UK.
Duham (12-2) earned a unanimous decision over Shamar Bailey in September to snap a two-fight losing streak to Sean Sherk and Melvin Guillard, while England’s Sass (12-0) has remained unbeaten with submission wins over Mark Holst and Michael Johnson in the UFC.
UFC on FOX 2 is headlined by light heavyweight contenders Rashad Evans and Phil Davis and also includes Demetrious Johnson vs. Eddie Wineland and Jon Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow.
For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 2, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Evan Dunham
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, sas
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyEvan Dunham vs Paul Sass Added to UFC on Fox 2
A lightweight bout has been added to the UFC on Fox 2 card with Evan Dunham meeting undefeated British fighter Paul Sass.
Posted in: ufc, dunham, fox, evan, sas
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRashad Evans expected to fight Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2
It appears the UFC has started patching together their second show on FOX after the organization’s extremely successful debut on the network earlier this month. Though an official announcement has yet to come, a bout between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis has surfaced as the frontrunner for headlining duties at the January 28 event.
Davis and Evans were scheduled to square off at UFC 133 before “Mr. Wonderful” injured his knee, an outcome ultimately forcing Tito Ortiz into his slot who Evans went on to dispose of in prompt fashion.
News of the match-up was first reported by ESPN with multiple sources attached to the piece.
Evans should be in line for a title-shot with a win, having won his last three fights including those against Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson. The 16-1-1 Ultimate Fighter winner has been within arm’s reach of the light heavyweight championship on multiple occasions over the past year seeing them slip through his fingers due to a variety of health-related reasons.
Evans Talks UFC 140 Title-Fight Between Jones and Machida
Considered to be one of the brightest prospects in MMA, Davis saw his ascension through the ranks stymied by rough 2010 in which he only fought a single time, albeit an impressive showing against well-rounded veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. The win was the ninth of Davis’ career and maintained her perfect record with other past victories against Tim Boetsch, Alexander Gustafsson, and Brian Stann.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, rashad evans, evan, davi, mma davis
Read the full article at Fighters.comEvans vs. Davis headlines UFC on Fox 2
A light-heavyweight bout between top contenders Rashad Evans and Phil (Mr. Wonderful) Davis will reportedly headline UFC on Fox 2.
Posted in: ufc, fox, evan, lightheavyweight bout, phil mr
Read the full article at sportsnet.caSo there you have it, Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2
The first time I was in the vicinity of Phil Davis, I had to convince Pedro Carrasco from BJPenn.com that Davis was not Anthony Njokuani. To confirm my assumption, I walked up to this mysterious person and upon my approach, it was so obviously Phil Davis. In fact, it was silly for Pedro Carrasco to even mention that it could be Njokuani. I grabbed my camera, shoved it in Davis' face and asked him what the science was behind the pink shorts. I also wanted to know how it felt that a multitude of people considered him to be 'explosive', and he told me. Now that Phil Davis is scheduled to face Rashad Evans at UFC on FOX 2 in 2012, people will hopefully stop confusing him for Anthony Njokuani -- or Jon Bones Jones.
ESPN broke the news that Evans vs. Davis is slated to take place January 28th at UFC on FOX 2, which will hopefully resolve who will get their shot at the light heavyweight strap. Of course, that leaves Dan Henderson waving his hands in Temecula, California, screaming 'MMA fans, were you not entertained!?' Hendo is undoubtedly the unresolved piece of the 205lb puzzle that definitely needs to be accounted for in 2012. In a perfect world, we would see an immediate title unification bout between the Strikeforce and UFC light heavyweight champion. However, in the meantime we should just appreciate the illustration of Rashad Evans in the banner picture. [Source]
Posted in: ufc, phil, evan, davi, anthony njokuani
Read the full article at Middle EasyRashad Evans vs. Phil Davis named as UFC on FOX 2 headliner
After months of speculation on the scrap, the UFC appears to have finally booked former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans in a bout against undefeated grappling phenom Phil Davis. The two were originally set to face off at UFC 133 this past August but Davis was forced out of the fight with a hurt knee, leading many people to believe he and Evans would finish their business after he’d fully recovered.
Though not officially announced by the UFC, the match-up is expected to serve as the main event on January 28 when the organization returns to FOX for their second live event on the network.
News of the pairing was first reported by ESPN where multiple sources were cited.
Evans will undoubtedly be competing for a title-shot after watching fate deal him a bad hand over the past few months in terms of timing and injuries. “Sugar” ‘Shad has seen three championship clashes laid to waste due to injury, twice relating to his own health and once to that of divisional king Jon Jones. Evans is currently on a three-fight winning streak with victories over Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson, and most recently Tito Ortiz.
The 2012 tussle will mark the biggest fight of the 9-0 Davis’ career after proving he belonged inside the Octagon against elite opposition with a win over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFN 24. A decorated wrestler, the uber-athletic Davis has aldo found past success against notable opposition such as Tim Boetsch, Alexander Gustaffson, and Brian Stann.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, evan, davi, network news, organization returns
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainReport: Evans vs. Davis Headlines UFC on FOX 2
A bout between light heavyweights Rashad Evans and Phil Davis is reportedly scheduled to headline the second UFC on FOX card.
Posted in: ufc, fox, headline, phil davis, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans vs. Phil Davis to Headline UFC on Fox 2
After an injury cost him yet another title shot, former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans will return to the Octagon to face Phil Davis in the main event of UFC on FOX 2 on January 28th in Chicago, according to ESPN.
The pair were first booked to meet at UFC 133 in August, but Davis had to withdraw from the fight due to a leg injury. Evans went on to face replacement Tito Ortiz, defeating him via TKO in the second round.
During the fight, Evans (16-1-1) injured his hand, forcing him to postpone the opportunity to challenge Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title. Rather than waiting for Evans to heal, Jones decided to sign on to fight Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, which takes place December 10th.
Prior to the victory at UFC 133, Evans was set to challenge Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the title at UFC 128, but he had to withdraw from the fight due to a knee injury. Jones took his place, going on to defeat Rua for the championship.
Davis (9-0) has not fought since defeating Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in March at UFC Fight Night 24. Prior to this extended layoff, Davis fought five times in the span of thirteen months. The former All-American and NCAA national champion wrestler at Penn State is 5-0 in the UFC, including victories over Nogueira, Tim Boetsch, Alexander Gustafsson, and Brian Stann.
Evans and Davis are expected to be the main event of the UFC’s second event on FOX, after a rumored matchup between middleweight contenders Chael Sonnen and Mark Munoz fell through. The expected co-main event was also moved, as Jake Ellenberger vs. Diego Sanchez is now headlining UFC on Fuel TV 1.
UFC on FOX 2 takes place January 28th at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Other matchups set for the event include Demetrious Johnson vs. Eddie Wineland and Jon Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow.
For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 2, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Rashad Evans
Posted in: ufc, fox, event, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyRashad Evans vs. Phil Davis set for UFC on FOX 2 headliner
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis Bout Set for UFC on FOX 2
Filed under: UFC, News, UFC on FOXA light-heavyweight match pitting former division champion Rashad Evans and rising contender Phil Davis will take place at the upcoming UFC on FOX 2 show in January, sources told MMA Fighting on Wednesday, confirming an overnight report from ESPN.
Late on Tuesday night, UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that he could not yet confirm the show's main event. But while the promotion has yet to announce the pairing, barring any unforeseen setbacks, it is expected to be made official within days and is likely to serve as the headliner.
Evans (16-1-1) lost out on a pair of possible title shots against current champ Jon Jones due to respective injuries to both men over the last few months. At UFC 133, he was nearly set to face Jones until a hand injury sidelined the champ. Evans was then paired with Davis, but a knee injury scuttled that fight as well.
Instead, Evans ended up facing and defeating Tito Ortiz in a second-round TKO.
Unfortunately for Evans, he injured his hand during the fight and could not take a December 10 date with Jones either, allowing Lyoto Machida to step in and fight for the belt.
If Evans wins, the UFC will once again attempt to set him up for another title shot, this time against the Jones-Machida winner.
To do so, he'll have to get past the unbeaten Davis, who has not fought since earning a unanimous decision victory over Antonio Rogerio Nogueria in March. At 9-0, Davis has cracked the top 10 of most light-heavyweight polls, but the former Penn State collegiate wrestling All-American faces a big step up in competition against Evans. His knee now healed, he's being asked to jump right into top competition.
The UFC on FOX 2 card takes place at Chicago's United Center on January 28 and is the official kickoff to the seven-year deal signed between UFC and FOX in August. A one-hour teaser event held in November drew an average of 5.7 million viewers, with 8.8 million watching Junior dos Santos capture the heavyweight title by knocking out Cain Velasquez. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fox, injury, evan, davi
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on FOX 2 fight card and rumors for 'Evans vs Davis' on Jan. 28 in Chicago
Event: UFC on Fox 2: "Evans vs. Davis"Date: Sat., Jan. 28, 2012, at 9 p.m. ET on FoxLocation: United Center in Chicago, Illinois
Main Event:
205 lbs.: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Main Card (FOX):
185 lbs.: Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz135 lbs.: Demetrious Johnson vs. Eddie Wineland265 lbs.: Jon Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow
Preliminary Card (May not be televised):
TBA
*Fight card and line-up subject to change
For all the latest and greatest news and notes on UFC on Fox 2: "Evans vs. Davis" click here.
Posted in: fox, vs, lb, card, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaReport: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis To Headline UFC on FOX 2
It looks like the rumors were true. ESPN.com is reporting that Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis will headline UFC on FOX 2.
Rashad Evans and Phil Davis will meet in a light heavyweight bout slated for Jan. 28.
The fight, which multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.com, will take place at UFC on Fox 2, the promotion’s second show on the network.
The Evans-Davis fight is expected to headline the UFC on Fox 2 card, which takes place at the United Center in Chicago.
Evans and Davis were originally supposed to meet at UFC 133, but Davis suffered a knee injury which eventually led to Tito Ortiz filling in on short notice. Hopefully they both make it to Chicago healthy this time.
It still hasn’t been confirmed by the UFC, but Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz is expected to take the co-main event slot.
Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting
Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ConvertReport: Evans vs. Davis Booked for UFC on Fox 2
It appears that a light heavyweight battle between former UFC champion Rashad Evans and rising contender Phil Davis has been re-scheduled for UFC on Fox 2.
Posted in: ufc, fox, contender, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRashad Evans vs. Phil Davis Expected To Headline UFC on Fox 2
Originally scheduled for August but scrapped due to injury, Rashad Evans is once again set to face Phil Davis and the event will be January 28th's UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago, IL, according to ESPN.com's Brent Okamoto.
Evans (16-1-1) has famously been chasing a title shot for most of 2010 and 2011, but due to various injuries and delays, Evans has yet to cash on the opportunity he earned by beating Quinton Jackson in March 2010.
He returned to action in August against Davis injury replacement Tito Ortiz and defeated the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion by second round TKO. He was again slotted to face current champion Jon Jones, but a hand injury took Evans out of the top contender running and the opportunity was given to Lyoto Machida on December 10th.
The 27-year-old Davis (9-0) is undefeated in his three-year career and is 5-0 in the UFC with wins over Brian Stann, Alexander Gustafsson, Rodney Wallace, Tim Boetsch and most recently, a March decision win over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
Evans and Davis were set to battle at UFC 133 but Davis had to withdraw due to knee injury. Neither the UFC, Davis or Evans has confirmed via social media at the time of this writing.
Posted in: ufc, injury, evan, davi, threeyear career
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowPhil Davis vs Rashad Evans? Mr. Wonderful says, 'I'd like that'
Phil Davis is looking to cash in his rain check.
The undefeated light heavyweight phenom, who was forced to pull out of his UFC 133 headliner against Rashad Evans last August due to an injured knee, is ready to pick up where he left off as he prepares for his 2012 fight campaign.
Namely, in a main event opposite Evans. Davis, who thinks it's a fight that "makes sense," gives a "Wonderful" explanation to MMA Weekly:
"That may be a fight that makes sense. He’s still a top five guy, definitely one of the best guys in the world, we’ll see what happens. If that fight gets made, that’s still pretty cool. I’d like that. I personally don’t know or care, cause the great thing about me is you can give me somebody in the top five, or the top ten, or you can give me somebody not in the top ten, and I’m still confident that I’m going to win regardless. If you want to pay me not to fight someone not in the top ten, cool. Let me know what’s next. I don’t make the decisions and I don’t pretend that I do."
And the winner gets ...
The 205-pound division has yet to sort itself out.
Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida are set to do battle on Dec. 10 in Toronto and the winner may be looking at a 2012 title defense against Dan Henderson -- assuming "Hendo" doesn't try to finagle a middleweight rematch against Anderson Silva.
That means Evans, who has been flirting with a grudge match against "Bones," may still be one or two fights away from settling that score. And if "The Dragon" pulls off the upset north of the border, well, all match-making hell will surely break loose.
In the meantime, is "Evans vs. Davis a fight that interests you? And is it the right bout to make in relation to the current state of the division?
Thoughts?
Posted in: fight, rashad evans, evan, davi, i donrsquot
Read the full article at MMA ManiaBellator 57 Results & Recap
While the UFC was making network television history on FOX, the number two organization in the sport was chugging away on MTV2, providing closure for Bellator’s Season Five welterweight and middleweight tournaments. There were submissions, stunning strikes and hard-fought wars. How did it all unfold?
The evening began with a pairing between Brazilian submission specialist Alexandre Bezerra and Alaskan journeyman Doug Evans. It didn’t take long for the more-experienced Evans to stick his jab in his opponent’s face and mark him up. In response, Bezerra took things to the ground, and was soon cinching on a guillotine. Evans countered by lifting him up and slamming him, and from then on it was a race between the American’s constant barrage of fists from above and the Brazilian’s sub onslaught, which included two close armbar attempts (that Evans answered with slams) and a heelhook attempt. Bezerra was the one to ultimate find success, with that final heelhook ending up too tight for Evans to spin out of. The tap out came at 4:04 of Round 1, and though he took damage, Bezerra definitely impressed.
Former Division I collegiate wrestler John Hawk came to Bellator 57 a light-heavyweight on a mission. That mission? Defeat Canadian Roger Hollett. Mission: unaccomplished. Despite a distinct reach advantage, Hawk was unable to cope with Hollett’s wider array of striking techniques and overall confidence. This manifested itself in things like Hollett’s leg-kicks, which were sharp and accurate whenever Hawk planted himself; Hollett’s punching, which was measured and concise; and Hollett’s head-movement, which enabled him to get in range and avoid trouble. By Round 3 Hawk was seriously trying to push Hollett through the fence like a piece of cheddar through a cheese grater, and though the Canadian wound up with a cut over his left eye, none of it stopped Hollett from scoring meaningfully. When time expired the split decision went to Hollett, but it wasn’t as close as the scorecards made it seem.
Vying for a shot at 185-pound champ Hector Lombard was Russian Alexander Shlemenko and Brazilian Vitor Vianna, two men who’d waded through a tournament field comprised of tough but not stellar middleweights to meet in the tournament finals. Who wanted it more? Clearly Shlemenko, as Vianna – a capable jiu-jitsu black belt – inexplicably eschewed going to the ground and instead chose to face his foe where his foe does best (standing). There were spinning-kicks and backfists galore from the Russian, and no matter how many times Vianna put knuckles to his cheek, Shlemenko kept coming forward and a rarely took a step back. Vianna did have his moments, like the occasional instances where he his punches forced Shlemenko to pause, or the brief time in Round 3 when Vianna got him down. But it was all Shlemenko all day, and he came away with the clear-cut unanimous decision at the end of it.
TUF and UFC veteran Ben Saunders had the cards stacked in his favor entering this season’s welterweight tournament, and when he handled all in his way en route to the finals, it seemed like meeting up with champ Ben Askren was in his destiny. Fellow finalist Doug Lima never got that memo, apparently. Round 1 saw a lot of clinch-work against the fence and jockeying for underhook dominance, and when Lima caught a kick and dumped Saunders onto the mat, the American swept him, mounted him, and punished the Brazilian until the remaining seconds ticked away. Round 2 began to play out the same way, with the two battling it out against the cage, but after a restart Saunders came forward and walked into a hellacious right hand. He dropped, and Lima followed him down to deliver a storm of hammerfists. The referee called it off at 1:21 of the second round, and for his hard work and fistic ferocity, Lima has now earned the right to get the blanket treatment from Askren.
Results:
-Doug Lima def. Ben Saunders via TKO (Hammerfists) at 1:21 in Round 2
-Alexander Shlemenko def. Vitor Vianna via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
-Roger Hollet def. John Hawk via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
-Alexandre Bezerra def. Doug Evans via Submission (Heelhook) at 4:04 in Round 1
Posted in: round, shlemenko, evan, vianna, hollett
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans: If I got the chance to be a coach on TUF again, I'd do it
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15: Team Evans vs. Team Jones?
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, who not only won season two of the Spike TV reality show as a heavyweight, but also returned as a coach opposite Quinton Jackson for season 10, "loved" the experience and would "do it again" if the opportunity presented itself.
But as he tells Mirror.co.uk, he's not digging the new live format:
"I loved it. One of the best experiences I had was being a coach on (TUF). If I got the chance to be a coach on the show again, I'd do it. But the difference now is that it's live, which means I'd have to be in training camp too, so I don't know it it would be as fun. I like to have my things when I'm training, the comfort of my home and be able to do the things I like to do. It's kinda hard when you gotta be away for training camp. I don't think I'd wanna do it like that."
The TUF franchise is getting a complete overhaul for next season when it leaves Spike TV for the FX channel as part of the promotion's $100 million network deal with FOX.
Here's what to expect:
13 live episodes airing on the "FX" channel.
Live, two-hour season premier will feature 32 fighters facing off in "all-or-nothing" fights to earn their place on the show.After coaches pick their teams, they will choose who is eligible for each bout. Viewers can also vote on and influence prospective match-ups.
Each weekly show will be a "countdown" to that week's fight, which will air live at the end of each episode. Cameras will follow both winners and losers into the locker room following the fights.The season culminates in an all-live finale to crown the next TUF champion.
Evans would be open to returning, but would you be open to having him? How pumped would you be for a season that paired him off against Jon Jones?
Or the winner of Hendo vs. Shogun?
It would have to be a fight that could be shown on network television -- and that makes a "Suga" vs. "Bones" season unlikely. Then again, never say never.
Anyone have coaches in mind for next season?
Posted in: season, coach, tuf, evan, id
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 114
UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans
Date: October 29, 2010
Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
gate: $3.895 million
attendance: 13,081
Fighter Awards & Bonuses ($65,000 each)
- Knockout of the Night: Mike Russow
- Submission of the Night: Ryan Jensen
- Fight of The Night: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Jason Brilz
Play-By-Play
Salaries
Main Bouts (On Pay-Per-View):
-Rashad Evans def. Quinton Jackson by Unanimous Decision [...]
Posted in: ufc, night, quinton jackson, evan, rogerio
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyQ&A with Rashad Evans
submitted by muayguy [link] [comment]
Posted in: rashad evans, evan, muayguy, muayguy link, qa
Read the full article at RedditRashad Evans sees gold in Donald Cerrone’s future
Donald Cerrone has placed himself among the top-tier of UFC lightweights thanks to a current six-fight win streak.
Cerrone, who will meet Nate Diaz in the co-main event of UFC 141 on December 30 from Las Vegas, Nevada, has continued to catch the eye of former training partner and ex-UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans.
Evans was formerly with Greg Jackson’s MMA training center in New Mexico before leaving for his new team in Florida. However, “Suga” has maintained a watchful eye on the up-and-coming “Cowboy.”
“I definitely think Cerrone can win the title. I love to watch the way he’s grown in the sport,” said Evans in a recent interview with ESPN. “To watch his growth is ridiculous. I sit and watch how good he’s got and I get chills. He’d practice all day long. He’d practice, eat, take a nap, then practice some more.”
Cerrone has stopped four opponents inside the Octagon since joining the UFC earlier this year after the promotion brought in members of the WEC. Among his victims include submission wins over Dennis Siver, Paul Kelly, and Chris Horodecki.
From Evans’ standpoint, he remembers how little knowledge Cerrone has when it came to MMA after arriving at Jackson’s, saying, “He had virtually no wrestling at all – zero wrestling. And this ground was so-so. He was all stand-up. The work he puts in is paying off.”
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, evan, cerrone, practice, ’d practice
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainRashad Evans eager to work his way back to getting a title shot
Jon Jones or Lyoto Machida?
It doesn't matter who he gets, Rashad Evans just wants a fight.
On one hand, we have "Bones," the current UFC light heavyweight champion and "Suga's" former training partner. The former Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA stablemates have built up quite a rivalry over the last few months. Without recapping the roots and whole story of their beef again, it's safe to say that they simply do not like each other.
On the other hand, we have the "Dragon," the only blemish on Evans' near-perfect record (16-1). Evans and Machida first collided at UFC 98 back in 2009, a night that Evan's would like to erase from the history books.
If he can even remember it in the first place, of course.
Machida became the first man to defeat Evans by viciously knocking him out in the second round of their main event clash. In the process, the Brazilian took Evans' 205-pound strap and thus began the short lived "Machida Era."
Evans tells SportsVibe.co.uk that it doesn't matter who he fights, as he stands to gain something from each opponent, but he does have an event and date in mind:
"The recovery is going well and ideally I want to be back in February. We have an event on Super Bowl weekend so that would be great if I can fight on that card. Ultimately I want to work my way back to getting a title shot again so we'll have to see how things plan out. I would love to fight Lyoto again and rectify my loss against him and I would like the opportunity to fight Jones as well. I want to be the guy that solves the puzzle because I use to train with Jones; I know where I can beat him."
"Suga" and "Bones" were originally set to collide for the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 133 last August. However, an injury to Jones postponed the much anticipated fight.
In the interim, Evans participated in the UFC 133 event and picked up a victory over Tito Ortiz. A month later, Jones defended his title against Quinton Jackson at UFC 135, re-setting up the title fight with Evans.
Unfortunately, the fight would not come to pass as the injury bug reared its ugly head once again.
This time, it was Evans who was sidelined because of a nagging hand injury he picked up during his fight with Ortiz. UFC officials then awarded Machida the next shot at Jones. Evans is still next in line to battle the winner of Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida, which is set to go down on Dec. 10, 2011, at UFC 140 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Regardless of who he draws, a fight with Jones or Machida would have to serve as co-main event if indeed it took place over super bowl weekend. That's because the much anticipated event, which his tentatively scheduled to serve as UFC 143 on Feb. 4, 2012, is set to feature a colossal welterweight clash between UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre and Nick Diaz.
If both fights do get scheduled for SuperBowl weekend, the UFC will definitely have a massive success at the box office.
Who would you like to see welcome Evans back to the Octagon? The only man to ever defeat him in Machida, or the man who once considered Evans a brother in Jones?
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaClose Up: Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans sat down for an in-depth video interview, talking at length about the rift between him and former teammate and current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Posted in: champion, rashad, evan, teammate, rift
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRashad Evans: Jon Jones is going to need a therapist
“Suga” Rashad Evans is currently in the UK for UFC 138. WHOATV caught up with the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in the days before the Chris Leben versus Mark Munoz fight card and spoke to Evans on a variety of topics, one of which, of course, was current Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.
Evans pulled no punches when talking about Jones, "What happened between us, it’s all gonna play out, so it’s not so much about, it’s about like stealing your
Posted in: jone, heavyweight, champion, chris leben, evan
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans hosts UFC Fight Club Q&A session prior to UFC 138 weigh-ins
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans is heading across the Pond.
UFC officials recently announced that the often-outspoken current
contender has been tapped for a UFC Fight Club Q&A session prior to
November's UFC 138 event.
The gathering takes place on Friday, Nov. 4, prior to the day's official weigh-ins for "UFC 138: Leben vs. Munoz."
Posted in: ufc, fight, session, club, evan
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 137: Five Questions to Ask Following Georges St. Pierre's Injury
Without a doubt, this has been one of Zuffa's worst years on record. Low pay-per-view numbers have been connected to everything from oversaturation of the market, low quality main events, and a lack of stars, but the most visible reason has been the bevy of injuries that have sunk a few potentially high revenue events.
Most notably, a planned UFC 133 main event between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, a fight fueled with a mutual dislike between the two fighters, was canceled due to an injury to Jones' hand. NCAA champion wrestler Phil Davis stepped in to take on Evans, only to suffer an injury himself. He was replaced by Tito Ortiz, and the event only pulled in an estimated 310,000 buys.
A heavyweight title showdown between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos at UFC 131 in June suffered a similar fate. Velasquez suffered a torn rotator cuff, excluding him from the event and allowing Brock Lesnar to fill his role. Lesnar's placement on the card made it a sure-fire million buy show until he was removed due to the reemergence of his diverticulitis. Shane Carwin stepped in, sinking the expectations greatly for the show's success. It only drew 325,000 buys.
The business end of the sport has been the main focal point of the analysis surrounding yesterday's news, but it isn't the only pertinent question to ask in the aftermath. Here are five questions to consider:
What can we expect from UFC 137 following the loss of the headlining fight ten days from the event? Lower buys. Obviously, Georges St. Pierre is one of the UFC's biggest draws in the sport, and his absence from the card is going to turn off some fans. B.J. Penn vs. Nick Diaz is far from a terrible replacement however, so I don't anticipate a steep decline in the expectations for this card. Some analysts predicted buyrates north of 800,000, possibly 1,000,000. That's obviously not going to happen unless fans are completely ignorant to the news. I still think the card can do numbers greater than 650,000 buys, and that's a very successful card despite being well below the expected number with Georges St. Pierre headlining
Will Nick Diaz be available for media appearances now that he's in the main event?Unless you've been living under a rock, most fans know that Diaz was booted from the UFC 137 main event with Georges St. Pierre for not showing up to two consecutive press conferences. He has historically hated doing press for events, so it was no surprise that he didn't show up in Vegas after ditching out on a Canadian appearance because he lost his passport. White responded by giving him the boot and awarding Carlos Condit the job. Now that Diaz is back in the main event role on the event he was previously booted from, will Dana expect him to do press to pump up the card? I'm not holding my breath. The UFC has only ten days to drum up more interest in their new main event, and spending a ton of money attempting to push Diaz isn't going to affect the interest all that much. Diaz's challenge to B.J. Penn to make this fight five rounds may be the only thing that can stir up some beef between the two men, and it's too late for that sort of beef to get the spotlight it needs to fuel interest. That leads me to my next question.More questions after the fold...
Will B.J. Penn accept the five-round challenge from Nick Diaz, and does it add any intrigue?Five rounds has been a tough proposition for B.J. Penn in the past. Historically, he's faded in the late rounds against opponents who can press him, and Diaz fits the mold of a fighter who could survive Penn's early onslaught and maintain the pressure to win in the late rounds. It certainly adds a layer of intrigue for the hardcore fans who know how these two stack up stylistically.
Will Carlos Condit suffer the same fate as Rashad Evans by waiting?Remember when Evans decided to wait for his title shot when Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua pulled out of their scheduled UFC 128 showdown? It didn't work out so well as Evans got injured himself, allowing Jon Jones, his former training partner, to swoop in and take the title. Jones won the title, then Rashad got his chance once again... only to have Jones suffer a hand injury in the lead-up to the fight. The entire fiasco sidelined Evans for 15 months.From all indications, Georges St. Pierre's injury should only require a month or two off before he can return to training and get back into shape for an early 2012 showdown with Condit. That is, unless, something dramatic happens in the meantime. What happens if Nick Diaz pummels B.J. Penn in incredible fashion? Will he get his second chance? What if Georges St. Pierre suffers a setback, or Condit gets hurt? Rumors were swirling that both Josh Koscheck and Anthony Johnson were options for Condit on one-week notice. Time will tell whether this was a good decision or not.
Why was Brad Tavares vs. Dustin Jacoby promoted to the main card over Siver vs. Cerrone?The strangest decision the UFC made yesterday was the promotion of Brad Tavares vs. Dustin Jacoby to the main card of the UFC 137. The fight has zero interest among fans, and the only logical explanation is that the UFC wants to give fans not tuning into the pay-per-view a treat with Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone. Perhaps it's a move to create some hype around Cerrone. If he can win in impressive fashion, that's possible.
Posted in: ufc, diaz, event, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans jokes that he wants to face Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida tournament style
For a brief moment it looked as if former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans was finally going to get his long awaited shot at Jon Jones. However, the hand Evans injured while facing Tito Ortiz at UFC 133 did not heal fast enough to allow Evans to participate in UFC 140, which is scheduled to take place on December 10 at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Instead of facing Evans on that card, Jones will face another former Light Heavyweight Champion and the only man to defeat Evans, Lyoto
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, hand evans, card jones
Read the full article at Low KickThe Friday Morning MMA Link Party
No one has a party on a Friday morning except MiddleEasy and maybe a few other people that live in Hollywood. Lindsay Lohan has to be in there. Unfortunately, she doesn't run an MMA site so we are forced to exclude her from our Friday Morning MMA Link Party. The tap is outside on the porch, the cups are on the kitchen counter and remember, please don't spill anything.
[list class="bullet-6"] [li]My First Fight: Rich Franklin. [MMAFighting]
"By the time most fight fans so much as heard his name, Rich Franklin was already somebody. He had a successful UFC debut with a first-round TKO of Evan Tanner, then went on to shine at the very first Ultimate Fighter Finale, where he knocked out Ken Shamrock on Spike TV before claiming the UFC middleweight title in his next fight."
[/li] [li]Exclusive: Identity of Joe Son’s Alleged Prison Murder Victim Revealed. [CagePotato]
"The Kern County Sheriff’s Office Coroner today released the name of the deceased and the details surrounding the death of Joe Son’s cellmate in Wasco State Prison this week."
[/li] [li]Michael Bisping believes he is next in line for a shot at Anderson Silva. [Fives Ounces of Pain]
"Michael Bisping has made a name for himself by being a brash, outspoken fighter from England. He has two coaching stints on The Ultimate Fighter, and is a product of the reality show himself. Bisping, who is currently coaching opposite Jason Miller and will meet “Mayhem” in December, believes he is the next man to oppose UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva so long as he takes care..."
[/li] [li]Ed Soares: Chael Sonnen should take a number and wait for Anderson Silva. [LowKick]
"Anderson Siva's manager Ed Soares spoke to MMAJunkie.com about Chael Sonnen's unusual (but quite expected) outburst at his client during..."
[/li] [li]Florian's future in doubt. [NBC Sports]
"Kenny Florian's management team, First Round Management, issued a press release on Monday about Florian's future in the UFC. The press release, however, did not specifically state whether Florian would fight again after his third title fight loss to Jose Aldo on Saturday night at UFC 136."
[/li] [li]Rashad Evans Thinks Lyoto Machida Can Give Jon Jones Trouble (Update). [MMAConvert]
"Evans took the news surprisingly well when the UFC announced that Lyoto Machida would fight Jones for the title next. He even thinks Machida has a good chance of beating him, as he recently told Fight Hype."
[/li] [li]Jon Jones: “I Absolutely Cannot Lose Rashad Evans Fight”. [5th Round]
"Ion Jones was on the brink of settling his beef with Rashad Evans. Unfortunately for the light heavyweight champ, Evans’ surgically-repaired right hand prevented their UFC 140 shootout from going down."
[/li] [li]Georges St-Pierre Is the No. 2 Pound-for-Pound Fighter, Not Frankie Edgar. [Bleacher Report]
"Frankie Edgar made big waves in the world of MMA last weekend, successfully defending his UFC Lightweight Championship against dangerous top contender Gray Maynard at UFC 136..."
[/li] [li]MMA gear company “Manto” gets in trouble for NSFW ad with nipple slip. [The Fight Nerd]
"Yesterday, MMA gear company “Manto” posted a sneak preview of a photo from an upcoming photo shoot with two female models grappling. Unfortunately, this NSFW advertisement (which you can look at here if you are over 18) included a bare nipple poking out from one of the participants!"
[/li] [li]UFC Undisputed 3 roster: Light heavyweights. [MMAMania]
"UFC Undisputed 3, the latest entry into the popular mixed martial arts video game series from THQ, will hit store shelves in January 2012. The new edition features a bevy of interesting fresh features, including traveling back in time to fight in the now-defunct PRIDE organization ... complete with soccer kicks, stomps and Bas Rutten on commentary."
[/li] [li]Back to basics: takeaways from UFC shifting PPV start times back to 10 PM EST. [FightOpinion]
“There seems to be mass panic right now about the low rating the UFC 136 prelims on Spike drew for ratings last weekend, given the two fights on the card that hardcores were interested in. It’s just proof that what excites the hardcores and the announcing team isn’t always what draws. (Ask Bellator all about that phenomena.) Sometimes, guys like Leonard Garcia move the needle by bringing in 200,000 extra fans. Other times, a fight like Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens isn’t sexy enough of a battle for casuals to care about.”
[/li] [li]Hershman leaves Showtime for HBO. [MMAPayout]
"Broadcasting and Cable reports that Showtime sports head Ken Hershman is leaving to take the vacant HBO Sports opening. Hershman will become the president of HBO Sports replacing Ross Greenburg."
[/li] [/list]
Posted in: ufc, fight, li, evan, [/ li
Read the full article at Middle EasyJon Jones' Knows His Long Road to Rashad Evans Goes Through Lyoto Machida
Jon Jones makes it clear he still wants Rashad Evans, and we know Evans still wants him. But the road to each other has been filled with potholes and detours, and the waiting game continues, though neither is ever very far from the other's view.
With the specter of Evans hanging over the proceedings, the UFC on Wednesday officially announced UFC 140 and its main event of champion Jones against challenger Lyoto Machida.
The surprise main event was originally released by UFC president Dana White last week, after Evans' follow-up doctor visit determined he would need more time to rest his injured fight hand. Of course, the new pairing -- cemented by Jones, Machida and White at Toronto's Air Canada Centre -- promises a vastly different dynamic both in and out of the cage, with no past history between the men. For Jones, who had been expecting the long-awaited grudge bout, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
"I would prefer each fight to be a little more respectful. It is martial arts. But I'm OK with the other side of it, too. I understand there are two different fan bases. Some people like more of that warrior spirit, discipline and honor, and other people like more of the cage fighter, I'm-gonna-knock-you-out type stuff. So I'm getting more comfortable with both of them, and it is what it is."
That said, Jones (14-1) was clearly disappointed his chance at Evans was scuttled, even if he does have great respect for Machida, who is also a former UFC light-heavyweight champion.
Jones said he fully realizes that just because Evans will not be standing in front of him on December 10, there won't be any less to lose if he should fall to defeat. As such, he doesn't expect motivation to be an issue, even with this fight coming so close on the heels of his successful September 24 title defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
"I realize what I could lose in the fight that's in front of me, so when it comes to the question of getting up for the fight, it's definitely not an issue," he said. "And as far as getting up for the Rashad Evans fight, after all the drama of last year or so, it's a fight I absolutely cannot lose. I'm actually taught to think that no fight is a big fight. Don't fight the legend, just fight his body and see what happens.
'With Rashad, I'm really trying to teach myself, 'This is not a big fight, Jon. It's not a big fight, Jon,'" he continued. "But it's a huge fight to me right now. I wouldn't want to lose either one of them. So as far as getting up for fights, I'm up."
If Jones is to look past Machida, it could end up as a grave mistake. Despite losing two of his last three, Machida (17-2) is still a complex fighter with knockout power and a strong all-around game. Jones acknowledged that he's "never competed against anyone like him," and said he would spend time studying and learning Machida's tendencies.
Machida, as usual a man of few words, admitted that the initial offer to fight Jones took him by surprise, and that he believes his experience will "speak louder in this fight." Machida did reveal one interesting nugget though, saying that UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has already called him about working with him in preparation for the fight.
"I guarantee on December 10, I will very well prepared, and I can overcome his athleticism with my technique," Machida said.
If Jones emerges successful in the fight, he will have won four fights in 10 months, and run through a gauntlet of three former champions in the process. He's also gone from relative obscurity to fame in that time, a transition that has been known to affect many.
For Jones though, everything feels just about right.
"when i joined the sport, I always envisioned wanting to be the best, and trying to be the champion. So I tried to carry myself and think in that type of life, as if it was already so, even before it happened. So now that I'm here, I have this feeling as if I'm right where I'm supposed to be, and right where I worked to be, so i feel comfortable with everything that's happened."
UFC 140 will mark a quick return to Toronto for the promotion, which put on its landmark UFC 129 show in April, drawing over 55,000 fans and a gate surpassing $11 million at the Rogers Centre. The Air Canada Centre is a more traditional sports arena that seats just shy of 20,000 fans in its maximum seating configurations. In his remarks during the press conference, UFC president White called Toronto "without a doubt, the strongest market on the planet." In Jones, the promotion will be showcasing one of the strongest fighters on the planet, even if he comes with an unexpected opponent. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseDana White Says Rashad Evans 'Won't Wait' for Title Shot This Time
Rashad Evans' shot at regaining the UFC light heavyweight championship seems to be cursed. Originally scheduled to face then champion Mauricio Rua, the fight was delayed due to a Rua knee injury. Evans sat on the sidelines waiting for Rua to recover rather than staying active, only to suffer a knee injury of his own and see the title shot go to Jon Jones.
Evans was then put into position to face Jones for the title at UFC 133 but Jones pulled out of the bout with a hand injury. After Evans beat Tito Ortiz (the replacement for Phil Davis who replaced Jones) and Jones beat Quinton Jackson, it appeared we would finally see Rashad get his title shot. Instead, a hand injury for Evans forced him out and now Jones will fight Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
So will Rashad take a chance like he did with the Rua fight and wait on the sidelines for the champion to be ready after his own recovery?
Dana White says no. Via MMA Weekly:
He was like 'I'm not gonna sit around and wait again.' So he probably will (fight). We'll see how this whole thing goes down, we'll see what happens. Plus Jon Jones has fought four times in 10 months. It's crazy.
I'm not exactly sure what fight you go with for Evans that is relevant. The winner of the Rua/Dan Henderson fight would make sense, but White already laid out that whoever won would be in line for a shot behind Rashad. Not that they can't change the plan, but it made sense to have a clear path set up that the title fights would go down.
I'm sure we'll know more over the coming months.
Posted in: fight, title shot, title, jone, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowDana White: Rashad Evans doesn't want to sit around and wait for his title shot ... again
When former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans gets a 205-pound title shot, he likes to keep it. Even if it means indefinitely riding the pine while the division sorts itself out.
Not this time.
While Evans awaits a clean bill of health, Jon Jones will go ahead and defend his strap in the main event of UFC 140, currently scheduled for Dec. 10, 2011, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
As a result, the Jones vs. Evans grudge match has once again been put on the back burner.
"Suga" recently had surgery to remove pins from his reconstructed hand following his UFC 133 win over Tito Ortiz last August. The timing of the surgery, as well as the mandatory recuperation period, prohibited Evans from starting a training camp in time to make the Dec. 10 contest.
And UFC President Dana White tells MMA Weekly the former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 Champion will "probably" fight again before getting another shot at the belt.
"I told him that, 'you're the unluckiest guy I ever met.' Depending on the timing and how all this shit works out he will fight again. He wants to. He was like 'I'm not gonna sit around and wait again.' So he probably will (fight). We'll see how this whole thing goes down, we'll see what happens. Plus Jon Jones has fought four times in 10 months. It's crazy."
When Evans earned another crack at the crown in 2010, he decided to sit and wait for Mauricio Rua, who blew out his knee in his win over Lyoto Machida. White called him "insane" for not taking a fight while "Shogun" was hurt, informed him the window was closing on his title shot and blasted him with an "I told you so" moment following the UFC 128 fiasco.
Supportive boss is supportive.
Now it doesn't matter, as Evans apparently wants to keep busy. So who do you, as a fan, want to see him paired up with? What 205-pound match-ups for "Suga" intrigue you? Anyone think they'll try the Phil Davis fight again?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, title shot, jon jones, shot, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans Won’t Sit and Wait, But Title Picture Gets Muddied in the Meantime
Rashad Evans might just be the unluckiest guy in MMA.
Posted in: rashad, rashad evans, evan, title picture, unluckiest guy
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRole Reversal: Jon Jones says Rashad Evans is ducking him
Rashad Evans didn’t want to wait around this past summer for Jon Jones’ hand injury to heal, so Evans remained in the main event slot for UFC 133 where he went on to defeat Tito Ortiz. Jones, however, saw another specialist who revealed he could fight through the injury, and subsequently signed to face Quinton “Rampage” Jackson who he ultimately beat by way of submission.
To Evans, the entire scenario looked as if Jones was just trying to get out of their fight, so he called out “Bones” on the matter and the two had a nice, pleasant exchange (sarcasm implied). Now, with Evans recovering from a hand injury and not having enough time to prepare for Jones, the champion is calling out “Suga” for not taking the title fight at UFC 140. Instead, Jones will meet Lyoto Machida, who took the crown from Evans last year.
“(UFC President) Dana White basically needed someone to save (UFC) 140. I didn’t necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, ‘You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks. I’m already in shape. I already know what I want to do,’” said Jones, in an interview with MMAFighting. “Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, ‘Oh, I didn’t expect Jon to say yes. I don’t want to fight him that soon.’ So, in reality, he’s kind of the one who’s ducking the fight. I feel like he’s ducking the fight.”
Jones mentioned in several reports following his win over Jackson that he was looking to take the rest of the year off from fighting to spend time with his family and allow some minor injuries to heal up. But, the chance to get Evans in the cage was enough for him to put those decisions on hold. Now, he must prepare for “The Dragon” in a match-up that is sure to present problems.
“I just got a new car, I want to drive that around. I want to hang out with my family and relax and sleep in my own bed for once,” Jones said. “Dana White called me and said Rashad wants this fight. I gave him the fight he wanted and then he pulled out.”
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 140: Lyoto Machida the Only Option After Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Near Miss
The UFC dropped word on Thursday afternoon that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones would face former champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 in Toronto, Canada on December 10th. The news contradicted an earlier report by MMAFighting.com's Mike Chiappetta that Jones could face Evans on the same card. The long-awaited showdown between the squabbling former teammates hinged on whether Evans' hand injury would be cleared by doctors. Unfortunately, Evans stated that he needed three weeks rest following a procedure to remove pins from his hand on Wednesday before he could begin training again.
Naturally, shelved former champion Lyoto Machida, whom White stated in multiple interviews this past week had nobody to fight, moved into the role of contention due to the UFC's lack of a main event for UFC 140. The move bred mixed emotions from fans, many citing that Evans has once again been wronged by the UFC. Others loved the intrigue behind a showdown with Machida, a fighter who has an elusive style that could challenge Jones. Jones himself focused Evans, telling Ariel Helwani that Evans is "ducking the fight".
Understandably, some fans agree. Evans has been a thorn in Jones' back for months. Jones stepped up to the plate with nine weeks to train, and Rashad was unable to fulfill his end of the bargain. Evans had already previously stated that Jones would find a way to get hurt or say no to a proposed match-up. Jones proved him wrong.
Evans may have failed to put his money where his mouth is, but it isn't exactly his call. The implication that he had a choice was the furthest from the truth in this case. He had to be cleared to fight, and having pins removed from your hand the day of the proposed announcement isn't a good sign. Evans could have waited the three weeks to get back in the gym, putting himself and the UFC at a disadvantage. We want to see the best possible version of both fighters, correct? Rushing that fight as a UFC 140 main event showdown shouldn't happen then.
Even more perplexing in the aftermath of the change is the disgust among fans in White's choice of Lyoto Machida. It isn't a consensus opinion by any means, but it seems ludicrous to suggest Machida isn't an intriguing match-up. His 1-2 record in his last 3 appearances doesn't scream title contention and kicking the consciousness out of UFC legend Randy Couture is far a win that puts him into that role. Stylistically however, there is value in that fight.
Why didn't the UFC move Jones vs. Evans back to UFC 141 on December 30th? It gives Evans the three weeks he needs to recover and makes this inevitable showdown the headliner for the last event of the year. Historically, the last event garners high revenue, hitting 800,000 buys last year at UFC 124: St. Pierre vs. Koscheck II, a respectable 620,000 buys at UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez in '09, and over 1 million buys at UFC 92 in '08. Surely, pushing that fight back would guarantee a spectacular end of the year event.
Brock Lesnar, who will headline UFC 141 against Alistair Overeem, is going to bring in buys despite going up against a relatively unknown fighter to casual fans. The supporting cast doesn't need to compensate for anything, and we're still a long ways out from the event. Marquee match-ups can still be made for the event that aren't on the level of a Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans showdown. Why waste a perfectly good main event match-up that can produce serious heat on a card that already has enough drawing power?
UFC 140, on the other hand, needs help. With most of the star power locked up or hurt, there aren't any other options. Jones vs. Evans would have been fantastic, but it isn't possible at this point. Save it for an early event next year or a UFC on Fox card.
Complain all you want about the flawed logic in the progression of your new title challenger, it doesn't change anything. Machida offers an interesting style match-up, only lost to top five opponents, and is the only legitimate test available at this moment. Name another legitimate option. There aren't any.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, evan, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Says Rashad Evans Ducked UFC 140 Fight
When Jon Jones pulled out of the initially planned bout with Rashad Evans for a hand injury that he and his camp originally claimed would require surgery, only to not have any procedure done and take a fight with Quinton Jackson instead, many people (myself included) said that the way things broke down made Jones look like he had ducked Evans. Now, the tables have (kind of) been turned and Jones accepted the fight for UFC 140 only to have Evans say that a hand injury will have him unable to fight on the card.
Now, Jones is doing the very savvy thing and telling MMA Fighting that Rashad is now the one doing the ducking:
Did you tell the UFC that since Evans wasn't ready to fight in December that you would rather wait a month or two to fight him so you can finally put this beef behind you?
Well, Dana White basically needed someone to save 140. I didn't necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, 'You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks.' I'm already in shape. I already know what I want to do. Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, 'Oh, I didn't expect Jon to say yes. I don't want to fight him that soon.' So in reality, he's kind of the one who's ducking the fight. I feel like he's ducking the fight.
Rashad put himself in a dumb position by swearing up and down that he could fight at 140 and then, once the fight is offered, saying he can't get cleared. Jones is doing exactly the right thing in terms of handling it in the media.
He was made to look bad previously, and now he has flipped it and giving it right back.
How disappointed I am in not seeing Evans/Jones finally is totally separate from how happy I am to see Jon be aggressive in the media.
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones respects Lyoto Machida, but can't wait to put Rashad Evans "out of his misery"
Reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones, who will put his title on the line against Lyoto Machida in December, discusses his opponent and shares his thoughts on having to once again postpone his encounter with Rashad Evans. Jones says that he has a great deal of respect for Machida, but admits that he cannot wait to put Evans out of his own misery once and for all.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans “Understands” UFC Booking Jones vs. Machida for UFC 140
Rashad Evans will now have to wait even longer to get his long-awaited shot at reclaiming the UFC light heavyweight title, but says he “fully understands” the UFC’s decision to have champion Jon Jones face Lyoto Machida instead at UFC 140 in December while he recovers from a hand injury:
“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins. At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.
Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140. Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10. The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I’m asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly.”
Meanwhile, the war of words between Jones and Evans continues with no end in sight until at least 2012 as Jones told MMAFighting he feels his former teammate Evans is the one ducking their matchup:
Well, Dana White basically needed someone to save 140. I didn’t necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, ‘You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks.’ I’m already in shape. I already know what I want to do. Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, ‘Oh, I didn’t expect Jon to say yes. I don’t want to fight him that soon.’ So in reality, he’s kind of the one who’s ducking the fight. I feel like he’s ducking the fight.
Did the UFC make the right call having Jones fight again as soon as possible even though it’s not against the top-contender, or should they have waited to have Jones fight Evans just a few weeks later?
For the latest UFC news and UFC rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyRashad Evans comments on Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida match-up
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans hasn’t been one to bite his tongue when it comes to criticism of former teammate, and current title-holder, Jon Jones. However, rather than criticize news relating to Jones’ accepting a fight with Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, Evans spoke out on the matter this afternoon and only offered insight into his injury while showing acceptance of the UFC’s decision to make the December 10 match-up.
“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb which required it to be set back in place and held with pins,” Evans stated in a press release from his management team. “24 hours ago my physician removed the pins. At that time, I learned it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.”
Evans’ Finish of Ortiz Most Memorable Moment at UFC 133
“Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140,” Evans continued. “Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10. The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I’m asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly.”
Today’s news regarding Jones vs. Machida marked the second time a scheduled scrap between “Bones” and Evans was laid to waste due to a hand injury with Jones having to withdraw from a planned pairing in August at UFC 133.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, hand, evan, machida
Read the full article at Fighters.comRashad Evans ‘Fully Understands’ UFC’s Decision To Book Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins. At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand. (UFC President) Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140. Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10. The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I’m asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly.”
— Rashad Evans’ official statement on the UFC’s decision to book Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 140
I really don’t get why some people think that Jon Jones is ducking Rashad Evans here. I mean Jones’ whole hand injury fiasco from earlier this summer was definitely questionable. I’ll give you that, but this situation seems to be a simple matter of Evans being injured and the UFC needing a main event for UFC 140. I don’t agree with the direction they went in booking Lyoto Machida, but if they needed Jones to fight at UFC 140 and Evans is hurt, I fail to see how Jones is ducking him. If Rashad believed that, I’m quite sure he would have said something. Just saying.
Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, evan, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones: I feel like Rashad Evans is ducking the fight
Shots fired!
After Jon Jones won the light heavyweight championship by defeating Mauricio Rua at UFC 128, he was booked to square off against Rashad Evans at UFC 133 on Aug. 6.
That fell through when "Bones" had to pull out due to an injured thumb that he apparently needed surgery on. Only it later turned out he didn't need surgery, a fact that only came to light once "Suga" was already matched up with a replacement.
Naturally, this led to Evans claiming Jones was ducking him. But oh how the tables have turned.
Now that Rashad has defeated his UFC 133 challenger and Jones won his first title defense against Quinton Jackson this past Sept. 24, the UFC attempted to set up their fight once again for UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto.
This time, it was Evans who was forced to pull out with an injury. And now it's Jones' turn to make some ducking accusations, as told to MMA Fighting.
"Well, Dana White basically needed someone to save 140. I didn't necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks. I'm already in shape. I already know what I want to do. Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, Oh, I didn't expect Jon to say yes. I don't want to fight him that soon. So in reality, he's kind of the one who's ducking the fight. I feel like he's ducking the fight. ... He's tried to call me out on nine weeks notice. Obviously, who wants to fight on nine weeks notice? I just got a new car, I want to drive that around. I want to hang out with my family and relax and sleep in my own bed for once. And now Rashad calls me out, predicting that I would say no, to make me look like I was ducking him again, and I say yes, and now he says, Oh, I didn't know he would say yes. I don't want to fight him. He called Dana White, asked for 140, Dana White called me and said Rashad wants this fight. I gave him the fight he wanted and then he pulled out."
And the war continues in every venue possible ... except the Octagon.
Jones' time will now be almost completely occupied with preparing for Lyoto Machida, who he'll take on in nine weeks time on Dec. 10 in his second title defense.
It's a formidable test for the 24-year-old champion and one that, if he passes, will surely usher in a new era in the light heavyweight division.
If he hasn't already.
That means Evans will have to become an afterthought ... for now. But that doesn't mean the bad blood between former friends and training partners will go away any time soon.
As for Jones' claims, do you believe him? Is Evans really ducking the champion now instead of the other way around?
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans issues statement on decision to book Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida at UFC 140
You mad?
One might think Rashad Evans would be after news dropped today that his light heavyweight title shot, along with his grudge match, against Jon Jones went up in smoke.
And even worse, the one man that knocked him out cold, Lyoto Machida, would be taking his place at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
However, in a statement released today, "Suga" takes the complete opposite track and, in fact, says he's not upset at all. Injuries are an unfortunate part of the fight game and he knows that better than anyone.
It's because of that -- and his business savvy -- that he understands why the UFC made the decision to pass him up yet again. Here's what he had to say:
"After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins. At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand. Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140. Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10. The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I'm asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly."
Should the UFC have waited an additional three weeks to make the big money grudge match between Jones and Evans? Or did they make the right call inserting Machida and letting him take his best shot?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, jone, today, evan, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Explains Why He Is Fighting Lyoto Machida at UFC 140
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsUFC president Dana White dropped a bombshell on Thursday afternoon when he announced that Lyoto Machida, not Rashad Evans, would meet Jon Jones at UFC 140 for the UFC light heavyweight title in Toronto.
MMAFighting.com spoke to Jones after the news broke about why he is fighting Machida instead of Evans and his thoughts on the new opponent.
Ariel Helwani: How did this fight come about?
Jon Jones: The way the fight came about was Dana called me into his office just a few days ago and he asked me to fight Rashad Evans at UFC 140. Without hesitation I said, Absolutely. There's nothing I want to do more than to get past this Rashad Evans chapter in my career because it's been a nuisance. He's been the antagonist in my career. So, I'm predicting that maybe Rashad thought that I would turn the fight down, knowing that I just got done finishing my title fight. I'm sure he thought that I would say no to him and I'm sure he would have went with the approach of, Oh well, Jon Jones is ducking me again; he turns down the fight in nine weeks. To his surprise, I took the fight, and after I took the fight, he decides that his hand isn't ready and he's going to need more time. So, with me already agreeing with Dana that I would take a fight at UFC 140, Dana called me back and said, Hey, listen, Rashad decided that he can't compete at UFC 140, what would think about fighting Lyoto Machida? And I said, Absolutely. My feet were swollen after my fight, but they are healed now, and I want to fight. My health is good, I'm a young guy, and I want to fight. So I took the fight against Lyoto in nine weeks from now. This is four fights in 10 months against three former champions in the same year. I don't think that's ever been done.
Did you tell the UFC that since Evans wasn't ready to fight in December that you would rather wait a month or two to fight him so you can finally put this beef behind you?
Well, Dana White basically needed someone to save 140. I didn't necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks. I'm already in shape. I already know what I want to do. Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, Oh, I didn't expect Jon to say yes. I don't want to fight him that soon. So in reality, he's kind of the one who's ducking the fight. I feel like he's ducking the fight.
So you think he was trying to force your hand so you would look bad in the fans' eyes, but you then forced his hand?
Exactly. 100 percent that's what I'm trying to get at. He's tried to call me out on nine weeks notice. Obviously, who wants to fight on nine weeks notice? I just got a new car, I want to drive that around. I want to hang out with my family and relax and sleep in my own bed for once. And now Rashad calls me out, predicting that I would say no, to make me look like I was ducking him again, and I say yes, and now he says, Oh, I didn't know he would say yes. I don't want to fight him. He called Dana White, asked for 140, Dana White called me and said Rashad wants this fight. I gave him the fight he wanted and then he pulled out.
Is a part of you disappointed that this rivalry will now drag on even longer?
Obviously all my energy is on Lyoto Machida now. Rashad is just a small part of my being right now. I don't really think about Rashad that much. But it annoys me. The reason why I took the fight on nine weeks notice is because I wanted it to be over. Like I said, Rashad is the biggest antagonist of my career. He's the biggest hater. He has so much envy. I don't write him, he writes me. He harrasses me pretty much. He is so envious and so jealous and it's so obvious, he doesn't even try to hide it. And after I beat him, he's going to hate me even more. So, pretty much the only reason I took the fight is because I thought I was fighting Rashad, and now that I'm fighting Lyoto, obviously I'll get up for Lyoto because Lyoto is a worthy and awesome opponent, way better than Rashad Evans, I think. So to anyone who thinks I would duck Rashad by not waiting, let them know that there's nothing more than I would want to do than fight Rashad Evans. Dana asked me to fight at UFC 140, so I am doing this for the UFC.
Do you think Rashad should have to fight someone else now before fighting you?
Yeah. Obviously, I want to fight him. But how long are you going to get to wait and sit around? You go from not fighting for a whole year, and then you get a fight like Tito Oritz, which everybody knows where Tito is at in his career, and now he just gets to sit around and be the No. 1 contender again? It looks like he's the one that's sitting on his glory and riding his glory. There's tons of guys out there. I think when he gets better, he should have to fight Phil Davis or Dan Henderson. How does he get the right to just sit around and say who he is going to fight and when he is going to fight and continue to be the No. 1 contender while everybody else fights all year long?
What do you think about fighting Machida?
I feel great about the fight. Lyoto, I respect him dearly. He's an awesome, awesome guy. I love the way that he carries himself outside of the Octagon. He has a little bit more of that warrior spirit, something that I believe I have, as well. I'm excited to fight somebody with honor. Somebody who respects this sport. You know, fighting a guy like 'Rampage,' all the talk and making our sport look bad. Fighting a guy like Rashad, all the talking, you know, it's not WWF, it's the UFC. Lyoto understands that. So I'm excited to not have to be forced to talk so much. Not be forced to degrade my opponent verbally, but to compete against him the way it's supposed to be.
I think Lyoto Machida is a tougher fight for me than Rashad Evans. I'm fighting the guy who knocked out Rashad Evans. Lyoto is a a completely different test for me. He's the first southpaw that I've ever fought. Rashad sat out a whole year and waited for Shogun. I'm not taking off a year. I think Rashad is the one that needs to be questioned. His credibility needs to be questioned. He said he had a knee injury, now it's a thumb injury. What's it going to be next? He's going to have a toe injury? I'm not the one who took off a whole year to wait for a fight. I'm fighting in between fights. I'm looking to fight as much as possible. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, rashad, evan, lyoto
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones vs Lyoto Machida Announced by Dana White for UFC 140: But Why So Soon?
In a move that will most assuredly confound those who watched Jon Jones complain about Rashad Evans spoiling another big night at 135 for him, it will be Machida, not Evans, who will contend for Jones' belt at UFC 140 in Toronto.
Jonathan Snowden is making the case that this is not a proper matchup. The facts are more or less on his side: Machida blasted Randy Couture with a move he learned from Mr. Miyagi, but Couture is almost 50 years old. Prior to that particular waxing, Machida had suffered the only two losses of his career: to Shogun, and a questionable decision to Quinton Jackson.
Snowden is right, but if it's true Evans is injured, then this is simply the best fight available for Jones right now. And it's certainly not a bad one. For one, Machida is not a fighter that can be shopped around to available contenders: his style is too difficult for relative neophytes to deal with, and so as much as it might be interesting to see Machida against a Gustaffson or Davis, there's simply no upside.
Second, Machida offers an interesting style matchup. I've long been a defender of Jones, but I've always defended Jones against the ham fisted criticism thrown his way. His abilities are still a work in progress. Machida offers unique challenges in terms of how Jones will respond to a fighter with very different fundamentals on the feet. I don't think Machida will win, but it's an interesting matchup.
The second part of this story (besides Rashad Evans' rotten luck) is why the UFC has chosen to announce the fight so soon. This was part of a minor twitter debate between writers as the story broke.
I realize the UFC wants to garner interest in this fight, especially as they try to cover the tracks of leading fans to believe Jones was fighting Evans. But I'd like to see the UFC show a little more confidence in their smaller cards. With FOX on the horizon, there won't be any room for the UFC to hide the little guys, and pretend fans only care about HW, LHW, and St. Pierre.
Now while they near the eve of UFC 136, the MMA media are overly concerned with questions about Jones, Evans, and Machida: hogging the spotlight (in a seeming never ending saga) that the main eventers in Houston deserve. Zuffa was willing to "take one on the chin" going to the UK. Why not "take one on the chin" for the lighter weights? UFC 136 is an absolutely great card: the type of card you'd want to show to a mass audience with the level of talent and ability on display. It'd be nice if Zuffa didn't just pay lip service to the quality of the card. Something that could have been accomplished with just the small gesture of not announcing Jones/Machida so early. But then how much is three days worth for UFC 140? Shows what I know I guess.
Poll
On a scale of 1 to "Exposed", what chance does Machida have against Jones?
Exposed. Machida will expose Jones' deficiencies on the feet and it will be the greatest upset of all times. Sort of.
1. Machida's getting destroyed. He's got no way of getting inside.
1 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, jone, card, evan, machida
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendJon Jones scheduled for title-fight in Toronto
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones has an official opponent for his next title-defense but, as it turns out, he won’t be facing Rashad Evans. Rather, Jones will lock horns with Lyoto Machida on December 10 at UFC 140 as the main event of a stacked card already featuring Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir.
The UFC announced the pairing earlier today. Evans, who was next in line for a shot at his former teammate’s belt, was unable to accept the fight after undergoing a procedure to repair damage in his hand suffered during an August win over Ortiz.
While Machida may not make for an ideal opponent given his recent record the former 205-pound champion should make for an interesting match-up from a stylistic standpoint. Only 2-2 in his last four fights with one win involving a questionable decision over Mauricio Rua and the other a beatdown of Randy Couture, “The Dragon” holds an overall record of 17-2 with impressive wins in the past over Evans, Ortiz, and Thiago Silva.
Jones has been untouchable for the most part since bursting onto the UFC scene three years ago. He is 14-1 in his career with the only loss involving a disqualification after landing an illegal elbow in a bout he was clearly en route to winning. The 24-year old New Yorker is coming off submission success against Quinton Jackson in September, the first time “Rampage” had been finished in more than five years.
“Bones” Baffles Jackson in Dominant UFC 135 Win
The card for UFC 140 also includes Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung and Brian Ebersole vs. Rory MacDonald.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, rory macdonald, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 140: Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida (not Rashad Evans) announced for Toronto
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will defend his 205-pound title in the main event of UFC 140, currently scheduled for Dec. 10, 2011, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, according to UFC President Dana White's official Twitter account.
But it won't be against Rashad Evans.
That's because "Suga" recently had surgery to remove pins from his reconstructed hand following his UFC 133 win over Tito Ortiz last August. The timing of the surgery, as well as the mandatory recuperation period, prohibited Evans from starting a training camp in time to make the Dec. 10 contest.
Enter "The Dragon."
Former division champion Lyoto Machida, who knows a thing or two about ruling the 205-pound roost, will bring his elusive style to try and combat the unorthodox offense of the lanky Jones, who to date has looked virtually unstoppable inside the cage.
You know the old cliche ... "styles make fights." Early predictions?
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, evan, recuperation period
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans understands the reasoning behind Jones vs. Machida
Yesterday there was some speculation that UFC 140’s main event would feature the long awaited bout between current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and former Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans. When UFC President Dana White got wind of that talk he quickly put it to rest, flatly stating, via Twitter, “Don't listen to these HACK s**t websites!! Jones vs Evans is not true.”
Earlier today White announced the fight that was going to headline the December 10 card, Jones versus
Posted in: ufc, jone, jones vs, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Low KickEvans on Jones-Machida: "I fully understand"
With today’s announcement of the UFC 140 main event between champion Jon Jones and challenger Lyoto Machida, former champion Rashad Evans will be forced to wait a little longer for his shot at regaining the belt due to a serious injury to his thumb which will not have him ready for the December 10th date."After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins,” said Evans in a statement released on Thursday. “24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins. At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.”“(UFC President) Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140,” continued Evans, who has won three in a row, defeating Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson, and Ortiz. “Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10. The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I'm asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly."
Posted in: ufc, quinton jackson, evan, thumb, thiago silva
Read the full article at UFCRashad Evans Has Pins Removed From Hand, Details On Return
Rashad Evans had pins removed from his injured hand on Wednesday and will resume training camp in three weeks.
Posted in: rashad evans, hand, evan, training camp, pin
Read the full article at Heavy MMARehab Time on Injured Hand Forced Rashad Evans Out of Potential UFC 140 Bout with Jon Jones
Rashad Evans really, really wanted to fight Jon Jones in December.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan, rehab time
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Not Happening at UFC 140
A grudge match between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former teammate Rashad Evans is unlikely to take place until 2012 after UFC President Dana White denied reports on Wednesday that the fight was in the works for UFC 140 in December while Evans continues to recover from hand surgery following his August win over Tito Ortiz.
Jones (14-1) defended his title for the first time with a fourth-round submission of former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135 on Sept. 24 and Evans joined him in the Octagon to be announced as his next challenger, but the UFC is waiting for Evans to recover before setting a date for their matchup.
White said at Wednesday’s UFC 136 press conference that the main event is not yet set for UFC 140, with the card already featuring Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
For the latest UFC news and UFC rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Jon Jones
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, ufc news
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans could headline UFC 140 in December
The UFC brass is looking to strengthen their return to Canada in December by adding a title fight to headline the show. Not just any title fight though. UFC president Dana White is hoping that the highly-anticipated light heavyweight title showdown between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will headline UFC 140. Whether or not the fight will take place in December hinders on the health of the two combatants.
News of the bout was first reported by MMAFighting.com.
At UFC 133, Evans injured his hand in a victory over Tito Ortiz. After finishing “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” in the second round of their bout, Evans had to have pins inserted into his right hand and has been in a cast since the bout. He is scheduled to see the doctor on Wednesday and hopes to be cleared for competition. The former light heavyweight champion has had a string of bad luck when it comes to the 205 strap ever since losing the title to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. Scheduled to get a title shot at UFC 128, Evans had to pull out of the fight with Mauricio Rua due to a knee injury. Jones replaced Evans in that fight. The bout between the former training partners was originally set to go down at UFC 133, but Jones “faked a hand injury” according to Evans, leaving Rashad to fight Tito and Jones to defend his title against Quinton Jackson a month later.
Jones submitted Jackson in the fourth round of their title fight on September 25, and the December 10 turnaround might be too quick for the 24-year-old to handle. Also standing in the way is the fact that Jones was suspended for six months following UFC 135 and needs to be cleared by a doctor before he can step foot back in the octagon. Following his victory over Jackson, “Bones” refused to talk about Evans saying, “he’s ruined my moment twice now” in reference to Evans entering the octagon after Jones’ victories over “Shogun” and “Rampage.”
UFC 140 is scheduled for December 10 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. Also on the card is a heavyweight rematch between former champions Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
*PHOTO CREDIT – UFC*
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Targeted For UFC 140
The UFC is targeting a grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans for UFC 140 in December.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAReport: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans targeted for UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto
The sooner, the better.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones versus division number one contender Rashad Evans could be the new main event for UFC 140 on Dec. 10, 2011, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, according to a report from MMA Fighting.
This marks the second time this year the promotion has attempted to pair them off to settle their longstanding feud.
Jones pulled out of was forced to withdraw from his title defense against "Suga" earlier this year to have surgery on his mangled thumb following his championship win over Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 last March.
Evans, who was torched by UFC President Dana White (and most of the mixed martial arts community) for waiting out his title shot against "Shogun" back in 2010, was pressured into decided to get back into action against former division champion Tito Ortiz at UFC 133 on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia while "Bones" was on the mend.
And before the ink was dry on the "Evans vs. Ortiz" contract, Jones re-emerged to announce he wouldn't be needing surgery after all and had agreed to defend his title against Quinton Jackson at UFC 135.
Of course that went over like the proverbial lead balloon with Evans, and the former teammates have launched verbal nukes via their Twitter accounts and even had to be separated at a Las Vegas nightclub.
In summary: Jones is a fake-ass white boy and Evans is a jealous snake.
While nothing is official at this time, the report indicates that an announcement is expected within the next 48 hours, pending medical clearance of Jones, who needed to check-in with his doctor following his win over "Rampage" earlier this month.
Until then, let's have at it. Any stateside fight fans bummed this contest is being considered for Toronto and not "Sin City" or even California?
Or is it all the same since most of us just get it through some choppy online stream on pay-per-view anyway?
Thoughts?
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, twitter accounts, arts community
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Likely for Main Event in Toronto
According to a report from MMAFighting.com's Mike Chiappetta, the UFC is targeting UFC 140 as the event to host a light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans:
The UFC is targeting December's UFC 140 for the long-awaited Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans light-heavyweight title bout, MMA Fighting has learned from sources with knowledge of the situation.
The fight is not yet official, but appears likely to be announced within the next 24-48 hours. UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that he could not yet announce a UFC 140 main event, but might possibly be able to do so by the end of the day.
Before that can happen, at least one hurdle must be overcome. Evans has to be cleared from a hand injury suffered in his recent UFC 133 win over Tito Ortiz. That injury required pins to be inserted into his hands, but Evans' coach Mike Van Arsdale told MMA Fighting that he was scheduled to visit the doctor on Wednesday and expected Evans to be cleared.
The grudge match has been in the making ever since Evans and Jones exchanged barbs following a falling out as teammates under Greg Jackson. The heated animosity between the two men hasn't softened one bit as Evans has consistently talked about how Jones is fake publicly. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Jones' latest victim, had similar comments for the young champion in the lead-up to their UFC 135 showdown two weeks ago. The 'beef' should provide the perfect background for an attention-grabbing, action-packed main event.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowReport: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Planned For UFC 140 Main Event
So much for giving Jon Jones a little time off.
MMA Fighting is reporting that the long anticipated friends-turned-rivals showdown between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans is being targeted for the UFC 140 main event in Toronto.
The UFC is targeting December’s UFC 140 for the long-awaited Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans light-heavyweight title bout, MMA Fighting has learned from sources with knowledge of the situation.
The fight is not yet official, but appears likely to be announced within the next 24-48 hours. UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that he could not yet announce a UFC 140 main event, but might possibly be able to do so by the end of the day.
According to the report, the only obstacle is Rashad Evans’ hand that he injured during his fight against Tito Ortiz at UFC 133. Rashad still has to be cleared before they can make it official, but his coach Mike Van Arsdale believes that will happen as soon as today when Rashad sees the doctor.
Maybe we won’t have to wait after all.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC Targeting Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans for UFC 140 Main Event
submitted by ju11ce [link] [16 comments]
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at RedditUFC Targeting Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans for UFC 140 Main Event
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsHOUSTON -- Get ready for the grudge match.
The UFC is targeting December's UFC 140 for the long-awaited Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans light-heavyweight title bout, MMA Fighting has learned from sources with knowledge of the situation.
The fight is not yet official, but appears likely to be announced within the next 24-48 hours. UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that he could not yet announce a UFC 140 main event, but might possibly be able to do so by the end of the day.
Before that can happen, at least one hurdle must be overcome. Evans has to be cleared from a hand injury suffered in his recent UFC 133 win over Tito Ortiz. That injury required pins to be inserted into his right hand, but Evans' coach Mike Van Arsdale told MMA Fighting that he was scheduled to visit the doctor on Wednesday and expected Evans to be cleared.
Van Arsdale told MMA Fighting he had no knowledge of the rumored December date, but said a clean bill of health would make Evans' participation in a Dec. 10 fight feasible.
"I think if they give us any date, I can get him ready to beat Jon," he said. "I'm not overly concerned about Jon like everyone else is. My fighter has the ability, tools and the determination to beat him. As long as he's healthy, and I have eight or nine weeks with him -- and it's right around that right now, that's all I need."
Jones, meanwhile, is coming off his fourth-round submission win over Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 135 just two weeks ago. A bout at UFC 140 would mark a quick turnaround for the 24-year-old.
If UFC officials could navigate these issues, Jones and Evans will finally bring their long-held grudge to the octagon. The two were infamously once teammates at the Greg Jackson camp in New Mexico before parting ways earlier in 2011.
UFC 140 will take place in Toronto's Air Canada Centre. It will be the promotion's first time back since its massive Rogers Centre spectacle set records by drawing over 55,000 fans and an $11 million gate. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, mma, jon, jone, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseDana White Giving Jon Jones Some Time Off, Rashad Evans Afraid Jones Will Pull Out Again
Jon Jones was seen limping around backstage after handily defeated Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135. Jones claimed he only had sore shins, but of course some skeptics wondered if it was something worse.
Well, according to Dana White, it wasn’t. He told MMA Junkie over the weekend that he spoke to Jones and the only thing bothering him now is a sore calf. That doesn’t mean Jones will be back in the cage right away though. Dana also said he’s going to give him and Rashad Evans some time off before they finally settle their beef.
“He’s good,” White, who recently met with the 24-year-old champ, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “He’s 100 percent. I talked to him [on Saturday], and he said he feels great. The only thing that’s sore on him is his calf. It’s a little sore.”
“I’d like to give these guys time to rest and give them a little break, so we’ll see what happens,” White said.
If you ask Rashad Evans about it though, he isn’t quite as confident the fight is going to happen. In an interview with Pro MMA Radio last week, Evans voiced concern that Jones is going to pull out of their fight again. Transcription via MMA Mania:
“I just want to fight this dude bad. Jon knows what I can do to him. Do you think that Jon pulled out of the first fight because he was confident? No! He was afraid, and watch him try to pull out of this fight too. Watch him be like ‘Oh my foot is hurt’ or something like that to try and get out of this fight to try and make me fight somebody else. When it comes down to it, the kid, he doesn’t want it.”
Well, if it does happen, it doesn’t look like it’s going to until next year. Hopefully, it’s worth the wait.
Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans: Watch Jon Jones get hurt and try to pull out of our fight ... again
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Rashad Evans and Jon Jones really don't like each other.
Evans was supposed challenge the UFC light heavyweight champion back on August 6 at UFC 133 in Philadelphia; however, a pesky thumb injury forced Jones to pull out of the fight -- one that was booked just a few weeks after his UFC 128 title win over Mauricio Rua.
"Bones" was set to have surgery to repair a reoccurring injury he said was bothering him since his college days, sit out a couple months to recover, then defend his newly-won title. Much to the chagrin of Evans, who had already been out of the cage for over a year, he accepted a replacement fight against rising 205-pound powerhouse, Phil Davis.
Fast forward a few days after the "Evans vs. Davis" fight announcement and news broke that Jones had elected to not have surgery and was ready to take a fight.
Here is Jones manager, Malki Kawa, explaining the situation via Twitter back on May 13th:
"We went to meet with the surgeon on wed and after he looked at @Jonnybones he thought that surgery was a bit invasive and bones didn't have ... to have if he didn't want to. @Jonnybones decided against surgery and we immediately met with dana and lorenzo the next day to get his next fight scheduled ... No @Jonnybones is not fighting rashad. Rashad is fighting phil davis.
Of Course, Evans was quick to hit Twitter with his thoughts:
"Question: if u r or were so confident then y fake a thumb injury? Cuz just between me & y'all he don't need surgery! ... but I ain't one 2 gossip so u didn’t hear it from me! (ala Living Color) 4 u young folk! Lol ... If I'm lying, I'm dying! Ask @jonnybones when is his surgery & who was his dr! He so fake he fake surgeries!! Now that's fake!"
Twitter me this, twitter me that.
Moving past the tweet war, both Jones and Evans received new match-ups in Quinton Jackson and Tito Ortiz, respectively. They both defeated their opponents, rather easily, to finally set up the much-anticipated fight between the former training partners.
The anticipation is unbearable and the tension is at an all-time high, but will the fight ever happen? If you ask Evans, he thinks we may have a case of Deja-Vu.
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 champ, doing his best Ms. Cleo impression on Pro MMA Radio, has a feeling that Jones might come down with another injury to buy more time and avoid the fight:
"I just want to fight this dude bad. Jon knows what I can do to him. Do you think that Jon pulled out of the first fight because he was confident? No! He was afraid, and watch him try to pull out of this fight too. Watch him be like 'Oh my foot is hurt' or something like that to try and get out of this fight to try and make me fight somebody else. When it comes down to it, the kid, he doesn’t want it."
Oh the drama.
Evans claims he would repeatedly get the best of Jones during their days of training together and truly feels he has Jones number. Jones, on the other hand, feels Evans is merely reliving over and over one successful training day the two shared where Rashad did indeed keep Jones on his back for the majority of the session.
"Suga" will have the chance to prove once and for all that he is the one to dethrone the young champion and have the final laugh against his former team and training partners. In the process, he can reclaim the title that was once his, the one he longs to have around his waist.
For the sake of avoiding the "I told you so" speech from Evans and fans alike, Jones can truly not afford to get injured from here until the date is set for their pending match-up. If Jones does indeed get injured again, Rashad states he has no problems waiting for him.
He has benched himself before in order to preserve his title shot, and seemingly has no problems doing it again; especially if it means he can finally teach "Bones" a lesson.
This has truly become a great rivalry and one of the most anticipated match-ups in recent memory. Not since the trash-talking days of "Liddell vs. Ortiz" or "Ortiz vs. Shamrock" has there been genuine dislike for each other from opponents.
This fight promises to deliver on all levels and one can’t help but to eagerly await the day when we get to see these two bitter rivals step into the Octagon and have the cage door shut and locked behind them.
Of course, barring any injuries occur. Anyone think Evans has predicted the future? Or is he just stuck in the past?
Sound off!
Posted in: fight, jone, day, evan, surgery
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 136: Why did Melvin Guillard leave Jackson's MMA to go train with Rashad Evans?
Because Melvin Guillard's coaches work for him, not the other way around.
That's according to the surging UFC lightweight "Assassin," who told Sherdog.com that he needs to get the best possible training for his upcoming fight against Joe Lauzon at UFC 136 on Oct. 8 in Houston.
Even if it means temporarily shacking up with "Suga," who may not be on the best terms with the boys in Albuquerque:
"I know a lot of people look at it like, ‘How are you at Jackson’s and you train with Rashad?’ Well, Rashad’s been like a brother to me since Season 2. Jon ... he’s my boy, he’s my teammate. I stay out of their beef, and I keep myself neutral to everything. For everybody that don’t know, that’s what it is. I still love Rashad like a brother, and I love Jon like a teammate. There are gonna be other times when I’m gonna go to Imperial, and I’m probably gonna train there again ... Until it presents a problem as far as my coaching goes, then I’ll deal with it when it comes. I’m my own boss; my coaches work for me, so it’s whatever I choose that I want to do to be successful in this game. I’m going to take those options."
Evans "filed for divorce" against the Jackson camp and joined Imperial Athletics after his highly-publicized falling out with former teammate Jon Jones, who stepped in for Evans and brought home the belt after neutralizing "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128 earlier this year.
As with any celebrity break-up, this one was public and messy, with mud being slung from pillar to post as the world's top two light heavyweights prepare for war at an event to be named.
And that leaves Melvin Guillard stuck in the the middle.
"The Young Assassin" made a name for himself in the short time he was on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 reality show, where he shared a house with Evans, who would go on to capture the TUF crown as a heavyweight.
Guillard makes no apologies for staying loyal to his friends, but will it eventually become the catalyst for drama between the opposing camps? Are we looking at another "Spy-Gate?"
And are you applauding Melvin for his actions? Or shaking your head?
Posted in: &rsquo, i &rsquo, melvin guillard, guillard, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: Rampage Jackson prepared me for Rashad Evans' trash talk
Speaking to MMAWeekly.com, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones discussed the psychological warfare expected prior to encounter with the former best friend Rashad Evans, claiming he's more than ready for any tricks Rashad Evans brings to the table. According to Jones, Quinton Jackson's pre-fight trash talk prepared him for Rashad Evans, whose attendance to Psychology classes won't make any difference:
“Even on a marketing standpoint, me and Rampage do all this selling fights and then
Posted in: rashad, rashad evans, evan, pre-fight trash, marketing standpoint
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones Excited to See What Happens When He Goes Turbo on Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans talks about training with Jon Jones and knowing what he's got; Jones knows the same is true in reverse. He's just ready to see what happens when they go turbo.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan, turbo
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyFight Day: Rashad Evans Talks Jon Jones, More
Rashad Evans joined the Fight Day set last Saturday to preview Jones vs. Rampage and much more. Check out the full video inside.
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad evans, fight day, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones vs Rashad Evans odds: Who opened as the -475 favorite?
According to noted oddsmaker Nick Kalikas of BetOnFighting.com, it's none other than Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. "Bones" opens as a massive -475 favorite headed into his showdown against Rashad Evans, which is still awaiting a date, time and place.
"Suga" comes in as the major underdog at +325.
Anyone jumping on this line with wallets wide open? Or do you expect a dramatic shift as we get closer and closer to fight night?
It's no surprise, really, that Jones is getting so much love from oddsmakers. The 24-year-old phenom has run through every opponent put across from him, including becoming just the second man to submit Quinton Jackson at UFC 135 on this past Sept. 24.
Does the same fate await Evans somewhere down the road? Or does his inside knowledge of Jones tendencies give him an edge that no other light heavyweight will enjoy?
Evans finally returned from a long layoff on Aug. 6 at UFC 133 to rematch Tito Ortiz in a 205-pound bout to determine if he was still ready to challenge for the division title.
Test passed ... with flying colors.
"Suga" Rashad dominated the contest having his way with "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy." He's doing what he can to convince us he'll do the same to his former teammate but should we believe him?
Can Evans end the Jonny "Bones" Era before it ever picks up any steam?
We're still a ways away from fight time, Maniacs, but who do you like for your money and who ya' got straight up?
To see the "Jones vs. Evans" odds and betting lines plus all the action for upcoming UFC and Strikeforce events click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, fight time, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Opens as Huge Favorite Over Rashad Evans At the Sportsbook
Jon Jones has opened as a big favorite in his next light heavyweight title defense against former champion Rashad Evans.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRashad Evans: 'Jon Jones thinks he's God's gift to the fight game'
There's no love lost between current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and number one contender Rashad Evans.
Last night (Sept. 26, 2011), Evans appeared on Pro MMA Radio with Larry Pepe. The two talked about Jones' recent victory over Quinton Jackson at UFC 135 on Sept. 24, in Denver, Colo., as well as the upcoming match (date yet to be scheduled) between "Bones" and "Suga."
Though not completely uncomplimentary of Jones in the interview, it was only a matter of time before Evans began to sling mud:
"Right now, this dude's on cloud nine. He thinks that he's God's gift to the fight game. I think he's gonna think that he can just walk right through me. Now that he's beat ‘Rampage,' he's gonna think that there's nothing I could do. He's seen my style and he's gonna think there's nothing I can do. He's gonna go out there and just try and embarrass me. He thinks it's gonna be an easy fight, but he's gonna find out different."
He was apparently just getting started.
During the interview, the gloves came off and no one was safe from Evans' sharp tongue. Apparently, he doesn't much care for Jones' manager, the often controversial Malki Kawa. Here's what he had to say about the Miami-based "super agent:"
"One thing about him (Kawa), I didn't like him, because ... he talks too fast. When people try to talk too fast, they're trying to hide something. He talks down on people, like he's better than them. I had to get away from that dude, or I probably woulda caught a case."
In addition to the spat between Evans and Jones, it's also no secret that top trainer Greg Jackson has been removed from Evans' Christmas card list.
Evans had a few interesting things to say about Jackson, even going so far as to infer that he (Jackson) possibly gets credit that he doesn't deserve:
"You know, if we're speaking honestly, Mike Winklejohn does about 85 percent of the coaching at Jackson's. That's just keepin' it real. Greg (Jackson) is always traveling. Winklejohn is the one who picks up most of the slack. I worked with Mike Winklejohn more than I worked with Greg Jackson, in my last four fights that I was there."
Evans said that he believes he would have left the Jackson camp, even if the rift between he and Jones had never occurred. People evolve and eventually move on. Nothing lasts forever.
He elaborates:
"I don't need Greg Jackson. I don't need him. He was great for me at the time, but I don't think there's anything I could have learned being at that camp. I've reached the top level that I could reach with that camp. I knew I had to leave a while ago. Things just kinda got stagnant. Jon (Jones) will feel the same way. He won't be there forever."
After Jones' UFC 135 successful title defense, he claimed that Evans had "ruined his special night." Evans weighed in on those comments, too:
"Think about how stupid that sounds. Like it's my idea to get in the cage. Like I'm jumping into the cage and security's after me and I'm going in there and challenging him. Don't say I ruined your night! Say the UFC and Dana White ruined your night! We're selling a fight...stupid! Just shut up!"
To cap off the interview, Evans closed things out by saying that he believes Jones faked an injury to get out of their last scheduled bout and that he believes he'll do it again:
"Do you think Jon pulled out of the first fight because he was confident? No! He was afraid! Watch him try to pull out of this fight too! Watch him be like, ‘Oh! My foot's hurt!' or something like that, so he can get out of this fight too. When it comes down to it, he doesn't really want it."
Interesting theory.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the recent news of Jones' six month medical suspension will affect the future match up of the two.
What do you Maniacs think? Will we ever finally see a Jones-Evans throwdown session? Who will have the advantage?
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, evan, nothing i
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Evans: 'Jones will try to pull out'
On Saturday night, Jon Jones predicted that Rashad Evans will be doing “a lot of talking” in the build-up to their forthcoming fight. Evans...
Posted in: saturday night, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyRashad Evans 'doesn't respect' what Greg Jackson did in rift with Jon Jones
Been there, done that.
UFC light heavyweight number one contender, Rashad Evans, is moving on after a highly-publicized fallout with his long time trainers at Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Specifically, head trainer Greg Jackson.
Evans, who now trains at Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Florida, alongside Strikeforce fighters Antonio Silva and Gesias Cavalcante, previously called Jackson's camp home for almost five years. The initial fallout began when Jon Jones stated he would willingly fight his teammate if Dana White told him to, sour news to "Suga's" ears.
One would assume that water would flow under the bridge and Evans would eventually return to the place that helped him claim the 205-pound strap back in 2008, but the Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 champion has revealed that even after he battles it out with "Bones," who is now Jackson's new prized pupil, he will never return to the famed camp.
Evans elaborates to MMA Weekly:
"No, I don't think I'm ever going to train back at the Jackson camp, I will go back to Albuquerque (N.M.) at Mean 1, at Keith (Jardine's) gym, but the things at Jackson's camp, they're just different now. It's not the same no more. Back in the day, it was like we were all family. We were really tight with each other. But now it's gotten so commercial, Greg is always gone all over the place, and it's just not family no more. It's too transient. You can pay a certain amount of money and you can come and live at the Jackson camp and it just got so transient, you'd see so many different faces come and go. It's just not the same place as before. Like before, I could leave my mitts on the mat and then come back, and I know they'll still be there. Now I leave my mitts on the mat for five minutes, I'm like, who got my mitts? It's beyond a blame, Greg knew what he was doing, what was up with it when he brought him into camp, and that's why I don't have too much to say to Greg anymore. Because it's like you knew I told you about this before it even happened, and you sat up there and said ‘if you can't trust your friends, who can you trust,' but then when it goes down you want to wash your hands and walk away and so ‘oh, I had nothing to do with this,' but you brought it to make it happen. So I don't like that, and I don't respect that."
It seems this is the norm now for Jackson's camp nowadays as two of his other pupils in George St. Pierre (part-time) and Carlos Condit, will also face each other when they square off for the Canadian's title on Oct. 29 at UFC 137 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jackson has already stated that he is going to wash his hands from that dilemma and not corner either fighter. It makes you wonder why the Jones and Evans situation couldn't be handled as smoothly as this.
What do you think Maniacs, should Rashad just let it go and move on, or does he have a legitimate beef here with Team Jackson?
Posted in: jackson, rashad evans, camp, evan, greg
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans: I don't know if me and Jon Jones could ever "Squash the Beef"
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion "Suga" Rashad Evans participated in pre-UFC 135 Q&A session, discussing a wide array of topics related to his Mixed Martia Arts career. Evans spoke about his training at Imperial Athletiics, and some of the best talent the team has to offer. But in the end, the talk went down to the reigning Champion Jon "Bones" Jones and (now) the upcoming bout between the two. Evans stated he's not sure whether him and Jon Jones could be on good terms ever again, giving just a
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, champion jon, evan
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans Won't Return To Jackson's, Even After Jon Jones Fight
Rashad Evans' rivalry with Jon Jones involves a lot of animosity toward former trainer Greg Jackson. Rashad feels that the spirit of "family" that comes along with being a part of Jackson's was tainted when Jones won the UFC light heavyweight championship following an Evans injury and then said publicly that he would be willing to fight Evans when the two were currently training together. This led to Rashad leaving Jackson's, a camp where Jones continues to train.
Now, Evans is making it clear that he has no intention of going back to Jackson's, even after the fight with Jones. Via MMA Weekly:
"No, I don't think I'm ever going to train back at the Jackson camp," Evans said recently. "I will go back to Albuquerque (N.M.) at Mean 1, at Keith (Jardine's) gym, but the things at Jackson's camp, they're just different now. It's not the same no more."
...
"Back in the day, it was like we were all family. We were really tight with each other. But now it's gotten so commercial, Greg is always gone all over the place, and it's just not family no more. It's too transient. You can pay a certain amount of money and you can come and live at the Jackson camp and it just got so transient, you'd see so many different faces come and go. It's just not the same place as before," Evans stated.
But if there's one thing we know about the fight game, it's never say never.
It wouldn't shock me to see Jackson in Rashad's corner somewhere down the road should he decide that Jackson's guidance gives him the best chance to win.
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans fires back at Jon Jones on tonight's presentation of Pro MMA Radio
And here ... we ... go!
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans, who will challenge former training partner Jon Jones for the 205-pound strap at an event to be determined, is firing back at the champ on tonight's (Sept. 26) presentation of Pro MMA Radio.
Tonight's audio feed begins promptly at 9 p.m. ET.
"Bones," who told media members that "Suga'" ruined his special night (a UFC 135 beatdown of "Rampage" Jackson), will be the focus of tonight's discussion as Evans unloads on his bitter rival.
Hear it straight from Evans at 9 p.m. ET after the jump.
Click the banner below or right here to listen to Pro MMA Radio.
Posted in: mma, radio, mma radio, evan, media members
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: Rashad Evans “Not Even Close” to Having My Number
Moments after defending the UFC light heavyweight title for the first time over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135, champion Jon Jones reluctantly turned his attention to his next challenger: former teammate-turned-rival Rashad Evans.
“I will say this about Rashad: He does not have my number,” Jones said (via MMAjunkie). “He’s not even close to having my number. We sparred a few times, and every time we sparred, I know what could have happened. He talks about one day at practice where he held me down, and he lives that day in his head everyday. So we’ll see.”
“Rampage,” who tapped to a rear naked choke early in the fourth-round after struggling to overcome Jones’ reach, praised Jones’ performance despite his pre-fight criticism, but sees Evans as the only contender with a chance to dethrone the 24-year-old.
“Straight up – I’m keeping it real – I thought he was all hype,” Jackson said (via MMAjunkie). “The kid is tough. He’s very talented. I thought I had his number, but I take my hat off to this guy. He’s good.
“I think Rashad is basically the only one that has a chance of beating [Jones] because Rashad trained with him before, so Rashad knows,” Jackson said when asked to evaluate Jones’ future as champ. “I don’t see anybody that can beat Jones, honestly. Rashad said he’s got his number though. That’s what he say. I don’t know. I’m looking forward to seeing that fight now.”
It is not yet known when Jones and Evans will square off, as Jones will likely need some time off to let his legs heal from his numerous kicks targeted at Jackson and Evans is recovering from a hand injury.
Check out MMAFrenzy’s complete coverage of UFC 135 by clicking here.
Pictured: Jon Jones
Posted in: jone, jackson, rashad, evan, number
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyPoll: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans -- who wins?
With his successful title defense last night (Sept. 24) at UFC 135 over Quinton Jackson, Jon Jones set up a light heavyweight championship fight against his former friend and teammate Rashad Evans.
Evans alleges he consistently got the better of Jones when the two trained together down at Greg Jackson's gym in New Mexico, a claim "Bones" refutes emphatically. We'll find out when the two finally hook 'em up with the 205-pound title -- and bragging rights -- on the line.
We don't know the date, time or place but we do know the fight, Maniacs. Tell us who ya' got.
Poll
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans for the UFC light heavyweight championship. Who wins?
Jon Jones
Rashad Evans
Ends in a draw
Leonard Garcia
50 votes | Results
Posted in: jon, jone, quinton jackson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: Rashad Evans already ruined my special night twice now, his time will come
No sooner had Jon Jones destroyed Quinton Jackson to retain his light heavyweight title at UFC 135 last night (Sept. 24, 2011) in Denver than Rashad Evans entered the cage to quickly remake his acquaintance.
The post-fight interview conducted by color commentator Joe Rogan was done to set up their pending championship fight, which is already set for a later date when the two are healthy enough to compete.
Evans was short and sweet, complimentary of Jones' performance against "Rampage:"
"I thought it was a good fight tonight. I thought Jon Jones looked impressive. It's a good opportunity (fighting Jones for the title). I'm glad the UFC put it together and I can't wait to get a chance to fight him."
"Bones" wasn't so nice when he was asked what he thought of the coming showdown against his former stablemate:
"No, I'm sure he's got a lot to say and he's going to do a lot of talking. I'm not going to say anything, I promise you guys, leading up to this fight I'm not going to say much. I'm just going to prove it. He's ruined my special night twice now. The time will come."
At the post-fight press conference, Jones was again asked about Evans and at first, he told the media he wouldn't answer questions about his upcoming opponent because he "didn't want to talk about him."
That is until Jackson remarked that he's looking forward to the light heavyweight championship fight because "Suga" made so many claims that he's got Jones' number. The champ simply couldn't let that comment fly without a response:
"I will say this about Rashad: he does not have my number. He's not even close to having my number. Me and Rashad, we sparred a few times, and every time we sparred I know what could have happened. He talks about one day at practice where he held me down and he lives that day in his head every day. So we'll see."
Evans has long made assertions that underneath all the cocky bravado is a 24-year-old kid (and you know how much Jones hates being called that) who will quit when the going gets rough.
And he knows this because he's seen it in training.
"Bones," of course, disputes this fact and both men will continue to claim they got the better of the other while they were hitting the mats down at Greg Jackson's gym in New Mexico.
We have nothing to go on besides these words and they may or may not ring true for either side. Nonetheless, the only way to find out is when these two finally climb inside the cage to settle their differences.
Then? It's on like Donkey Kong, ladies and sirs.
Posted in: fight, time, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era?
"Welcome to the Machida era."
These were the now immortal words Joe Rogan spoke after Lyoto Machida knocked out Rashad Evans to claim the UFC Light Heavyweight title. As it turned out, the era was short-lived. In his next fight, Machida's elusive game was cracked by Shogun Rua, who would go on to take that title away in the rematch. Rogan's line has become something of a joke since then - a sign of over-hyped expectations and declaring a fighter as unbeatable far too soon. The fall of Machida showed us as fans that sometimes we need to wait. And yet...
After Jon Jones defeated Shogun at UFC 128, cries of "Welcome to the Jones era" immediately sprang up. More patient fans insisted that we let Jones defend his title first, reminding us of the folly of the Machida era. Last night, at UFC 135, Jones did indeed defend that title, but unlike Machida, he did so in dominating fashion. Over 4 rounds, Jones slowly increased the pressure on challenger Quinton Jackson, using every tool in his ample kit to overwhelm Rampage and eventually choke him out. Already, the praise has been great, with writers like MMA Nation's Jonathan Snowden declaring, "Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world." So the question much be asked:
Is it too early to declare this the Jon Jones era?
In a word, yes. Yes, it is too early to declare this 24 year old champion as the dominating force of one of the sport's toughest, most grueling divisions.
You can't deny that Jones looked tremendous last night. He outstruck Rampage, using his range to keep the challenger at bay for over 15 minutes. Pre-fight, Rampage made his gameplan clear - get inside and test the chin of the champion. But despite Jackson's superb boxing skills, he never did get in to land that clean punch and get that game working. That striking could have been enough to win, but Jones added more to his game last night, including some nasty kicks to the knee, jumping to pull guard, and mental games that clearly bothered the veteran Rampage. In short, Jones dominated, looking like one of the best in the sport along the way. But before his era can truly begin, he has unfinished business that must be addressed.
Rashad Evans. He's the former Light Heavyweight champion, former teammate to Jones, #1 contender, and the last man to defeat Rampage. But more importantly, he's the man who was supposed to stand across the cage from Jones in that first defense, and the man who many felt Jones ducked. To truly begin his era, Jon Jones must prove that he can defeat Rashad.
To many fans, last night's fight showed that Jones vs. Evans is an easy win for Jones. He'll have the size and strength advantage, superior striking, and superior wrestling. But Evans will also be the toughest opponent Jones has yet encountered in his young MMA career. Jones has yet to face an all around fighter who is in his prime and presents a threat in both the physical and strategic game. Evans is the complete package. And he is the test Jones must pass.
And if Jones does defeat Evans, sending him back down the ladder in the same way he banished Rampage Jackson from future title contention last night? Then I will gladly say, "Welcome to the Jones era."
Poll
Who will win?
Jon Jones
Rashad Evans
19 votes | Results
Posted in: rampage, jone, evan, era, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number
Jon Jones will face Rashad Evans in his next trip to the Octagon. It's a fight that we were supposed to see at UFC 133 before a hand injury forced Jones out. One of the big things that gets repeated with some degree of regularity about the Jones vs. Evans fight is that Evans troubled Jones in training when they were teammates.
Following Jones' dominant victory over Quinton Jackson, the champion addressed the talk that Evans got the better of him in camp. MMA Nation's Luke Thomas was at the press conference and tweeted out the main quote:
@SBNLukeThomasLuke Thomas Jones: I will say this about Rashad. He does not have my number. He talks about ONE day where he held me down in practice.Sep 25 via TweetDeckFavoriteRetweetReply
From what I've heard it was more than a single day and just holding Jones down. But pretty much anything you hear from anyone about the whole thing is going to only be partially true. Both men probably had their moments in training against each other. Plenty of stuff happens in training that doesn't actually translate to the real fights.
What I'm most excited about is seeing Jones just go at Evans with a genuinely aggressive shot. This is the kind of thing I can get behind, because it's Jones simply being clear that he thinks he is better than Rashad. It's not over the top, it's not "pro-wrestling nonsense." It's the young mega-talent making it clear that thinks he is better than his rival.
We may be in for a fun ride with these two.
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones: ‘Rashad Evans Is Not Even Close to Having My Number’
To say there's a little bit of tension between Jon 'Bones' Jones and Rashad Evans would be like saying the Democrats and Republicans kind of disagree on a few policies.
Posted in: jon jones, rashad evans, evan, republicans kind, number ’.
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyIn or Out of the Cage, UFC Champ Jon Jones Proves Hard to Figure
Filed under: UFCDENVER -- Jon Jones decimated his toughest opponent to date and successfully defended his UFC light heavyweight title for the first time on Saturday night. So why didn't he seem all that happy about it?
That was just one of many questions for the brilliant young fighter who is proving to be as much of an enigma to those trying to understand him out of the cage as he is to the baffled opponents who face him inside of it. Throughout the UFC 135 post-fight press conference the 24-year-old champion maintained a low-key, almost downtrodden demeanor, despite the fact that he was only minutes removed from the biggest win of his career.
"Me and 'Rampage' [Jackson] did a lot of talking and I'm just glad it's over," said Jones, his voice flat and low. "I'm just doing my job right now."
Maybe what got him down was the foot injury he sustained while kicking Jackson's shins. He had to be helped into his seat at the start of the post-fight presser and helped out of the room once it was over, though he insisted it was nothing serious.
Or maybe it was the fact that the UFC once again cut his post-fight celebration short by immediately shifting the focus in the cage from Jones' fourth-round submission win over Jackson to his planned next bout against former teammate Rashad Evans -- a shift that Jones said "ruined my special night" for the second time in as many title fights.
When asked about that comment, a stone-faced Jones shook his head and said only, "I don't want to talk about Rashad today."
Though later he did talk about him, but only after Jackson alluded to Evans possibly having Jones' number after their training room sessions at Greg Jackson's gym in Albuquerque, N.M.
After Jackson said that Evans was "basically the only person who has a chance at beating him because Rashad trained with him before and Rashad knows," Jones deigned to speak of his former training partner.
"I will say this about Rashad," Jones said. "He does not have number. He's not even close to having my number. Me and Rashad, we sparred a few times, and every time we sparred I know what could have happened. He talks about one day at practice where he held me down and he lives that day in his head every day."
Even Jackson had questions for Jones once they were both sitting at the same table. Like, for instance, why did he start the fight by crawling out to the center of the cage on all fours?
According to Jones it was because he knew Jackson's punching power would be greatest early in the fight and "I knew he wouldn't be able to generate too much power at such a low target."
And his decision to dump Jackson over his back before calmly strolling off to his corner following the horn to end round three? At the time, it seemed like just one more way to remind Jackson of his superiority. Not quite toying with him, but certainly sending a message.
Not so, according to Jones.
"I was just trying to finish the round strong, show that I had a lot of energy left," he explained.
Jackson, who has losses to both Jones and Evans, said he respected the champion more than his old rival Evans, if only because Jones looked to do more than simply out-wrestle him.
"When it comes to fighting, even though Jon ran like a little girl every now and then, I still have more respect for him as a fighter, because Jon did come to bring it. ...He rocked me once and he's a true fighter. Rashad...I was really rusty and he probably would have knocked me out that time had he fought me."
As for Jones, he insisted that he was "definitely happy" about the win over Jackson, even if he didn't seem like it. Rather than thinking (or talking) about where and when his long-awaited fight with Evans might be, the champion had other ideas.
"I just can't wait to get home to my family, take a nice bath, and be done for a while." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: time, jone, jackson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 135: Rashad Evans Visits 'Rampage' Jackson's Camp, Has Seen Jon Jones Quit
Rashad Evans spoke with MMA Nation's Luke Thomas on the eve of UFC 135. Evans, who turns 32 on Sunday, will be in attendance at the Pepsi Center in Denver, and he is expected to step into the Octagon and challenge the winner of UFC light heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and challenger Quinton Jackson.
Evans had the opportunity to visit "Rampage's" camp at the MusclePharm gym, and he was impressed with what he saw:
"I walked through the facility and I seen some of the things that he was doing and then I seen him and he was looking good, better than I've ever seen him before and I was actually really surprised...."A 'Rampage' that's focused is a dangerous 'Rampage' and I think that the biggest problem with Jon Jones is the fact that he's getting so overly confident and cocky that he can't get beat and all he has to do is step in the cage Saturday and collect his belt. I think that's dangerous thinking when you've got somebody in front of you who's been training hard."
As for Jones, Evans is repeating the refrain about their shared time at Greg Jackson's gym:
"I've seen him get pushed in practice and I've seen him be very human and not as good as he looks on TV. I've seen that there's times where he looks great in practice but there's times where I've seen him quit in practice."
Evans also thinks the SpyGate situation is messing with Jones:
"It becomes a distraction when you take it personal...."I think Jon Jones is taking it personally. This is his first time being in a fight where he's used his mouth like that. Normally he tries to be the humble guy and say all the right things but that's being pushed a little bit because Rampage is giving him a little bit of mouth."
Evans seems to be giving "Rampage" a better chance at winning this fight than he did earlier this week when he picked Jones to win. The off-shore sportsbooks list Jones between a 5- and 6-1 favorite.
Posted in: time, rampage, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135: Rashad Evans Live Video Webchat
Streaming video by Ustream
Rashad Evans follows Jason Miller and Michael BIsping with this live Ustream webchat at 1 p.m. ET. Evans will be in attendance at UFC 135 in Denver, Colorado, and it is expected that he will challenge the winner of the main event between Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson.
Evans was originally scheduled to fight Jones at UFC 133, but a hand injury forced Jones off the card. Jones and Evans had trained together at Greg Jackson's gym in Albuquerque, until an offhand remark by Jones leading into his title shot at UFC 128 caused a rift in camp. Evans now trains with a group affectionately called the "Blackzilians" down in Boca Raton, Florida.
Evans ended up fighting Tito Ortiz, who was coming off a shocking upset of Ryan Bader, at UFC 133, stopping him in the second round with a knee. It was Evans' first fight in fifteen months.
Evans will celebrate his 32nd birthday on Sunday.
Posted in: ufc, jone, quinton jackson, evan, boca raton
Read the full article at Bloody Elbow