Let’s begin as we always do, fans and friends: by putting the situation into context.

Rashad Evans has faced a long and rocky road back to top title contention after winning the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in 2008 and losing it in his very first championship defense. Evans followed that loss up with two decision victories over Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson, and unfortunately for fans of “Sugar”, Evans seemed to embody all the worse critiques of wrestling-based fighters fighting out of Greg Jackson’s MMA super-camp.

What follows next is a matter of much debate: rather than stay active, Evans instead chose to sit on the sidelines and wait for then-champion Mauricio Rua to heal up. When it looked as if Rua would finally be ready, Evans himself developed an injury. Jon Jones would end up getting Rashad’s title shot, and the possibility of Evans/Jones caused a deep rift that ultimately led to Jones and Evans developing a bitter rivalry while Evans walked away from Team Jackson. Evans was finally going to cash in his title shot at UFC 133… but then Jon Jones got injured. Evans then drew Phil Davis… Davis got injured too. On only a few week’s notice, Evans found out that he would rematch a resurgent Tito Ortiz.

In terms of major comebacks, Tito Ortiz’s comeback win at UFC 132 has got to be one of the best. While I still think the biggest comeback belongs to Randy Couture beating Tim Sylvia, Ortiz’s was one of the best I had seen in years. At UFC 132, Ortiz fought Top 10 Light Heavyweight Ryan Bader and absolutely, positively destroyed him. The hype train then swung into full effect, with many fans claiming that Tito was “back” and many more fans arguing against that. The debate would finally be settled in the main event of UFC 133.

In the end… it was no contest.

The last time Rashad Evans looked so dominant in the UFC before UFC 133… he won the Light Heavyweight Championship. Evans was so completely unafraid of Tito Ortiz that it was almost scary. With a combination of crisp strikes, brutal Ground and Pound, and very good takedowns (and even a gigantic slam!), Rashad Evans ran through Tito Ortiz, ending the bout with a truly cringe-inducing shot to the ribs.

In the end, Rashad Evans killed Ortiz’s hype train so badly that many people have gone right back to calling for Ortiz to hang it up and retire. In a night where only one of the main Pay-Per-View fights went to a decision, there’s not a doubt in my mind that this was the most dominating performance. And there’s not a doubt in my mind that Rashad Evans deserves this award.

5. Rory MacDonald stopping Mike Pyle.

MacDonald looked amazing at UFC 133, and what’s even more impressive is that he followed up a dominating win with a dominating win. Before this fight, MacDonald took home a huge victory over Nate Diaz that saw MacDonald basically bend Diaz to his will. Mike Pyle, meanwhile, had garnered a reputation as a veteran that knew how to defeat hot young prospects. MacDonald didn’t believe that hype though, and his lightning-fast stoppage was a great way to start out the main Pay-Per-View card.

4. Alexander Gustafsson defeating Matt Hamill.

Matt Hamill is not an easy opponent for anyone. He’s a world-class athlete with a tremendous amount of heart and fortitude, with good striking and impressive cardio. The last time Matt Hamill was humbled as badly as he was at UFC 133, it was against Jon Jones. This was only the second time in Hamill’s entire career that he’s ever been stopped, and only his fourth overall loss. While seeing one of my favorites lose again was definitely hard, I won’t take anything away from Gustafsson’s great stoppage.

3. Brian Ebersole pummeling a speedo-clad Dennis Hallman.

In terms of distractions, shaving your chest hair into an arrow that points to your chin is pretty clever. Wearing a bright purple speedo is… well, it’s just plain wrong. I have no idea why Hallman chose to wear what he did, but it must’ve worked for him because he had Ebersole’s back for quite some time. But in the end, Ebersole turned it all around and crushed Hallman with a series of vicious shots, particularly some gruesome elbow strikes. Seeing Ebersole prove he wasn’t just a flash in the pan was definitely a great moment for me.

2. Vitor Belfort annihilating Yoshihiro Akiyama.

That’s really the only way you can describe what Belfort did to Akiyama. People complained that Belfort had never fought in the UFC as a Middleweight when he was given a shot at Anderson Silva. Now we know how Belfort performs against most UFC Middleweights. I honestly think Belfort will get a rematch with Silva by summer 2012 at the absolute latest. This was definitely one of the biggest stoppages in a night filled with them.

And my personal pick for the best moment of UFC 133 is…

1. Rashad Evans destroying Tito Ortiz.

Ring rust? What ring rust? Rashad Evans was having none of that “Tito Ortiz is back” hype, and he was also having none of that “ring rust is real” talk. Evans came out, obliterated Tito Ortiz, and looked like a champion while doing so. Ortiz was outmatched, overwhelmed, and looked very much like a shadow of his former self. Everyone criticized Rashad Evans for taking so long to finally secure a fight… but none of that talk mattered in the end. The only thing that mattered is that Evans won at UFC 133 is the most convincing, dominating way possible.

Next for Chad Mendes: The winner of Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian, plain and simple. And thus, the toughest fight of his young career. Mendes has looked like a stud in all his professional MMA fights, so it’s high time that he gets a shot at the championship. He’ll more than likely be facing Jose Aldo, and it should be a great war.

Next for Matt Hamill: Hamill has had high points and low points throughout his career, and this is one of the lower points. Hamill will keep doing what he usually does, which is being a gatekeeper and a pretty successful one at that. But since he’s lost two straight, look for Hamill’s next fight to be on the prelims once again and against a hot prospect that’s debuting in the UFC. I can’t name names, but I do think that’s the most likely situation.

Next for Rory MacDonald: With his win at UFC 133, I think MacDonald has finally proven that he’s ready for a top-division Welterweight. That said, I think MacDonald needs to fight Jon Fitch. Rory needs to fight a wrestling-focused fighter that can absorb a huge amount of damage and will grind away on MacDonald, testing his endurance, cardio, and takedown defense every minute of every round. And that describes Jon Fitch perfectly.

Next for Brian Ebersole: If he wins his upcoming fight with Dan Hardy, I’d love to see Chris Lytle rematch Brian Ebersole. I also think Ebersole would make an interesting opponent for Josh Koscheck’s comeback fight. Either way, I think Ebersole deserves a high-profile fighter for his next fight.

Next for Vitor Belfort: Considering how he lost to Anderson Silva, Belfort needs one or two more fights to get another shot at the title. Considering how he beat Yoshihiro Akiyama, he probably only needs to win one more if he wins it like he did at UFC 133. I’d love to see Belfort fight the winner of the upcoming Brian Stann vs. Chael Sonnen fight.

Next for Yoshihiro Akiyama: Unemployment, or a drop down to 170 for one last fight in the UFC. UFC President Dana White honestly seems hesitant about letting Akiyama go since he’s such an entertaining fighter, but the possible drop to Welterweight is really the only thing that can save him right now. If he doesn’t make the switch, he’ll go back to Japan and continue to compete there. If he does, I’d like to see him fight someone like Nate Diaz.

Next for Tito Ortiz: I thought this before the fight with Evans, and I’m thinking it now. For the most part, Ortiz has had a long string of tough young fighters as opponents, he’s been in a prolonged “new breed vs. old-school” war. I think it’s time we mix it up and start giving Ortiz veteran talent in order to end his career on a high note if that’s what Tito chooses. Possible fighters I’d like to see go up against Ortiz include Rich Franklin and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

Next for Rashad Evans: The next shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, plain and simple. At UFC 133, Evans proved that for all his flaws, he’s still one of the very best in the game. Against Jon Jones, it’ll be an intense grudge match that all of us want to see. Against Quinton Jackson, it’ll be a tough rematch and the second chapter in one of the most bitter feuds in years. Either fight has strong “Fight of the Year”  potential.

Rashad Evans defeats Tito Ortiz by TKO at 4:48 of Round 2. Vitor Belfort defeats Yoshihiro Akiyama by KO at 1:52 of Round 1. Brian Ebersole defeats Dennis Hallman by TKO at 4:28 of Round 1. Costas Philippou defeats Jorge Rivera by split decision. Rory MacDonald defeats Mike Pyle by TKO at 3:54 of Round 1. Alexander Gustafsson defeats Matt Hamill by TKO at 3:34 of Round 2. Chad Mendes defeats Rani Yahya by unanimous decision. Ivan Menjivar defeats Nick Pace by unanimous decision. Johny Hendricks defeats Mike Pierce by split decision. Mike Brown defeats Nam Phan by unanimous decision. Rafael Natal defeats Paul Bradley by unanimous decision.

As I expected, the preliminary fights further proved that I was in the right in crowning the “UFC Prelims LIVE” specials my new “dark horse favorite”. It appears that I may have misjudged Mike Brown, he may yet have a worthwhile future in the UFC. I wasn’t surprised that Chad Mendes won his fight, I’m glad he did and I think he definitely deserves the next title shot, I even think he deserves it more than Kenny Florian does. As a fan of Matt Hamill, it really hurt to see him so resoundingly defeated.

I think Rory MacDonald is going to be a real force in the UFC by the middle of next year at the latest. He simply looks better and better on a per-fight basis. Rivera/Phillippou was a very interesting bout as well. I also enjoyed the Ebersole/Hallman fight, and I think Ebersole did a fantastic job of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. And speaking of “snatch” (excuse the bad joke), I along with many found it cringe-inducingly ridiculous that Dennis Hallman showed up to fight in a speedo. UFC President Dana White almost-instantly took to Twitter and said that that’d be banned from now on, and I have to say I agree with him.

I absolutely, positively knew that Vitor Belfort would win by stoppage against Yoshihiro Akiyama… I just didn’t think he’d do it as quickly as he did. Unfortunately for “Sexyama”, this loss can be seen as further proof that most Japanese MMA stars nowadays just don’t have what it takes to compete in high-level MMA promotions like the UFC. There are some notable exceptions to the rule, but realistically, Akiyama has lost three fights and his only win inside the Octagon was a very controversial decision. As entertaining as he’s been, I think Akiyama is gone after this fight.

And in the main event of UFC 133, Rashad Evans did what I knew he could have done, what I knew even Ortiz could’ve done… he channeled his inner champion. Tito, meanwhile… he just didn’t. He seemed like the old Tito, and not the good kind of old Tito, not the “old-school” Tito that destroyed everyone… the old Tito that hadn’t won a fight in about five years. The Tito that was tentative to engage in all areas, with a lack of confidence that was only made worse by his advancing age and declining skill. Ortiz breathed some new life into his career with his win over Ryan Bader at UFC 132, but Evans’ total all-out domination of Ortiz is all the proof I need to know that Ortiz is only a few fights away from retirement.

Overall, UFC 133 was quite the solid event and perhaps even a “dark horse candidate” for some sort of “Sleeper Hit Of The Year” award.

5. The preliminaries on Facebook all look interesting.

As always, you’ve got virtually nothing to lose when you check out the UFC’s free preliminary fights streamed through Facebook. A novel concept when it first started, the Facebook stream has become so (pardon the pun) streamlined that it features production values almost as good as the main UFC Pay-Per-View show. It even allows high-definition audio/video quality. And to top it all off, these particular fights features entertaining fighters like Mike Brown, Johny Hendricks, and more.

4. The preliminaries on Spike TV feature some pretty big names.

The last fight Matt Hamill competed in was the main event of a major UFC Pay-Per-View. Furthermore, Hamill has a huge following of loyal supporters, both as a deaf athlete and a great fighter. Meanwhile, Chad Mendes was supposed to be fighting Jose Aldo, and Mendes has looked virtually unstoppable so far. These two may be fighting on the Spike TV preliminaries, but they’re both good enough fighters that they probably should’ve been fighting on the main card.

3. The main card is loaded with veteran fighters.

Brian Ebersole is an entertaining veteran with over sixty professional fights on his record. Dennis Hallman is an entertaining veteran with over sixty professional fights on his record. Mike Pyle is an entertaining veteran with almost thirty fights. Jorge Riva, Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz… the list goes on and on. If you’re a fan of long-time fighters and respect veteran talent that remain entertaining to this day, this card is a real treat.

2. Seeing Belfort either bounce back into title contention or Akiyama save his job.

Vitor Belfort has looked amazing at Middleweight except for the one time where he got caught and stopped with a spectacular KO kick that absolutely no one saw coming. Meanwhile, Yoshihiro Akiyama has impressed in all three of his UFC fights but has yet to win a fight conclusively and has lost two straight. This is a “make or break” fight for both men, but two very different things are on the line. Nonetheless, that should motivate both men to bring out their best and this fight has serious “Sleeper Hit of the Year” potential.

And the number-one reason to watch UFC 133 is…

1. The all-out war that Rashad Evans/Tito Ortiz will likely be.

Rashad Evans is a former Light Heavyweight Champion, but so is Tito Ortiz. Ortiz just recovered from a string of losses… but Evans has been sitting on the sidelines for over a year and he’s got no one to blame for that but himself. With so many different factors leading into this bout, there’s at least a dozen ways that this fight could end up playing out. If you’re even a moderate fan of either of these two, this is a must-see fight.

Rory MacDonald vs. Mike Pyle: Mike Pyle is an experienced veteran, and he’s defeated hot prospects on good win-streaks before. So there’s a good chance that this will be a back-and-forth, neck-and-neck fight. But based on his performances in the UFC, I’m think Rory MacDonald is one prospect that won’t feel the sting of a loss to Mike Pyle. Pyle will last all three rounds, but he’ll get thoroughly controlled and even dominated at times. Rory MacDonald wins by Unanimous Decision.

Jorge Rivera vs. Costantinos Philippou: Unlike MacDonald/Pyle, I think this is one fight where the veteran will defeat the younger fighter. Rivera may have thoughts on retirement, but he’s still a very experienced veteran that’s won three out of his last four fights. I expect Philippou to come out looking to assert himself, only to get over-eager and get caught by a surprise bomb. Jorge River wins by TKO in Round 2.

Dennis Hallman vs. Brian Ebersole: When you put two veterans against each other, you’re usually guaranteed a close fight with both men looking good at times. I think both men will display good depth in both striking and on the ground, but in the end, Ebersole’s skill and the wave of momentum he’s riding in on will end up giving him the victory. Brian Ebersole wins by Unanimous Decision.

Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama: Vitor Belfort wants another shot at the UFC Middleweight Championship, while Yoshihiro Akiyama wants another shot in the UFC period. Akiyama will come in reckless hoping to either win and keep his job or be so entertaining in defeat that the UFC will keep him around for one more fight. Unfortunately, that over-aggressiveness will play into Belfort’s style, and with Akiyama not having the pure knockout power of an Anderson Silva, it’s only a matter of time before Akiyama zigs where he should have zagged and eats a major bomb. My prediction is that Vitor Belfort wins by KO in Round 2.

Rashad Evans vs. Tito Ortiz: In the main event of UFC 133, I’m going against the grain and picking Tito Ortiz for the upset. The optimist in me has overridden the realist in me on this occasion, and that’s a pretty rare feat. I know Evans will be a very tough test for Ortiz, but the fact that Evans is coming off such a very long layoff will end up allowing Ortiz to close the gap and eventually work both his striking and his Ground and pound. It’ll be closer than any other fight on the card, but unlike their first fight, Ortiz won’t make a dumb mistake and get a point taken off. In the end, I think Tito Ortiz will win by Split Decision.

The Event: UFC 133 “Evans vs. Ortiz”, currently scheduled for August 6, 2011 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Four free preliminary bouts will be streamed on the UFC’s Facebook page starting at 5:45 PM ET. Two additional free preliminary bouts will air on the Spike TV network starting at 8:00 PM ET. The main card will air live on Pay-Per-View starting at 9:00 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: Although this event has seen a host of high-profile injuries wreak havoc on the card, UFC 133 is a solid event with many fights having “sleeper hit” potential. You’ve got grudge matches, you’ve got hot prospects, you’ve got veterans with over sixty professional fights. It isn’t as good as it could have been, but the overall quality could end up really surprising us all by the time the show is over.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Rashad Evans is fighting to preserve his title shot, while Tito Ortiz is fighting to continue the resurrection of his career. The first time these two met, it was a close back-and-forth war of attrition. The same should hold true for the rematch: both men have their weaknesses and face interesting problems coming into this fight, but their heart and skill is unquestioned.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: If he loses at UFC 133, this will be Yoshihiro Akiyama’s third straight loss. Even though Akiyama is a very entertaining fighter, he will more than likely be fighting for his job against Vitor Belfort. Hopefully that brings out the best in Akiyama, because he’ll have to be at his best to deal with Belfort, who still packs a powerful punch after all these years and has the experience necessary to remain a threat in any division he chooses to compete in.

Why You Should Watch This Card: On paper, the matches sound very interesting. You’ve got stars and former champions on the prelims like Matt Hamill, Chad Mendes, and Mike Brown. On the Pay-Per-View, you’ve got hot prospects like Ryan MacDonald and Costantinos Philippou fighting tough veterans like Jorge Rivera and Mike Pyle. Plus, both the co-main and main event fights should be very entertaining.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: This was supposed to be the latest UFC mega-event, instead it’s the latest UFC card that comes so close to self-imploding due to injuries that you simply have to marvel at the UFC’s perseverance. I won’t sugar coat this: this card could have been a lot better… a whole lot better. Compared to what could have been, UFC 133 is a shadow of its former self.

Closing Thoughts: Even as a shadow of its former self, I think this is going to be a good card. Not great, not astounding, not the best event of the latter half of the year… but good nonetheless. None of these fights scream “must watch” at me, but a lot of them are using their “inside voices” and telling me “it’ll probably be fun”.

Before we begin, it should be noted that this fight was undoubtedly struck the hardest by the rash of injuries that plagued UFC 133. Originally, this would have been the event where Rashad Evans finally got his shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in a grudge match with former teammate Jon Jones. Jones would end up getting injured and replaced by rising star Phil Davis. Then, Phil Davis would end up getting injured only a few weeks before this event. The UFC scrambled for a replacement opponent, and finally settled on Tito Ortiz, who at first declined the fight.

With that said, Rashad Evans has faced a long and rocky road to get back to UFC Light Heavyweight cotendership. Since catapulting himself into top contention with a thunderous KO victory over Chuck Liddell, Rashad’s quest for the title has taken a swift downturn after actually winning the belt from Forrest Griffin back in December 2008. Following that win, Evans lost to Lyoto Machida in what was honestly one of the most embarrassing knockouts in UFC history, with the freeze-framed image of Rashad’s “KO Face” spawning thousands (literally thousands) of spoof pictures.

Since then, Evans has beaten both Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson. And to be perfectly honest, he beat them in the most boring way possible: primarily by using “wall and stall” and “lay and pray” tactics. Evans hasn’t fought in over a year, choosing to sit on the sidelines and wait for then-champion Mauricio Rua to heal from his injuries rather than fight and risk losing his shot at the belt.

His opponent, Tito Ortiz, recently saved both his job and maybe his entire career with a dramatic performance at UFC 132 a little over a month ago. Before beating Ryan Bader, the formerly-dominant UFC Light Heavyweight Champion hadn’t secured a win in almost five years, going 0-4-1 after beating Ken Shamrock in 2006. At UFC 132, Ortiz went out and completely overwhelmed Ryan Bader, a fighter that many fans and insiders considered a Top 10 Light Heavyweight. Ortiz caught Bader with a beautiful hook and followed it up with a slick guillotine choke.

In all honesty, my head and my heart are both unsure about this fight. Part of me really wants Ortiz to win because I’ve slowly become a fan of Tito throughout the years and I think it’d be an amazing story to see him win and turn his fortunes around that drastically in only two fights. But I just can’t shake the feeling that it’s too soon in more ways than one. It’s too soon for Ortiz to be fighting again, period, and it’s too soon for him to be fighting a name like Rashad Evans.

Then again, Rashad Evans hasn’t looked that impressive lately and he hasn’t fought in over a year. It’s likely that he’ll have a huge amount of ring rust going into this fight, and he’s also coming in with almost no hype. Meanwhile, Ortiz is riding a wave of momentum and many people really want to see him do the seemingly-impossible.

In the end, history will probably repeat itself and this will be a three-round war of attrition. If that happens, then it all depends on which version of these two fighters show up. If either fighter is able to overcome their recent weaknesses and channel the former champion in themselves, expect that fighter to win this fight.

5. Evans doesn’t have a whole lot of time to train for an entirely new opponent.

This applies as much to Ortiz for Evans as it does to Evans for Ortiz. For both men, fighting a new opponent on such short notice could end up playing a significantly negative factor in the outcome of this fight. This is the third opponent Evans has had to adjust his training camp for, and each and every time the window to adjust that camp has gotten smaller. First it was Jon Jones, then Phil Davis, and Phil Davis is a very different fighter than Jon Jones. Now it’s Tito Ortiz, and Ortiz is a very different fighter than both Davis and Jones. It’s a tough issue to deal with.

4. Ortiz has already beaten Evans… kind of.

The first time Ortiz and Evans locked horns was at UFC 73 back in 2007. That fight would end up being ruled a draw… but the fact that a point was deducted from Tito Ortiz in that bout likely played a significant factor in that decision. Before the Lyoto Machida KO, the draw with Ortiz was the only black mark on Evans’ spotless record. That’s a big confidence-booster for Tito.

3. Rashad Evans has been hesitant to strike ever since getting KO’d by Lyoto Machida.

A lot of people have been critical of Evans’ new style since getting KO’d by Machida. It wins him fights, but it’s relatively boring and he’s just not the same Evans that won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. With a combination of “wall and stall” and “lay and pray”, Evans just doesn’t like to engage much anymore. Compare this to Tito, who hasn’t been stopped in over five years and has never been afraid of standing with anybody. Ortiz isn’t afraid to strike with Evans while Evans has been afraid to strike, period, in his recent fights.

2. Rashad Evans is coming off of a long, self-imposed hiatus.

By now, even the staunchest Evans supporter has to admit that Rashad royally shot himself in the foot by choosing to wait so long to get his title shot. Evans sat on the sidelines in the prime of his career simply because he didn’t want to risk losing his shot at the gold. Well, after all that time… he’s now in a fight that’s not for a championship and he’ll be risking his shot at the gold. That’s unfortunate, and some would even call it poetic justice. “Ring rust” applies to everyone, and it’s definitely one of Evans’ biggest weaknesses going into this fight.

And the number-one reason why Tito Ortiz could beat Rashad Evans is…

1. Tito Ortiz fights best with his back against the wall, and his back is definitely still against the wall.

Make no mistake, Ortiz isn’t out of the woods yet. He’s taking a fight on ultra-short notice and this’ll be his second fight in two months. There are rumors floating around that Ortiz may even get a title shot if he wins this fight. That kind of pressure, those two factors combined, has got to be almost as much pressure as “fight or you’re no longer employed”.  Ortiz saved his career in his most-recent fight, but this fight sees him fighting for actual divisional relevancy, and perhaps the last title opportunity of his career. So this is definitely a “do or die” fight for Tito Ortiz, and that’s going to motivate him to bring out his best against Evans.

5. Ortiz just got done fighting two weeks ago.

Most UFC fighters fight only a few times a year, with the veterans even less so. But when Ortiz steps into the cage against Evans on August 6, it’ll have been a little over a month since he miraculously defeated Ryan Bader on July 2. Typically, fighting once a month is something only the very young and inexperienced do in an effort to build experience (and their bank account) quickly. Ortiz is not a young man anymore, and even if he won the fight against Bader via first-round submission, he could show up to the Evans fight fatigued and tired before the bell ever rings.

4. Ortiz has very little time to prepare for Evans.

This is a point I’ll be making for both fighters, so expect to see this in the follow-up piece a few days from now. Depending on who asserts themselves both early on and throughout the fight, the relatively sudden nature of this encounter could become a major factor in how both men prepare for this fight.

3. In recent fights we’ve seen Tito Ortiz both manhandled and out-wrestled.

The man that once had some of the best Ground and Pound in the business recently got dominated on the ground by Matt Hamill. In fact, it’s actually been years since we’ve seen some classic Tito Ortiz ground and pound. The closest we’ve got to it were the strikes Ortiz landed on Bader before locking in the submission. And like Matt Hamill, Rashad Evans is a very good wrestler.

2. Rashad Evans’ hand speed and power is still quite good.

As Ortiz himself has pointed out, no one in the UFC is stopping him so that must mean that he’s got something left in the gas tank. However, that fails to take into consideration the fact that Ortiz has come up short in the striking department in many of the bouts prior to his big win over Ryan Bader. The Lyoto Machida defeat in particular highlighted what a precise, fast striker could do against Ortiz.

And the number-one reason why Rashad Evans could beat Tito Ortiz is…

1. There’s ring rust, and then there’s not winning a fight in nearly five years.

Rashad Evans will have to do everything in his power to get over his ring rust, I won’t deny that. But Tito Ortiz just got done taking his career off of life support. Everyone thought Ortiz would’ve been retired by now, instead people are talking about one last big run. However, one fight does not make up for a 0-4-1 record in your five previous fights. Before the win against Bader a whole lot of people managed to beat Tito Ortiz and effectively created a blueprint on how to beat him. So long as Evans studies that blueprint, it’ll be his biggest advantage coming into UFC 133.

First, we head to MMA Junkie for the UFC’s side of the story. UFC President Dana White recently said the following in regards to the situation: “…Machida accepted the fight. Then… Machida’s people came back and said, ‘We’ll tell you what. You pay us what you pay Anderson Silva, and we’ll take the fight.’ …I said, ‘Are you [expletive] kidding me? I’ll tell you what. You tell Machida (if) he achieves what [expletive] Anderson Silva has achieved, then maybe he’ll make Anderson Silva money.”

The Machida side of the story, however, can be best seen over at the one and only Sherdog. Lyoto Machida’s wife of all people recently said the following: “After a conference, Lyoto, his managers and the UFC representatives decided it wouldn’t be a good decision for him to fight… His professionalism made him turn down the fight. No one is playing anymore [in professional MMA], everyone is very focused and serious, so it would be silliness to accept.”

Well, this is quite an interesting story. On one hand, I agree with the UFC. On the other hand, part of me also agrees with Machida’s people. A high-profile fighter turning down a high-profile fight can always cause a lot of controversy, and I think it’ll be tough to figure out the real truth of who said what to whom and who did what for what reason. Here’s what I think, though.

I don’t think Lyoto Machida is scared of rematching Rashad Evans, he has no reason to be. Machida gave Evans an incredibly humbling loss, one that Evans cynics still use to make fun of him to this day. The problem here is that Machida didn’t want to prepare for any fight, especially a high-level fight, on such short notice.

If the story about wanting “Anderson Silva” money is true, then I can admit that I did lose a little respect for Machida and his camp. If you agree to take a fight, you shouldn’t then threaten to back out of the fight in order to try and increase your paycheck. Not only is that an under-handed thing to do, it puts you on the “crap list” of the promoter you’re working with, and with a promoter as volatile as Dana White, it’ll be hard to get off that list. So while I won’t say that this “Anderson Silva money” thing means that I’ve stopped supporting Lyoto, it does mean this: if this story is true and Machida did try to pull out of the fight at the last moment for more money, then Machida deserves to endure the wrath of Dana White and jump through whatever hoops White places in front of him.

But in the end, I think Machida made the smart choice. He chose his career over one opportunity, and as debatable as that is, I can at least respect Machida for not wanting to go into a fight unprepared.

We head to MMA Junkie for the official word on the situation. According to their report, Ortiz has agreed to rematch Evans with only weeks to prepare. Ortiz was one of the first fighters approached to fight Evans, but he initially declined to do so, saying it was the best choice for his career. After a day or so of negotiations and rumor, it now appears that Ortiz will be fighting Evans after all.

Tito Ortiz is currently coming off of a massive victory earlier this month. At UFC 132, Ortiz faced top-division fighter Ryan Bader and beat him by first-round submission, completely dominating the hot young prospect. The win was Ortiz’s first since 2006. Leading up to the fight, UFC President Dana White made it very clear to both Ortiz and the press that Tito’s job and maybe his entire career would be on the line against Bader.

Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans have a pretty interesting history together. In a way, Ortiz’s draw with Evans in their first encounter was a clear indicator that Ortiz’s skills were diminishing, and in a way it signaled the start of his winless-streak. Ortiz came into that fight having just lost his shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Chuck Liddell TKO’d him in the third round of what was, up to that point, one of the biggest events in UFC history. Ortiz would end up being penalized a point for holding onto the fence, causing the judges to award the fight to neither fighter and rule it a draw.

I can admit that part of me wanted to see Machida/Evans 2 more than Ortiz/Evans 2, but I still think this will be a very interesting match-up.

I’ll also say this: if Ortiz fights two times in two months and manages to beat both a young prospect and a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion… then there can be no doubt that Tito Ortiz is “back”.

And honestly, part of me does think that Ortiz can beat Evans. Ortiz is coming off an incredibly uplifting win, while Evans has been sitting on the sidelines for what feels like a meteoric age. The man hasn’t stepped inside the cage for a long, long time, and he might come in very rusty.

In a way, I think this fight will be decided by what Tito Ortiz shows up at UFC 133. If it’s the one we saw at UFC 132, then Evans is in for a tough time and may even get beaten due to his significant ring rust. If it’s the Tito Ortiz that lost four times in five fights with the other fight being a draw, then Rashad Evans may spoil Ortiz’s comeback before it ever really gets a chance to get off the ground.

Head Kick Legend is reporting that Machida will rematch Rashad Evans with only a few weeks’ notice. It should be noted, however, that several other sites are reporting that the UFC is still actively searching for an opponent for Evans. That’s not saying that HKL’s story is false, just that Machida/Evans is merely a popular rumor at this point. The fact that it’s a fight that makes a lot of sense also helps its believability.

Rashad Evans hasn’t fought since May 2009, back when he defeated Quinton Jackson. The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion has quite a history with Lyoto Machida.

Machida was Rashad’s first opponent after winning the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, and many fans were actually betting on the challenger to win. Evans set out to prove that he was a worthy champion… and it didn’t work out that way at all. In the first loss of his professional career, Evans was dominated, dismantled, and viciously knocked out. An online picture of Rashad Evans falling in mid-knockout dubbed “KO Face” spawned literally thousands of mockingly hilarious Photoshop pictures. When he coached against Quinton Jackson on “The Ultimate Fighter”, Jackson even went as far as to imitate Evans getting KO’d by Machida in order to anger him.

The win was so dominant that it led UFC commentator Joe Rogan to claim that we would be entering the “Machida Era”. Unfortunately, Machida would win a very controversial decision over Mauricio Rua and then lose by first-round KO in the immediate rematch. A tough decision loss to Quinton Jackson put Machida in “do or die” mode, and he responded with a brilliant flying front kick that KO’d MMA legend Randy Couture at the fantastic UFC 129 event.

This rematch definitely interests me, so I hope that this rumor ends up being true. I think Lyoto Machida could use a really big win now, his comeback is off to a great start but it needs longevity. I honestly don’t think a lot has changed since the first Evans/Machida bout, so I think Machida has a good chance of knocking Evans out again.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that I have a problem with Rashad Evans, in fact I’ve mostly supported him through many of his recent troubles including his beef with Jon Jones. I’m just a much larger fan of Lyoto Machida, and I want “The Dragon” to get back to being a championship contender. I still get a little riled up when the Machida cynics laugh at the phrase “Machida Era”, and I think that with enough time and hard work, Lyoto Machida could become UFC Light Heavyweight Champion again. And even if Rashad Evans beats Lyoto Machida, this sounds like a really good fight on paper.

So not only do I hope this fight happens, I’m honestly more excited for this fight than I was for the originally-intended Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis showdown.

Courtesy of Sherdog, the UFC 133 card now stands as such: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, Rich Franklin vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama, Jorge Rivera vs. Alessio Sakara, Rory MacDonald vs. Mike Pyle, Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Alexander Gustafsson, Chad Mendes vs. Rani Yahya, Dennis Hallman vs. Brian Ebersole, Ivan Menjivar vs. Nick Pace, Johny Hendricks vs. Mike Pierce, Mike Thomas Brown vs. Nam Phan, Rafael Natal vs. Constantinos Philippou

In discussing UFC 133, I think I’ll start from the bottom and work my way up.

Mike Brown vs. Nam Phan is a match-up that really interests me. Phan has been on the sidelines since December, when he was frankly robbed of a victory courtesy of a horrendous judge’s decision. Meanwhile, Mike Brown has been struggling to find his footing in the UFC but has stayed employed as an Octagon fighter thanks to taking two fights back-to-back. I do think Brown will be gone if he loses to Phan, though. Part of me hopes that the former WEC champion gets the big win he needs, another part of me would love to see Phan win in order to keep hope alive for a rematch with Leonard Garcia.

I think it’s pretty interesting that Brian Ebersole will more-than-likely lead the main event of UFC 133’s Facebook broadcast. After a huge win over Chris Lytle, I thought the UFC would simply do a little more with Ebersole. But I do partly agree with putting him on the undercard: he may have shrugged off the role of “sacrificial lamb” in the bout with Lytle, but there are still a lot of questions hovering around him. If he beats Hallman, though, I do think Ebersole will have earned a spot on the main card for his next bout.

I think it’ll be interesting to see what Jorge Rivera does against Alessio Sakara. That’s a battle of tough veterans that should be pretty entertaining. Also, is anyone else excited for Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama? I know both men have lost lately, but that seems like a great “clash of styles” fight. I’m also really pumped for Rich Franklin vs. “Little Nog”. Hopefully, that fight turns into the great brawl that the Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin fight should have been.

And for the main event, Rashad Evans dug his own grave and now needs to lay down in it. I’d actually consider myself a semi-fan of Rashad Evans, but even I have to point out the irony of the situation, with Evans sitting out all this time only to get injured, then the champion he was supposed to face gets injured, and now he’s doing what he tried not to do and has to put his shot at the championship on the line.

And to be honest, I think “ring rust” will play a significant factor in this fight, with Evans sitting out for over a year simply because he chose to do so. It’ll play an even bigger factor than usual, given how hungry Phil Davis is and how eagerly he wants to knock off some serious contenders. I’m not saying Davis will come out and dominate Evans, but I do think Evans will have a tough time both due to Phil’s toughness/technique as well as the fact that Evans has gone so long without stepping inside the Octagon.

Overall, UFC 133 may not be the best card, but a lot of the fights look very fun on paper and the event has plenty of “sleeper hit” potential.

5. Rashad Evans

Coming off of a loss to Chuck Liddell in December 2006, Ortiz looked to rebound in 2007 with a win over a hungry young upstart by the name of Rashad Evans. The fight would end up being ruled a draw, with Ortiz being penalized one point for holding onto the fence. Since then, Evans has become a star in his own right and a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Currently, Evans will be fighting Phil Davis. Win or lose, I think both Evans and Ortiz would prove quite a lot by fighting each other again.

4. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

For the most part, Ortiz has fought nothing but hungry young fighters in his recent fights. I say it’s time for a veteran fighter that has the experience and skill to be a threat in all major areas of the game. And although his career is winding down, “Little Nog” can still go. Personally, I think this would be an awesome fight between one of the best, most experienced, most versatile ground wizards in the division and the man that became synonymous with vicious Ground and Pound.

3. Quinton Jackson

Jackson ranks higher because of his status as a former champion and for his one-hit KO power. He also ranks higher than “Little Nog” because I think this fight would mostly stay on the feet, and to be honest, a stand-up fight between Jackson and Ortiz simply interests me more than a ground war between Ortiz and Little Nog. Ortiz displayed some good striking at UFC 132… can he hang with a striker like Jackson? If he wants to get this fight on the floor, can he deal with the great takedown defense of Jackson? Those are two questions I’d definitely pay to see answered.

2. Lyoto Machida

When you think about it, Machida’s big victory over Tito Ortiz is what got most people to finally start paying attention to Machida. Machida would be the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion only two fights removed from his decision win over Ortiz. But in the here and now, Machida has recently gotten over a two-fight (some say it should be three) losing-streak with a fantastic KO win over aging legend Randy Couture. That’s not exactly the same thing as winning what many felt would be the final fight of your career by dramatic stoppage, but it’s in the same ballpark. This is another rematch that simply makes a lot of sense right now, and I’d love to see it happen.

And the number-one next opponent for Tito Ortiz is…

1. Forrest Griffin

If Tito Ortiz really wants to prove that he’s “back”, he needs to beat the man that spoiled his heavily-hyped UFC return in 2009. Following that fight, Griffin was out of action for over a year and then took Rich Franklin to a boring decision. Whereas Ortiz found that old flame at UFC 132, Griffin looked like he was only focused on winning and not giving fans a good show when he defeated Rich Franklin. This is a rivalry with a very rich history: Ortiz has won one, Griffin has won one, and both wins were by Split Decision. I think it’s time we end this rivalry once and for all, and I really can’t think of a better way for Ortiz to prove that he’s back.

The two-men are now officially serving headlining duties for UFC 133, which takes place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 6th.

While plans to have a championship headliner pitting UFC titleholder Jose Aldo against Chad Mendes were in the works, it looks as though the organization has instead opted for the Evans-Davis bout.

Jose Aldo was last seen in action against Canadian striker Mark Hominick in the co-main event for UFC 129 last month, where in a grueling five-rounds of action, Aldo came out on top, though worse for the ware. Heading into the bout, Aldo had been suffering from difficulties cutting weight thanks to antibiotic medication for an undisclosed illness. UFC President Dana White discussed the possibility of Aldo making a quick return to the octagon for this August in order to help elevate the title-less UFC 133 event.

Although, at this time, there is now explanation as far as why Aldo will not be adorning the UFC 133 event, there is no reason not to watch this event, regardless.

Besides the Evans-Davis headliner, which will serve as a last hurdle title shot for Rashad, there are many other notable bouts that need all the respect they deserve, featuring former champions and fan-favorites galore.

Here is the full-bout lineup as it stands, courtesy of MMAJunkie.com:

Phil Davis vs. Rashad Evans
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Vitor Belfort
Rich Franklin vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Johny Hendricks vs. Mike Pierce
Jorge Rivera vs. Alessio Sakara
Mike Brown vs. Nam Phan
Michael McDonald vs. Nick Pace
Brian Ebersole vs. Dennis Hallman
Riki Fukuda vs. Rafael “Sapo” Natal

5. Forrest Griffin

There are two ways this fight could go. In Option A, Griffin shows up with the same guts and determination that led him to win the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, grinding away at Machida and making it an all-out war of attrition. In Option B, Machida pulls an Anderson Silva and dominates Griffin so badly that it haunts him for the next several years. Either way, this fight has a lot of potential, and Griffin needs opponents like Machida now that he’s back in the win column.

4. Rashad Evans

Rashad Evans has been sitting on the sidelines for a long, long time, but I think this is one fight that Evans would take with almost zero hesitation. Without a doubt, Rashad’s KO loss to Machida was the most humiliating loss of his entire career: his “KO Face” alone spawned hundreds if not thousands of spoofs. If Evans ever wants to recapture the hype he had before Machida beat him, he needs to try and beat Machida. And I think it’s been long enough and both men have changed enough, so a second fight could be wholly different than their first.

3. Quinton Jackson

Lyoto Machida both needs and deserves a rematch with Quinton Jackson. He deserves it because the fight was incredibly close, and many people still think that Machida was robbed. He needs it because Machida displayed the same hesitation that cost him the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in at least one (maybe even two) of the rounds of his three-round fight with “Rampage”. So long as Machida abandons his inhibitions and “Rampage” doesn’t take another long hiatus before accepting this fight, it should be an amazing second encounter.

2. Jon Jones

Who better to challenge Jon Jones than Machida? Stylistically, these two match up perfectly. Machida is unorthodox in everything he does, from his strikes to his much-discussed elusiveness. Meanwhile, Jon Jones is as unorthodox as they come: taking people down by slamming and throwing them, throwing spinning back elbows constantly, etc. And even better, Jon Jones is currently riding the same kind of hype Machida was when he won the championship. Not only would this be an amazing fight, it’s got some pretty awesome backstory to go alongside it.

So, who could possibly take my number-one spot if it’s not the current Light Heavyweight Champion? The choice is actually quite easy. The number-one opponent I’d like Lyoto Machida to fight is…

1. Mauricio Rua

More than anyone else on this list, more than any other person Lyoto Machida has ever fought, Machida needs to fight Mauricio Rua again. There’s no way to put this mildly: Mauricio Rua was the chief engineer in the destruction of “The Machida Enigma”, he was the one that killed “The Machida Era” before it ever got a chance to get started. It’s still a very sore subject for Machida fans, including myself, and I can’t imagine Machida having a better or more meaningful victory than by beating Mauricio Rua one more time, and this time by definitively knocking him out. This is one fight I’d give almost anything to see.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you think Lyoto Machida should fight?

The fight in of itself began to pique the interest of with multiple story lines attached to it—but now, that’s going to have to wait.

Originally, Jon Jones was to defend his ufc light heavyweight title against Rashad at UFC 133, however the champion is now going to be on the mend due to injury and now “Mr. Wonderful” has stepped in his place.

UFC 133, which takes place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 6, was originally the venue that was expected to house the light heavyweight grudge match between both Rashad and Jones, whom prior to the scheduled fight were both training partners housed under the Greg Jackson brand. Since the fight has been announced, both Jones and Evans have gone on very different paths.

Evans ended his 6-year relationship with the Jackson camp and has now began his own team with the likes of heavyweight giant Antonio “Big Foot” Silva, former K-1 Heroes Champion “JZ” Cavalcante, and former Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago, among others. Since the split, both Jones and Evans have made it clear how they feel about each other, and despite having called one another “brothers” in the past, it was Jon who pulled punches in the media, to which Evans responded in kind.

The feud will have to be put on the back burner for now, as Jon will now be undergoing surgery after he suffered a torn ligament in his thumb during training. MMAWeekly.com were able to confirm the injury with sources close to Jones, and have now identified Phil Davis as Jones’ replacement in the August light heavyweight tussle.

Davis was last seen in action in March when he defeated legend Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, where both men served as the main-event for UFC Fight Night 24. Phil stepped up on short notice after Tito Ortiz, Rogerio’s original opponent, had suffered an injury in the weeks leading up to the fight. After a contentious first-round, Davis turned it around and eventually earned takedown after takedown on Nogueira which helped him secure a well-deserved decision victory over the former PRIDE superstar.

Evans, meanwhile, has not been seen inside the octagon since last May, when he defeated rival Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 114. Rashad dominated the bout from start to finish with his superior wrestling, though a third-round scare from Jackson was all that the former PRIDE star could muster before Evans walked away with the decision. Rashad awaited on a title fight with then champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua until March of this year, however a subsequent injury in training left him unable to continue and in stepped in his then training partner in Jon Jones, who defeated the Brazilian with a third-round TKO.

So now, Evans vs. Davis is on deck next–but what do you think MMA peeps? Who do you favor, and should the winner of the bout be considered the legitimate number one contender to the title? Sound off in the comment section below.

You can look to no better example than Joe Stevenson and Melvin Guillard. Both have fought one another in the past and now are housed under the Jackson brand and have become fast friends and good training partners and insist that they will never again fight one another, despite having done battle in the past.

However, recently the UFC light heavyweight champion in Jones has been noted as being somewhat “two faced”. Saying one thing in confidence to Evans and then turning around and expelling tirades in the media. Yesterday was no different, where Jones made mention that he essentially “handled” Evans in practice, which as you can imagine is something that Rashad did not take too kindly to.

In an interview with Josh Gross of ESPN, Jones said bluntly “We fought each other in practice…A finish has been possible several times and it has always been me finishing him. I never did it out of respect that he was the elder of the school”.

While Jon, 23, has often been regarded as a level-headed, and otherwise mild mannered man, these statements cannot be construed as anything else but pompous and arrogant, a sentiment that Evans can surely agree with.

“Sugar” Rashad, the former UFC 205-pound champion, will be challenging his former teammate sometime later this year, and has already taken it upon himself to respond back to his would be “friend” in the best social medium possible: twitter.

“@jonnybones will b mma’s version of Milli Vinilli.. Wait until the curtain comes down cuz it will!!”, began Evans with only more pixilated jabs to come.

“@Jonnybones it’s been on!! Get off your own fan bus cuz nobody is driving!! U ain’t as raw as u believe & I’m gonna show ya!!”

“@xCypherx @jonnybones must b high! Cuz remember him looking at me begging me 2 let him up cuz he couldn’t get back 2 his feet in training..”

Everything the two are claiming is still up for debate. Does Jon run a roughshod through Evans in practice, or does Rashad “big brother” Jon in training? Only these two men really know the answers to these questions, however with the trash talk only beginning to mount, so will the increasing interest in the fight. Evans is doing his part to promote the fight, though I’m sure all the animosity he has towards Jones now is of his own personal satisfaction and is not harbored intentionally for television or the media alike. It’s personal now, and justifiably so. Rashad has been betrayed.

“@RoufuSportSolJa he is fake! The fighting is off the hook but as a person he is fake!”.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Evans’ claims? Is he justified? Has Jones crossed the line? Sound off in the comment section below.

First there was BJ Penn, whom seemed tailor made to be a fighter with his fast hands coupled with the knockout power he posseses, in addition to his world-class submission skills that earned him a championship with just a few years of training.

Then there’s Anderson Silva, who has developed into the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, with his pin-point lethal striking that has drawn comparisons to moves that you could only traditonally see in movies.

And now, there’s Jon Jones. A powerhouse wrestler who uses his athletic ability to overcome even the most experienced foes. His full arsenal was on display in his last outing with then champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128, whom Jones defeated via third-round TKO to become the new titleholder. And despite the respect he has shown in the past for former training partner Rashad Evans, who will next challenge Jon for the title, all of that has gone out the window, and if the fight goes on as practice has in the past, Jon will easily make his first successful title defense. At least according to him.

“We fought each other in practice. A finish has been possible several times and it has always been me finishing him”, said Jones in an interview with Josh Gross of ESPN.

“I never did it out of respect that he was the elder of the school. It’s against protocol in a way. Some people would do it but I believe in tradition. He has a lot to study. I have a lot to study, but I get to study[ing] more in-depth. He gets to study[ing] and gets a headache.”

It sounds like Jones may be getting a little bit ahead of himself in the lead up to his fight with his former teammate, whom in the past he has likened to a role model of his. Doesn’t look like too much idolization will be going on heading into this pivotal bout.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Do you agree with Jon’s assessment and believe that he will be able to handle Rashad? It will be interesting to see what Evans will have to say in response. Sound off in the comment section below.

He’s proven such accolades in the past, as he has taken fights in the lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, and even light heavyweight division. So now with the acquisition of Strikeforce into the Zuffa fold, things have gotten a little bit skewed once again.

The loyalty that him and his team (Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu) share is undeniable–arguably the most loyal team in the sport of mixed martial arts. When Jake Shields and Nick Diaz were both under the Strikeforce banner, Shields moved up to the middleweight class exclusively, just so he can avoid having to run into his teammate, and eventually both men became champions.

So when people ask whether Diaz will fight any of his teammates, the answer is clear. So in Diaz’ opinion, were Rashad Evans and Jon Jones ever “real teammates”? Definitely, not. Because that’s not loyalty.

“They’re not real training partners though,” said Diaz during a recent conference call leading up to his fight with Paul Daley on April 9, regarding Evans and Jones.

“You don’t understand, they’re like 10 years apart for one and they didn’t grow up training together. That guy’s just brand new into the sport. He’s just doing whatever, they’ve got him busy making photo shoots and press conferences, and conference calls and all this.”

Diaz went on to explain more about his training styling’s and highlighted the fact that the wars he has with his brother Nate Diaz, and his best friends Gilbert Melendez and Shields are the only fights that you will see any of them in. Real teammates do not fight each other, is a point he tries to make clear.

“That’s what they’ve got them doing and they’re not focused on what’s important to them in life. I’ve got what works, and I’ve got what’s got me there and that’s my team. That’s a disgusting thought to have to fight my brother. I don’t even appreciate being asked about that,” said Nick.

Thank to MMAWeekly.com for the transcribe from the teleconference.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the whole “not fighting teammates” routine? Does it hurt the sport? I think in some cases, it’s not necessary, but when their all under the same roof and if they all reach the top of the division, questions will begin to arise. Sound off in the comment section below.

Rashad Evans was one of the originals of the famed team, having began training there several years ago after his underdog performance on the second season of “The Ultimate Fighter” where he became the winner of the heavyweight field.

After paring down to the light-heavyweight class, he became the champion of his division, and though he lost the crown soon thereafter, he worked his way back at a shot at the title. However now, Evans will be facing his former teammate in Jones, who has since made permanent residence with the Jackson team, causing Rashad to sever ties with his friends.

Mike Winkeljohn, one of the head instructors and co-owner of the Jackson training facilities, wishes the whole situation could have been averted, and partly blames UFC champ Jon Jones.

Those who are unfamiliar with Winkeljohn, you can look to a bevy of Rashad Evans’ highlight reel and call them the courtesy of the striking coach. From the headkick knockout of Sean Salmon to the blistering right-hand KO of Chuck Liddell, Winkeljohn has been a longtime supporter of the former champion.

While Jones has been anything but grateful of the whole Greg Jackson camp, Mike now partly regrets the decision to allow Jon on the team.

In an early interview, Jones hinted that should both him and Rashad have to meet in the ring, despite having come from the same team, that he would unwillingly do so. Evans, never one to back down from a challenge, took Jones to his word and now both men will be meeting in the cage in the foreseeable future. Evans, feeling like the GJ team has turned their back on him, has left the camp and is currently training with the likes of Antonio Silva, Jorge Santiago, and “JZ” Cavalcante.

“A lot of us are to blame,” said Winkeljohn of the split, who spoke with MMAFighting.com on the matter.

“I think it’s an unfortunate series of events that’s going to happen more and more. Everybody wants a title. Bringing Jon Jones in, you know, if we would have known ahead of time that this would happen, we might not have brought him in. I don’t know, it’s tough. But I don’t know if that’s why Rashad left, or if it was because he didn’t trust us after he lost to Machida. Maybe it was a combination. I don’t know. I care about both guys and if there’s anybody out there who has the tools to beat Jon Jones, it’s Rashad Evans. If he uses them and he shows up mentally prepared, Jon Jones is in for a long night.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Mike’s assessment of the situation? Long has the Greg Jackson team had this comradery of not wanting to fight each other, however now that Jones is the champ after his blitzkrieg of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last weekend, Evans rightly will be challenging for the title and look to become the new title holder. Should Winkeljohn continue to train Jones or is that betrayal? Sound off in the comment section below.

“You can’t say you are not going to have anything to do with it when you are a big part of the reason why the situation originated,” Evans told Bloody Elbow. “That’s like spilling a glass of milk and then walking away and saying that you don’t want to have anything to do with it. You f**kn spilled the milk…so you’re at least going to help clean it up right? When Jon Jones came to the gym over a year ago Greg Jackson came to me and said, “listen, what do you feel about having this kid on the team?” I told him straight up that I didn’t like it. I told him that the kid was talented and that the sky was the limit with him but that was the type of guy I wanted to fight not train with. Greg came back saying, “No, no, no this will be just like you and Keith where he will be just like a brother.” I still told him that I didn’t want to do that. Then Greg said if that situation ever did arise between Jones and I that he would have to turn the fight down because that’s how it works. He would have to turn down the fight with me so that way I wouldn’t be put in a position where I looked like a punk. That’s how it works in the Greg Jackson system. After a while Greg was so high on this kid coming in and I met Jon Jones and he was a very nice and very sweet kid, so eventually I said f**k it, let’ s bring him in. After he got there and I trained with him and tried him out a little bit, something didn’t feel right so I moved my camp up to Denver to train at Grudge for awhile. That is where I spent the majority of my time over the past two fights.”

Of course, it didn’t work the same way it usually does with the Greg Jackson system in this case.  Early on, when asked if they would fight one another, both Jones and Evans indicated that they would not.  But later Jones apparently changed his mind. 

“I mean it’s one thing to say something in an interview,” Evans said, “but the least you could have picked up the phone and been like, “man I did an interview today and they kind of put me on the spot with a rough question and I answered it this way”. At least give me the heads up so that way I know and not look at it if he’s Judas or something. You know who Judas is? That interview was some backstabbing s**t but now it’s like whatever because now I know the game he is playing. Then for Greg to sit back and say he doesn’t want to have anything to do with it….why not? You f**kn created the situation. Be his coach and be in his corner. That’s what you want so do it. I don’t care if coaches against me. It doesn’t even matter.”

Jackson agrees that Jones shouldn’t have said he would fight Evans, even if some of the details as he recalls them differ from what the former TUF champion has conveyed.

“The thing with Rashad is, he said he was okay with Jon coming on the team,” Jackson told MMAFighting.com. “I felt that Jon did the wrong thing by saying he would fight Rashad. But once they signed to fight, I’m staying out of it. I’m not choosing Rashad over Jon Jones or Jon Jones over Rashad; I’m staying out of the entire thing. Everybody signed on to [Jon] being on the team. It wasn’t like I brought him on with these evil intentions. I bring a lot of training partners on to the team who are in the same weight class. For instance, Donald Cerrone, Melvin Guillard, Clay Guida – all these guys are in the same division.”

Jackson also reminded that although he clearly had a say in whether or not the two trained at Jackson’s MMA, he did not when it came to whether or not they agreed to fight.

“I’m the one that’s not choosing,” Jackson said. ”I’m staying neutral. I’m not going to tell you you can’t fight. You’re both grown-ass men. I’m not the boss of either of you, and I’m not your dad.”

In the end, this saga is likely to continue publicly in the coming months.  It’s certainly a difficult one with no easy answers.  But the interesting thing is, it’s also a situation we’re going to continue to see from time to time in this sport.  After all, if you don’t have good training partners, it’s hard to be good yourself.  And usually good training partners means fighters in your weight division in your own camp.

Tough deal.

5. Mauricio Rua has already spent several months training for Rashad Evans.

Before Mauricio Rua ever had to think about Jon Jones, he was thinking about Rashad Evans. Evans was the fight Rua spent many months preparing for, and if he beats Jones, Rua will have even more time to study and prepare for Rashad Evans. By the time this fight finally happens, Rua will probably know Evans’ gameplan and fighting style inside and out. And that’s a massive benefit.

4. If Rashad wants to “wall and stall”, that leaves him open for the Muay Thai Clinch.

The term “Wall and Stall” is a relatively new one, but it perfectly sums up one of the key things people hold against Rashad Evans. Evans loves to throw people up against the cage and just hold them there, pressing down on them with his body in order to sap their cardio. The only problem is that that’s the kind of close-quarters contact Rua needs in order to initiate the Muay Thai Clinch. If Evans holds Rua against the cage long enough, he probably will drain Rua’s cardio. But if Evans gets lazy, Rua can and will grab hold of his head and start dishing out some vicious knees.

3. Rashad has been gone too long.

It’s a major disadvantage going into a fight against Jon Jones, and it’s a major disadvantage going into this fight as well. I’ve defended Rashad Evans for choosing to sit on the sidelines, but I’d be lying if I said that a part of me wasn’t really annoyed by the whole thing. Any ring rust Rua has will likely be shaken off if he beats “Bones”. Evans’ long layoff is a huge hindrance for him no matter who he’s facing.

2. Persistent leg kicks will severely diminish Rashad’s takedown ability.

Let’s see Rashad Evans go for takedowns every few minutes after Rua kicks his legs for a couple rounds. I’m not doubting that Evans will be able to take Rua down early on, but this is a five-round fight and you couldn’t pay me any amount of money to take the kicks of “Shogun” for up to twenty-five minutes. If Evans becomes too focused on takedowns, we may reach a point in this match where Rua counter-strikes the legs of Evans so much that Evans goes down and doesn’t stand back up. A lot of people may be predicting that Rua will win this fight by KO, but honestly? I think Rua has just as good of a chance to win by TKO due to leg kicks. That’s how harsh they are, and coupled with Evans’ ring rust, this looks more and more like a very likely outcome.

1. Rua can easily knock Rashad Evans unconscious.

Lyoto Machida had barely begun to discover his knockout power when he knocked out Rashad Evans, and to date that was one of only two KO wins on his professional MMA record. Mauricio Rua has been knocking out people since he started fighting in 2002, and despite some ups and downs Rua has always displayed impressive power. Even now, with many years in the sport giving him a host of injuries, he recently recorded the strongest strike ever thrown on ESPN’s “Sports Science”. Whether it’s a punch or a kick, Evans is going to sleep if Rua lands it and lands it consistently.

And that wraps up today’s four-part “5 Reasons Why”, fans and friends. I hope you enjoyed the series. One last time: who do you think wins this fight, and why?

5. Having to switch camps could really end up hurting Rashad.

There’s been a lot of talk about Rashad Evans having to switch camps if he were to accept this fight, with Evans himself stating that he would likely leave Greg Jackson’s if he had to face “Bones”. There’s an obvious disadvantage here: Greg Jackson’s camp was one of the key ingredients in helping mold Evans into a champion. Some of the best fighters in the world train at Greg Jackson’s. The world does not revolve around that camp, but it’s on the shortlist of the best MMA camps in the world. If Evans leaves that behind and doesn’t find a suitable replacement, he’s in deep trouble.

4. Rashad has never been much of a stand-up fighter, and Jones’ unorthodox striking works best against Rashad’s type of fighter.

Rashad is a traditionalist, and one Achilles Heel of the traditional striker is the effectively unorthodox striker. Jon Jones isn’t highly regarded because he throws caution to the wind and tries some crazy strikes, it’s because he throws crazy strikes that land and do a whole lot of damage. The last time Evans fought a fighter with an untraditional striking style was Lyoto Machida, and that was one of the most embarrassing KO losses in recent MMA history.

3. Rashad will have trouble dealing with Jones’ impressive throws.

When Jon Jones gets a firm hold of you… you’re getting thrown. He’s proven that beyond a shadow of a doubt, and that will be one of his biggest weapons against Rashad. If Rashad attempts to pressure Jones up against the cage, he puts himself into prime position for the throws of “Bones”. Likewise, if Evans tries a takedown and fails, he’ll be in another prime position to get tossed and/or slammed.

2. Rashad has been gone too long.

How long will Rashad have been gone by the time this fight actually happens? A year and a half? Close to two years if Jones gets injured? That’s a long, long time to sit on the sidelines, and no one forced Evans to do so. And as we are so often reminded, ring rust is very real. It can affect the young as well as the old, it can hurt champions and challengers alike. And it’s a huge disadvantage for Rashad coming into this fight.

1. Jones is everything Rashad isn’t.

It took Rashad Evans nine fights in the UFC and a run in “The Ultimate Fighter” before he got a shot at the championship. Jones didn’t have to do the reality show and got his title shot in seven fights. Rashad Evans is constantly criticized for being a boring fighter, Jon Jones is widely regarded as one of the most entertaining fighters in the UFC. Rashad Evans sat on the sidelines for many months rather than risk losing his shot at the championship, Jones jumped at a shot at the belt even though it meant he would have barely over a month to prepare for the biggest fight of his life. Jones is on the brink of superstardom, Evans will have to fight to stay relevant since he’s been gone so long. This contrast is the biggest reason why I think Jon Jones could beat Rashad Evans.

We’re now only one away from the finale of today’s special four-part mini-series. Once again I just have to ask: Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones… who wins it and why do you think so?

5. Rashad Evans has a whole lot of aggression to work out.

The last time Rashad Evans fought was in May 2010. It would likely be the latter part of 2011 when this fight with “Shogun” takes place, perhaps even longer if Rua develops another injury. In that time, Evans has been criticized as a boring fighter, afraid to fight, a turncoat, and so much more. When he does return to the Octagon, Evans will be as fired up as he’s ever been. That raw aggression will be a key ingredient in making sure that Evans gives the best performance possible.

4. Rua has the better stand-up, but Evans has knockout power that Rua needs to be prepared for.

If Lyoto Machida can knock out Rashad Evans, Rua can certainly knock him out too, right? Sure he can… but don’t forget that Evans took a lot, and I do mean a lot of Machida’s best shots before he went out. He took the best shots of Quinton Jackson and stayed conscious. He took some of Chuck Liddell’s best shots and then knocked him out. Don’t get me wrong, Rua is the better striker. But if you sleep on Evans’ power, if you doubt it for one second, he can and will knock you out. If Rua believes that he’s such a better striker than Evans that he begins to doubt Evans’ striking ability, that’s a huge benefit to Rashad.

3. Rashad Evans will have had ample time to prepare for Mauricio Rua in particular.

Since he beat Quinton Jackson in May 2010, Rashad Evans has had one opponent on his mind: Mauricio Rua. If Rua does beat Jon Jones at UFC 128, Evans will have even more time to prepare for an opponent that he’s already spent almost a year preparing for. By the time this fight finally gets around to happening, Evans will likely have had quite a long while to watch Rua’s tapes, train against the Muay Thai style, and so much more.

2. Constant, grinding pressure.

Rashad Evans likes to put pressure on his opponents from the start of the first round. In his fight with Quinton Jackson in particular, Evans continually sapped away at Jackson’s cardio to the point where Jackson was gassed out by the end of the second round. With this being a five-round fight and with Rua already having at least two three-round fights that saw him ridiculously gassed out, Evans could end up with a dominant victory if he chooses to “embrace the grind”.

1. Constant takedowns.

Rashad Evans fights for his takedowns, and he usually gets them. And if he scores them early and often on Rua, Rua will find his vaunted kicking power severely diminished. Rua may even start to become gun-shy with his kicks if Evans keeps countering them with takedowns. Takedowns are Rashad’s key to winning this fight: they sap Rua’s cardio, the judges love them, they weaken Rua’s kicks, they hurt his surgically-repaired knees. Rashad Evans is a brilliant wrestler, and that’s the number one reason why I think he could beat Mauricio Rua.

And that’s two down and two to go, fans and friends. But what about you? What do you think about Rashad Evans possibly beating Mauricio Rua?

5. Having to switch camps could end up being Rashad’s secret weapon.

The fact that Rashad Evans would likely leave Greg Jackson’s camp if he has to fight Jones could end up being a blessing in disguise. As prestigious as Jackson’s camp is, they’re not the only game in town. There are plenty of other MMA camps in the world, and most would jump at the chance to work with a former champion like Rashad. By moving camps, Evans has the chance to learn and grown in a wholly new environment, picking up tricks he may never had been able to learn had he stayed put.

4. Jon Jones has never faced a striker like Rashad Evans.

Jon Jones has faced strikers before, but Rashad Evans represents a very different kind of striker. Much like Ryan Bader, he’s a wrestling-based fighter with sneaky one-hit KO power. The main difference here, though, is that Evans has one-hit KO power from any position, not just when he loads up and lands. If Jones gets too confident, Evans can knock him out. Evans can knock Jones out with a counter-strike. Evans can knock Jones out with Ground and Pound. There is no one position where Rashad Evans isn’t capable of knocking out Jon Jones.

3. If Jones tries something flashy and doesn’t hit it, he’s getting taken down.

Jon Jones likes to take chances, and that’s both a negative and a positive. The positive is that if he hits what he tries to hit, it looks great on camera while also doing big damage to his opponent. But Evans could be too experienced to be fooled by Jones’ trickery. If Jones gives Evans the opportunity, Evans can take this fight to the ground on a moment’s notice. And Jones trying one of his flashy moves gives Evans ample opportunity.

2. Rashad is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

Rashad Evans has been to the top of the mountain, and he’s relatively young. His body has held up remarkably well, and he can still compete at an elite level. When Evans faces Jones, Evans won’t have the weight of being labeled “the future of the division” on his shoulders. When Evans faces Jones, Evans won’t be the one that’s an unproven champion that must break the “Light Heavyweight Curse” in order to realize his potential. Jon Jones has far more to lose in this bout, and that added pressure could pile up to the point where Jones is defeated before he ever steps into the cage.

1. Rashad is everything Jones isn’t.

This is a sword that cuts both ways. Jones is flashy and unorthodox, while Evans is technically sound. Jones spends a whole lot of energy with his impressive throws, Evans plays it smart and makes the opponent waste energy with constant takedowns. Jones has to throw spinning back elbows to come close to knocking a guy out, Evans has one-hit KO power and he knows how to use it. The fact that Jones and Evans are so dissimilar is the biggest reason either man could beat each other.

And there you have it, fans and friends. Be sure to stay tuned for parts 2, 3, and 4. But for now: what do you think Rashad Evans has to do in order to beat Jon Jones?

Recently, the former world champion suffered a knee injury in practice, in preparation for his bout with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, which was originally scheduled to take place this weekend. However, after the news of the knee went around, teammate Jon Jones eventually got the nod and will now be competing for the belt.

While Rashad has gone to several media forums and stated that the likelyhood of him getting his immediate title shot is grim, solely because of his rocky relationship with UFC President Dana White, nothing could be further from the truth, explained the aforementioned UFC head honcho.

“Rashad thinks I’m hating him, or whatever the deal is, I don’t. The reality is…he hasn’t known Jon Jones that long. To call him a ‘brother’, and what I really believe–Rashad didn’t tell me this, Jon Jones didn’t tell me this, this is just something that I came up with in my head, that this has to be coming from the camp”, said White (in an interview with MMAFighting.com) regarding the initial disinterest in either Rashad or Jones wanting to fight each other.

Dana later suggests that it’s the training camp of Greg Jackson’s that is insisting that neither man fight, because should one person have to leave the camp to train, that it would take away from any monetary gain that the camp could draw in.

Since then, both men have changed their tunes, and have stated that they would be willing to fight each other if necessary, and it looks like White will be putting that commitment to the test.

Should Jon Jones win against “Shogun”, he will be fighting Evans next for the belt, however regardless, Rashad will still be next in line for the title shot.

“The guy got injured, he was next in line for the fight…”, said White, affirming that Evans will in fact get a crack at the UFC title.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Should Evans be next in line, or is there someone else worthy? And how would you feel about Rashad fighting either man? Sound off in the comment section below.

We head to MMA Mania for the scoop. During a recent press conference, the current #1 Contender had this to say regarding the situation: “I want to be clear to other reporters, that I absolutely hate when people mention Rashad Evans, especially throughout this training camp. He’s a friend of mine but I’m fighting Mauricio ‘Shogun’, one of the best… Rashad is not in my mind, he’s not in my being, he has absolutely zero to do with my heart and who I am right now… The fact that people are bringing up Rashad, it almost angers me. Rashad has nothing to do with ‘Shogun’ and I think from here on out I won’t even answer a question about Rashad.”

I can understand where Jon Jones is coming from, and I can certainly understand why he’s becoming so frustrated. I don’t like how a lot of people are clamoring for Jones vs. Evans while Jones vs. Shogun is still very uncertain. I’ve got complete faith in Jon Jones, but that’s only because I fully believe that he’s putting everything into preparing for what should be the toughest test of his career. Rashad Evans is, if I may be so blunt, just a distraction right now. And I applaud Jon Jones for trying to avoid this distraction.

I think it’s always fun to speculate and discuss some potential match-ups, but I also think that the focus right now should absolutely be on the main event of UFC 128. I think “Bones” feels like this fight may even be a bit overlooked, and if I were in his shoes, I’d probably be a bit angry too. It’s taken Jon Jones a long time and lots of hard work to get to this point, so I think we should all be focusing on how Jon Jones will beat Mauricio Rua. Because he will.

But when (not if) Jones becomes the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, this will definitely be the match to make. It’s very rare that two teammates agree to fight each other; that’s the main reason why so many people are talking about a possible Jones/Evans match-up. I personally think that this match-up could be an amazing fight, and it would definitely prove that Jones is a worthy champion if he beats “Sugar”.

At the end of the day, I think Jon Jones has a very bright future, and I even think that he’ll be the one to break the chain of UFC Light Heavyweight Champions losing the belt in their first few defenses of it, a “curse” that dates all the way back to when Quinton Jackson dethroned Chuck Liddell. Jon Jones is the future of the division… but only because he has the foresight to concentrate on the present. “Bones” is solely focused on beating Mauricio Rua, and because of that, I think he’ll beat Mauricio Rua. Rashad’s time will come when it comes.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on the matter?

White recently said just that in a new interview over at USA TODAY. Here are the highlights: “Talking’s fun before the fight, but if you do all this talking and then you go in there and don’t fight, who wants to see that (crap) again? Rampage-Rashad, the (freaking) snoozefest? …When have you not seen Matt Hamill fight? Matt Hamill’s going to go in there and try to beat him.”

Much like Dana White, it honestly baffles me how many people have vocally opposed the idea of Hamill/Rampage in favor of a second Rampage/Evans encounter. Let’s not sugar-coat it: their first encounter was a bad fight.

When people think of Jackson/Evans 2, I think they’re putting on a pair of rose-colored glasses and remembering the months leading up to the fight, not the actual fight itself. And to be fair, the pre-fight hype and altercations leading up to Jackson/Evans was some of the best build the UFC has seen in years. The season of “The Ultimate Fighter” they coached against each other was vastly entertaining, solely on the strength of both men’s hatred towards each other and in spite of the fact that TUF Season 10 featured some of the worst fights in the show’s entire history.

But when it came time to actually fight, the intense give-and-take brawl fans had been waiting for never materialized. Instead, what we were left with is a very disappointing fight that many fans seem to be sweeping under the rug with a laundry list of excuses.

To fans thinking that the second fight will be the encounter the first fight should have been, all I can ask is: why? Why do you think that? I understand that you have faith in your favorite fighters, but what’s with all this talk of seeing a rematch to a fight that was vastly underwhelming, when Jackson is instead getting a new, fresh opponent that is hungry for top-division status and wants to achieve that status by dismantling Rampage?

It’s really as simple as that: when have you not seen Matt Hamill fight? Matt Hamill is an entertaining, dynamic fighter, and he’s currently on a major win-streak. Hamill deserves this opportunity, he’s earned it, and he’s fought through some tough wars both in the Octagon and in life in general in order to earn his shot at championship relevancy. So while fans continue to be divided on this upcoming match, I’ll keep shouting it from the rooftops until someone listens: Matt Hamill vs. Quinton Jackon is actually going to be a pretty good fight.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any reaction to Dana White’s comments?

“Rampage”, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, was originally scheduled to face off against Brazilian slugger Thiago Silva before he came under scrutiny with recent allegations of a failed drug test post-UFC 125 last January.

Since that time, a rumor had been floating around that rival Rashad Evans would instead take Silva’s place, however multiple sources have confirmed that Hamill, not Evans, will be meeting with Jackson come this May, though if you’d ask Quinton, he’d much rather face off against the Greg Jackson product.

As news of a Hamill-Jackson bout began to come to a head, Quinton took the time to campaign a rematch with Evans rather then take on the season three veteran of “The Ultimate Fighter” in Hamill.

“I’m not interested in Fighting Matt,I rather fight Rashad,I have un finished business with him (sic)”, said Jackson, who took to Twitter to unveil his desire to meet with Evans once again.

Their animosity dates back many years, however gained ton’s of notoriety when the two former champions met on the tenth season of TUF, where they were both nearly coming to blows every episode or so. The pair finally met last May, and though Jackson had his moments, Rashad earned a hard-fought decision win over the former PRIDE star. Quinton has since spoken publicly of his desire to meet with Evans again, though if there was any better time for him to seek a bout with the former collegiate wrestler, it would be now.

Rashad was poised to take on UFC titleholder Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the promotion’s 205-pound belt, however a late injury forced Evans from the scheduled March card, and teammate Jon Jones has since stepped up in his place.

A knee injury will sideline Evans for approximately 6-8 weeks, leaving him an ample amount of time to reappear on the May 28th card for “UFC 130: Edgar vs. Maynard III”, should he chose to. Both Rashad and Quinton’s original main-event meeting reportedly netted the promotion over 1 million in pay-per-view buys, making it the only event in the company’s history to do so without a title on the line.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think–would you rather see Jackson/Evans II, or Quinton take on Hamill? I personally think it’s too soon to see “black on black crime” inside the cage again, but it doesn’t mean I won’t watch it if that’s whats on tap next. Sound off in the comment section below.

We head to MMA Junkie for a nice little breakdown on the entire story, which up to this point is as follows: Silva may be out of his bout with “Rampage” at UFC 130 but he denies that he is injured. The Nevada State Athletic Commission is still examining a pre-fight drug screen that came from UFC 125, with the current rumor being that the drug test is Thiago’s. Another rumor says that UFC top brass are already in discussion with Rashad Evans to replace Silva. Evans recently had to bow out of his long-awaited shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship after injuring his knee during practice.

At the time of this article’s publication, nothing is official and everything is speculation.

To be honest, I really hope the Silva vs. Jackson fight goes on as planned. I’ll get to why I’m not particularly interested in Evans/Jackson 2 in a little bit, but for now, I’ll focus on why I’m so interested in Silva/Jackson. Putting it plainly and simply, this has the potential to be one of the best brawls of the year.

Thiago Silva recently took a big step on the comeback trial with his crushing victory over Brandon Vera, Jackson did the same with his narrow win over Lyoto Machida. Both men are motivated and hungry to prove that they’re still big threats in the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division. It’s an excellent match between arguably two of the best striking-based fighters in the division, and it’s a new, fresh match we’ve never seen before. I definitely hope it happens.

The reason I don’t want to see Rashad/Rampage 2 is also pretty simple: personally and professionally, these two bring out the worst in each other. Evans didn’t want to risk getting knocked out, so for the most part he blanketed Jackson in their first fight. Due to several factors, not the least of which was the sizable amount of ring rust he had going into the bout, Jackson seemed to only come alive in the dying minutes of his fight with Rashad. Maybe the second fight would be the fight we were all hoping for the first time around, but then again, it could also be more of the same.

So I say stick with the new, and don’t jump the gun and look past Thiago Silva just yet. Because even though it certainly sounds appealing on paper, I think Thiago Silva vs. Quinton Jackson is the fight we should all be looking forward to, not another bout between Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson.

And what about you, fans and friends? If you had the choice, would you rather see Quinton Jackson fight Thiago Silva or Rashad Evans?

Let’s start with Rashad Evans as a Heavyweight. It’s true that “Sugar” has competed as a Heavyweight before. But did you know the first thing Rashad Evans did immediately after he beat Brad Imes to win the Heavyweight portion of “The Ultimate Fighter” season 2? You guessed it: he moved to Light Heavyweight. That fight with Imes was in fact the last time Evans competed at Heavyweight, it’s been over five years since Rashad ever weighed anything over 205.

Even if you disregard how difficult it is to move up in weight the right way, consider the fact that the UFC Heavyweight division is far beyond what it was in 2005. This is a division ruled by athletes like Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Shane Carwin, and Brock Lesnar. If they’re not huge and powerful, they’re powerful and fast. Rashad Evans has never been that huge of an athlete, so even against someone like JDS or Cain he’d still probably give up ten or so pounds in weight. Against a Lesnar or Carwin, it’s conceivable that Evans could be outweighed by as much as forty pounds.

But does that mean that Evans should drop to Middleweight instead? Honestly… no, no it doesn’t. Either way you look at it, Evans will have to either put on ten to twenty pounds of pure bulk muscle (at the very least), or lose twenty pounds of the lean, honed muscle that made him a champion in the first place. It’s true that the UFC is the home of the monster weight cut, but again, Evans has never been that muscular of a fighter. His best victories have come due to his fast hands and cardio, both of which stand to suffer if he drops down to Middleweight.

In the end, I’m not ruling out that Rashad Evans couldn’t make Heavyweight or Middleweight. It’s not something that hasn’t been done before, and I know Evans has the dedication to get his body to the weight that it needs to be at. He may even be successful at it, some have been. Vitor Belfort (despite his recent loss) and Wanderlei Silva stand out as obvious examples.

At the end of the day, whether it’s a move up or down, Evans runs the risk of losing what made him a champion, or having it diminished to the point where his run ultimately proves unsuccessful. I certainly can’t stop Evans from doing what he wants to do, and I can admit that my philosophy on fighters refusing to fight their teammates has changed a bit somewhat. So I understand his motives. But I truly and wholeheartedly think that Evans is his most optimal at 205. Nevertheless, I’ll be pulling for “Sugar” and I wish him all the best as well as a speedy recovery.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on my opinion, and what’s your take on Rashad Evans in general?

Jones earned the shot at the championship strap with a second-round submission victory over then-undefeated fighter Ryan Bader, the season eight winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”. Ultimately, though, the opportunity came when teammate Rashad Evans had to bow out of the title fight with Rua when he suffered a knee injury in preparation for the bout.

Now, Evans’ camp is indicating that should Jones defeat the Brazilian next month, Rashad is willing to either move up or down in weight class.

MMAJunkie.com caught up with Rashad’s co-manager Malki Kawa who indicated that Evans will either move up to the heavyweight class or to the middleweight division. The former light heavyweight champion is no stranger to the “extra” healthy division, where Evans initially emerged into the UFC when he claimed the status of “The Ultimate Fighter” as a heavyweight star on the second-season of the popular reality show.

The code of honor between most athletes under the same roof is to respect each other enough not to fight, at any means. Evans still has aspirations of becoming a champion once again, and manager Kawa believes that Rashad’s best payday would be in the middleweight division where the collegiate wrestler could take on the dominant Anderson Silva in the foreseeable future.

“Rashad wants to fight for a championship,” Malki told MMAJunkie.com. “He doesn’t want some regular fights or whoever it might be. A fight that interests me a lot, and I thought would be a really big payday for him, is a fight against Anderson (Silva).”

“The Spider” has recently come off of a dominant performance, knocking out former teammate Vitor Belfort last Saturday in the main-event of the evening at UFC 126, having now successfully defended his title for a record eight times and now extends his win streak to a perfect 13-0 inside the octagon.

Yushin Okami and Georges St. Pierre seem like the only logical challenges left for the Brazilian, but Evans could breathe new life into the division.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Rashad’s possible move down to 185? At 5’11, the middleweight class would be ideal for the Greg Jackson product, how packs serious power at 205-pounds, which would only make him more dangerous in the lighter weight class. Sound off in the comment section below.

Then, there was an exuberant Jon Jones realizing his life’s work when UFC commentator stepped into the cage to announce “Bones” as the next challenger to the light heavyweight title. Elated, Jones fell to knees in disbelief and the appreciation of such an opportunity was painted on his face.

Jon earned the title opportunity with a second-round submission victory over then undefeated Ryan Bader on the main card for “UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort” which culminated this past Saturday.

The win extended the 23-year-old to a three-fight win streak, with his only blemish in his professional mixed martial arts career coming to the hands of Matt Hamill via a controversial disqualification.

The bid for the championship came at the expense of Jones’ teammate Rashad Evans, who was originally expected to face champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua on March 19 at the Prudential Center for UFC 128, however the Greg Jackson star injured his knee in preparation for the bout.

Already, the light heavyweight dynamo, who has become one of the most phenomenal and talked about athletes in recent memory, has opened up as a favorite over Rua for their March tussle, even though Jon has roughly six-weeks to prepare for the title fight and has less than three-years experience as a MMA fighter, though his athletic ability and wrestling skills have carried him to an 12-1 record, 6-1 in the UFC.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the recent news? Do you believe Jones is deserving of the title shot, or would you have rather seen someone else thrown in the mix? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here’s what the controversial UFC President had to say during a recent interview with Karyn Bryant of MMA H.E.A.T.: “The way that guys stay great at fighting is to keep fighting… I think Rashad Evans was insane to take that layoff and wait all that time for the fight, but that’s what he chose to do… My philosophy is: you’re either the best or you’re not… You’re going to end up fighting all the guys anyway. You might as well stay busy, stay active, make some money, and be ready for [Mauricio Rua]. Or have any advantage over ‘Shogun’ by staying active.”

As I find myself so often doing, I both partially agree and disagree with what Dana White says. I think he has a good point about Evans having to fight all the top guys anyway, and that it’s better to stay active than sit on the sidelines if at all possible. I think it’s been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that ring rust is very real and has affected many MMA stars, from the bottom of the barrel all the way to the top of the heap. But here’s the thing: with this statement, Dana White basically gave one answer to a very multi-faceted question.

That question is “Why risk it?”

This is why I’m not faulting Rashad Evans for choosing to stay on the sidelines. There are a lot of variables involved in this equation, too many for Rashad’s taste, and I don’t get why people complain about this. What if Evans took another fight and got injured? What if he won his “staying active” fight but Dana White still decided that someone else was more deserving of the shot? It’s no secret that White changes his mind all the time.

Putting it plainly and simple: the UFC made Evans a promise, and he’s holding them to that promise. They promised him the next title shot, and he chose to wait until the champion healed up. He’s fully in his rights to do so, and since it’s his body and his career, who are we to doubt him or accuse him of being afraid to fight? Can you really blame Evans for holding the UFC and its President to their word, especially in today’s UFC where no contract is safe and the title hunt can change drastically on a per-event and even a per-fight basis?

I really don’t think you can, so I’m not going to. In the end, I’m still siding with “Sugar” and calling for the fall of the “Shogun” empire. Rashad is one of the best and trains with some of the best, and I think everyone is going to be in for a very rude awakening when Rua shows up with far more ring rust than Rashad and proceeds to get grounded, pounded, and ultimately stopped. Maybe then people will finally start giving Rashad Evans the credit he deserves.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your take on this situation?

The headliner will pit former PRIDE star turned UFC light heavyweight champion in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua as he defends his title for the first time when he takes on former titleholder Rashad Evans. The event takes place at on March 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

The evenings co-main event features a battle of former champions as former WEC stars collide when Urijah Faber (the now defunct organization’s poster boy) takes on the grizzly Eddie Wineland in a bout that will likely determine the number one contender for the UFC’s bantamweight title, which is currently held by the dominant champion, Dominick Cruz.

UFC officials today announced two more bouts that will likely complete the 12-fight lineup as welterweights Mike Pyle and Ricardo Almeida do battle in Newark.

Pyle is beginning to come into his own inside the octagon, where in his last outing he managed to score a huge decision victory over then budding contender John Hathaway at UFC 120 at the O2 Arena in England. The win extended a two-fight win streak for Mike who has now found some consistency in his up-and-down mixed martial arts career.

Almeida (a resident of Hamilton, New Jersey) will also be looking to climb up the ranks once again. A former contender in the middleweight division (and a former King of Pancrase) Ricardo will look to make it two-in-a-row with a victory over Pyle. “The Big Dog” was last seen in action when he scored a decision win over the always-tough T.J. Grant at UFC 124 last December. The win helped Almeida bounce back from an embarrassing first-round submission loss to former champ Matt Hughes last August at UFC 117.

Additionally, middleweights Dan Miller and Nick Catone are also set to do battle at the March event. Both men hold the home field advantage since the two of them call New Jersey “home”, and will likely have a ruckus crowd behind the two exciting athletes.

After suffering a scary three-loss stretch inside the octagon, Miller has now climbed back up the ranks as he has been able to compile a two-fight win streak, which began with a second-round submission win over John Salter last August. He followed up the performance with a hard-fought decision win over longtime veteran Joe Doerksen.

Catone, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, was also on the heels of the UFC chopping block when he rode a two-fight losing streak into his bout with “The Ultimate Fighter” season three veteran, Jess Forbes. Both wrestlers engaged in a tough back-and-forth battle, but in the end Nick was declared the winner when he was able to snatch up the split-decision win.

The full card lineup is as follows:

MAIN CARD

* Champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Rashad Evans (for light-heavyweight title)
* Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland
* Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus
* Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Nate Marquardt
* Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Brendan Schaub

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Luiz Cane vs. Karlos Vemola
* Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani
* Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle
* Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau
* Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland
* Raphael Assuncao vs. Manny Gamburyan
* Nick Catone vs. Dan Miller

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the card in it’s entirety? It’s a real treat for anyone that decides to make the trip to Newark, which is daunting in of itself but totally worth it for this event. Sound off in the comment section below.

According to MMA Weekly, two new bouts have been made official for UFC 128 “Shogun vs. Evans”. A planned match-up between Nate Marquardt and Yoshihiro Akiyama is now a full-fledged fact rather than a mostly-confirmed rumor. Also, former WEC Featherweight Championship contender Manny Gamburyan will be taking on Rafael Assuncao at UFC 128 in the other recently-announced match-up.

Currently, the UFC 128 fight card stands as follows: Mauricio Rua (C) vs. Rashad Evans for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland, Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland, Mirko Filipovic vs. Brendan Schaub, Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus, Nate Marquardt vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama, Raphael Assuncao vs. Manny Gamburyan, Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle, Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau, Anthony Njokuani vs. Edson Barboza Jr. Dan Miller vs. Nick Catone, and Luiz Cane Jr. vs. Karlos Vemola.

As a perennial Nate Marquardt fan, I really do hope that “The Great” comes back strong after another deflating loss. I think Yoshihiro Akiyama is a great test for Marquardt as it stands right now. Akiyama needs a win and needs it badly, so he’ll likely fight Marquardt as if his job was on the line, because if Akiyama loses three fights in a row (Akiyama went winless in 2010, losing both times he competed)… it most likely will be. At the very least, it should be an entertaining scrap between two gifted high-level performers.

I think this card is shaping up to be a real can’t-miss attraction. I’m already hooked due to the main event (more on that later), but it seems as if the UFC’s undercards just keep getting better and better. Of course, that’s thanks in no small part to their merger with the WEC. Nevertheless, there’s a difference between merging with a company and effectively merging with a company, and the UFC 128 fight card is a great example of a card that’s top-heavy with big UFC names while having plenty of exciting undercard bouts thanks to scrappy WEC performers hungry to make their mark in the Octagon.

And just in case you forgot, fans and friends, I’d like to once again loudly and proudly proclaim that this event will see the downfall of Mauricio Rua. Rashad Evans is simply too well-rounded for “Shogun”, and if Evans keeps his mind focused and his wits clear, he may even be able to finish Rua in the first round. Evans is a world-class wrestler with real KO power, and he trains with one of the best MMA camps on the face of the planet. You can doubt all you want, but Evans is taking home the gold for a second time at UFC 128.

And of course, if I’m wrong I’ll be more than happy to eat another serving of humble pie. But in a world where Evans is constantly disrespected and “Shogun” fans are shouting from the rooftops that their favorite son is “back”, I’ve got no problem just as loudly voicing my opinion that Evans is going to become a two-time UFC champion before UFC 128 is through. And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on these latest developments, and the UFC 128 fight card in general?

Reigning and soon-to-be defending UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will be pitted against former title holder Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 128, which takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on March 19.

The promotion officially announced the main event of the evening earlier today.

Mauricio was last seen in action in May of last year when he defeated rival and fellow countryman Lyoto Machida at UFC 113 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. “Shogun”, who previously lost a controversial decision to the karate expert in October of 2009, avenged the defeat with a stunning first-round knockout. With the victory, Rua claimed the promotion’s 205-pound title.

Rashad is currently riding a two-fight win streak inside the octagon, which began after losing his light heavyweight title to the hands of the aforementioned Machida in May of 2009. Evans quickly bounced back with two commanding decision victories over Thiago Silva in January and then former champ Quinton Jackson last May.

Both Urijah Faber and Eddie Wineland, former champions in the WEC, will make their UFC debut come March 19. Their move to the worlds largest mixed martial arts organization comes on the heels of the WEC merger, where the bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight divisions have now been assimilated into their sister promotion, and as such, the fighters will gain more exposure and possibly larger paydays.

Faber comes into the UFC with a victory in the 135-pound division when he recently defeated former title challenger Takeya Mizugaki at WEC 52 last Novemeber via rear-naked choke inside of the first round. The win helped soften the blow of a defeat against pound-for-pound great, Jose Aldo for the Brazilian’s featherweight title earlier last year.

Wineland will make his UFC debut on good footing as the former bantamweight champion has recently compiled a four-fight win streak under the Zuffa banner, including back-to-back knockout victories. In his last performance, Eddie competed in the World Extreme Cagefighting’s last held event, WEC 53, as he took on promotion newcomer Ken Stone. The American Top Team product made the grave mistake of pulling guard early in the bout and Wineland never hesitated in elevating and slamming Stone to the mat, knocking him out instantly. The victory garnered Eddie “Knockout of the Night” for his efforts.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the matches heading to New Jersey? Additional bouts will surely be announced in the immediate future, but in the mean time who do you think will win their respective bouts? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Mauricio Rua/Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones

This is more about the ascension of Jon Jones than it is about Mauricio Rua or Rashad Evans, although both men are great fighters and pose a varied assortment of problems to “Bones”. No matter who ends up wearing the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, I can’t wait to see Jon Jones finally get his crack at the most hotly-contested and arguably the most prestigious championship in the UFC. With the title being on the line, and given whom Jones may end up facing, we’d most likely see a brilliant performance by “Bones” that utterly eclipses anything he’s ever done in the Octagon before. And that’s a dream come true for Jon Jones fans.

4. Nick Diaz vs. Jason Miller

At this point I think both men can barely stand to be in a room with each other, and I can only imagine how vicious these two would be if they ever got the opportunity to fight each other. This fight has been talked about at length for a long time, and I have personally done my best to keep both myself and my readers constantly up-to-date on this rivalry. And there’s a good reason for that: outside of the Heavyweight division, I truly believe that this fight is the most marketable and most interesting fight that Strikeforce conceivably has access to. And even though I’ve had a few issues with Jason Miller’s antics in the past, make no mistake: I’d still absolutely love to see this fight.

3. Jon Fitch vs. Georges St. Pierre 2

I’ve been a fan of Jon Fitch for a long, long time. I think he’s an amazing athlete, an incredible wrestler, one of the UFC’s best assets, and the recipient of far more criticism than he deserves and far less recognition than is fair. I’d love to see this fight because I think Jon Fitch has it in him to prove a lot of people wrong. Plus, it would likely bring out the best in Georges St. Pierre, who continues to evolve at an astonishing rate. Both as a Fitch fan and a GSP fan, I’d go out of my way to make sure I watched this fight if it ever ends up happening.

2. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Fabricio Werdum 2

Be honest, you knew it was coming. And for good reason, too: I think Fedor Emelianenko is the greatest Mixed Martial Artist that has ever fought. I think he made a mistake against Fabricio Werdum after a lifetime of performing flawlessly, and I think he has every intention of correcting that mistake in the most heinous, destructive way possible. The first fight shook the MMA world to its core, the rematch would be talked about for years to come. There’s not a lot I wouldn’t give to see this fight.

But, as if there could be any doubt, my top dream fight as we head towards 2011 is…

1. Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre

Even though it won’t look like it, I’m going to say this without an ounce of hyperbole on my part: I truly believe that Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre is the biggest dream-fight currently conceivable. Pick your poison, it’s all the same to me: it doesn’t matter if it’s Fedor vs. Randy Couture, Fedor vs. Brock Lesnar, Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem, or any and all of the rest. I truly believe that this fight would define a generation and go down as the biggest fight in MMA history. In the immediate future, I don’t think anything has a chance of toppling this fight as my top “dream fight”.

And so Part 2 comes to a close, fans and friends. Stay tuned for the final two parts as we head into the second half of “All I Want for Christmas”. And what do you think? What are some big dream matches you’re looking forward to?

All the following quotes are courtesy of Pro MMA Radio: “… Sometimes it seems to me like they’re not wanting me to fight for the belt… If the belt is about controlling who gets it or controlling who’s getting an opportunity then it loses all its authenticity to me anyway. So I just won’t even ever ask to fight for it… I won’t ever ask to ever fight for the belt again because the belt would mean nothing to me because it’s not based on who’s the best, it’s about politics.”

Politics, man. This promotion wants to keep him down. Congrats if you got the reference, I just couldn’t resist. Now for something a little more serious.

I can see where Rashad Evans is coming from, but to be honest, I’m getting a little tired of him continuing to dredge this up. It’s beginning to feel like he’s only sticking to this point so his name can remain in the press. I think Evans has made his point already, and just repeating it ad infinitum is going a little bit too far. Perhaps it’s not helping matters that I view almost all conspiracy theories with a hefty grain of salt to begin with.

I don’t think the UFC is protecting its Light Heavyweight Champion by forcing Rashad Evans to sit on the sidelines. I can admit that the UFC and UFC President Dana White certainly seem to favor one fighter over another as a potential money-drawing champion, look at Dana White’s face when he had to put the UFC Heavyweight Championship on Cain Velasquez rather than Brock Lesnar for proof. But Rashad’s assertions have all the tell-tale signs of a conspiracy theory: Rashad is taking a loosely related group of coincidences and believing that there’s some larger, hidden, nefarious agenda at play.

And that just doesn’t seem to be the case. Rashad Evans is sitting on the sidelines because he chose to sit on the sidelines. It’s true that he’s having to wait longer than expected, and it’s true that the UFC and the management of “Shogun” kept ping-ponging Mauricio Rua’s return date. That doesn’t mean there’s a big conspiracy to keep Evans out of the title picture. It just means that Mauricio Rua is human, and that the UFC makes mistakes.

It seems as if “Sugar” has nothing better to do than stir the pot while he continues to spend his days waiting to know when he’ll get his next crack at the title. But at the end of the day, I’ll continue to support Rashad Evans. I think he earned his shot at the gold, and I think he’ll beat Mauricio Rua. Interviews like these simply make it a little harder to call myself a fan of the man. Rashad Evans has made his point already, and while it’s not one that I unequivocally agree with, it’s one that I can certainly empathize with and understand. And I will continue to do so, so long as he stops bringing it up every five seconds.

But what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of Rashad’s continued protests against the UFC?

The event takes place in the Detroit suburbs in Michigan, at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and will feature one of the best lineups of the year.

In the main event of the evening, former UFC light heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida will battle it out for top contender billing in one the busiest divisions inside the promotion.

While many loyal fans are pulling for the charismatic “Rampage” to prove successful in this tough match up, one more supporter has voiced his opinion. Someone whom Jackson is all too familiar with.

“Honestly, I think Rampage has a lot better chance than what appears before your eyes,” said Evans, whom spoke with MMAWeekly.com. The most ironic part of it all, aside from the fact that Rashad has fought both Jackson and Machida with mixed results (a win and a loss, respectively) is the disdain that Evans and Quinton share for one another.

Former coaches on season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter” their rivalry really cooked up their, and eventually the two squared off at UFC 114 in one of the most anticipated grudge matches in the company’s history. Evans won by unanimous decision.

Where most people are picking “The Dragon” based on his unique style of blended Karate skills coupled with sumo as well, Rashad is anticipating the A-Team movie star to pull of the upset, if the right Jackson shows up.

“It all depends if Rampage is going to come for this camp. If Rampage is really taking it serious, and he starts training how he needs to train, I think he has a really good chance of beating Machida”, began the Greg Jackson product, whom is rumored to face Mauricio Rua in March for the 205-pound title.

“One of his strengths is one of Machida’s weaknesses, which is he always pulls back in combinations, he goes in and he pulls back,” Evans commented about Machida’s style. “Rampage has always been good at reaction punches, so if he moves forward, he’s going to charge him and catch him like how he caught Chuck Liddell and how he caught Wanderlei Silva. That’s one of his strengths, if you pull back on Rampage, you’ll get caught all day”.

Beyond the intricacies of the fight, Rashad has delved much more than just simple thought. The former light heavyweight champion has even been visioning Jackson knocking out Lyoto in his dreams, which is something he’s not all that happy about.

“I had a dream that Rampage knocked out Machida,” said Evans. “I had a dream about four nights ago that Rampage knocked him out. I don’t know why I was dreaming about Rampage’s ugly ass in the beginning, but I woke up and it felt like he knocked out Machida, it felt like it was real.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Evans’ thoughts? I think the popular frame of thought for everyone is to WANT Jackson to win, but generally think that Machida will steal the victory. Or am I wrong? What do you think? Sound off in the comment section below.

ufc 128 is expected to go down this March for round-two, in Abu Dhabi.

The venue has not been pin pointed as of yet, however the UFC should return to A.D on March 19th, since it’s original inception in the organization’s new market which came earlier this year at UFC 112, last April.

MMAWeekly.com has reported the news, and have in turn raised an interesting fact. UFC 127, which will also mark a return to Australia for the world’s leading mixed martial arts promotion. So, therefor, back-to-back overseas events will take place, which is generally speaking not the norm for the organization, but is a direct consequence of their own success.

UFC 128 is also tentatively rumored to host the return of current UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua when he defends his title for the first time against former champion Rashad Evans.

Rua initially captured the title in May of this year, when he knocked out former title holder in Lyoto Machida inside of the first-round at UFC 113. The bout was an immediate rematch for both competitors, when Mauricio has initially vied for the title in October of last year. In a heated and very controversial fight, Machida was declared the winner by unanimous decision, much to the dismay of the media and fans alike. Dana White, the UFC President, was included amongst those who believed that Rua had done enough to win the five-round affair. Then, the rematch was made, and history righted itself.

Rashad Evans, since his losing his title to the aforementioned Machida at UFC 98 in May of last year, has rattled off two-consecutive victories over the likes of Thiago Silva and nemesis Quinton Jackson, respectively, both by way of unanimous decision. The win over “Rampage” made Evans the new number one contender to the title.

No additional bouts have been rumored for the event.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the potential match up? Who do you favor? Will Rua retain his title, or will Rashad, the winner of season two of “The Ultimate Fighter”, become a two-time light heavyweight champion? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here’s what “Sugar” had to say in an interview with MMA Weekly: “…Ever since Shogun’s been out there’s been talk when he’s coming back… They said he won’t be ready until like the first of the year… Then they go he won’t be ready until March. Then Dana went on MMA Live and said he won’t be ready until May… Then I heard just the other day he’s not even at the doctor’s yet. He probably won’t be better until like after June…. I was just really frustrated because I didn’t understand is he not going to fight? …If I could just get an idea of when he might be coming back, it’s all good… But when it’s all these different dates thrown around it was just kind of confusing, like what the (expletive) is it going to be? …I was just frustrated because I didn’t have any idea of when I should start getting ready for the fight.”

Like I said in my previous article, I can certainly empathize with Rashad Evans. Evans is basically stuck on the sidelines until current champion Mauricio Rua rehabs fully from a knee injury that happened during his brief 3:35 thrashing of Lyoto Machida at the “Machida vs. Shogun 2” event back in May. And there honestly have been a lot of dates tossed around for Shogun’s return.

In the interview with MMA Weekly, Rashad also states that he turned down a fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira that would have been a co-main event at the upcoming UFC 123: “Rampage vs. Machida” event. Rashad’s logic was pretty sound: if he’s the #1 contender, why is he fighting lower on the card than two Light Heavyweight fighters that aren’t in his position? It just wouldn’t have made sense, and it certainly would have hurt Rashad’s credibility if he lost to Nogueira.

I’ve said multiple times that I’m generally not a fan of fighters turning down fights, but honestly, what incentive did Evans have for agreeing to fight Nogueira? He would have stayed active, but he also could have lost his chance at the championship if Nogueira beat him. And what if he developed an injury training for the Nogueira fight, or during the fight itself? In a Light Heavyweight division ridiculously stacked with best-in-the-world talent, Evans chose to wait it out, bide his time, and get the shot he deserves. At the end of the day, it’s a smart move.

Ultimately, I’m siding with Rashad Evans on this one even though I think he shouldn’t be so quick to criticize the UFC for not keeping him active when he himself was the one that made the call to stay on the sidelines and wait for Shogun. I think it frustrates Evans that he’s waiting longer than he had planned to, but if he’s not willing to risk his credibility on another fight in the meantime, ultimately he’s got nobody to blame but himself.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on this situation?

Here are the highlights of an interview Evans recently had with ESPN: “”…If I don’t get the chance to fight for the belt, I will never ask to fight for this belt again. I will never want to fight for that belt again… If [Rua] is going to be out longer than May or June then [UFC] should consider an interim title and I will fight for an interim belt… But if I don’t get a chance to fight for an interim belt, then I will just beat everybody in the division and I will never fight for the belt… If I don’t get to fight for this belt because [Rua] stays injured too long and they don’t make anything happen, then I will never ask to fight for that belt again, man.”

On some level, I can see where Rashad is coming from. Mauricio Rua’s expected return is around March 2011, if Rashad continues to play the waiting game he’ll be looking at a layoff of almost a year before he finally steps into the cage to get his shot at the gold. “Shogun” is looking at an even longer layoff, but he’s rehabbing an injury. Evans is perfectly healthy and needs to remain active in order to fully capitalize on this comeback that’s in the works.

But it seems as if Evans thinks that the UFC is conspiring against him. That’s wishful thinking at best. Rashad earned his shot at the champion, and then the champion came down with an injury. It happens. The UFC shouldn’t jump the gun and make an Interim title at a moment’s notice, especially not in the Light Heavyweight division, which hasn’t seen a dominant champion since the glory days of Chuck Liddell. The actual UFC Light Heavyweight Championship is so hotly contested that any Interim Championship would immediately be recognized for the make-believe belt that it is, and it would be a small comfort to an athlete like Evans.

Interim belts should only be created when the future of the current champion is uncertain. Many people don’t like Interim belts to begin with, regardless of the circumstances surrounding their creation. Even past UFC stars have been quick to criticize and basically throw away their Interim Championships. If Rashad Evans wants a belt so badly, he should train hard, minimize any ring rust, and wait for it. Rua’s future is not uncertain, he will be making his return, and in the meantime, an Interim belt is completely meaningless.

Perhaps the funniest thing about this entire situation is that I seem to be one of the few that believes that not only will Evans beat Rua, but that he’ll beat him decisively. Evans certainly isn’t endearing himself to the general public with these kinds of interviews, but he’s still a dominant wrestler with serious KO power. If “Shogun” blew out his knees defending the takedowns of Lyoto Machida, they’ll be turned to jelly against “Sugar”, so long as Evans stops needlessly complaining and focuses on preparing for one of the biggest fights of his career.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of Rashad’s comments and/or his chances against “Shogun”?

5. Blind, Deaf, Dumb, Zombie Cecil Peoples

The man has blown so many calls in his lifetime that he seems to have no brain. So why not embellish that fact and put together a brain-devouring Cecil Peoples? Bonus points for staring randomly at absolutely nothing and then proudly telling other people to go to hell if they don’t get why you picked your costume. Plus, if any scuffles break out during your long night of partying, you can proudly declare yourself the winner after every one, no matter how bad you get beaten. Everybody (only you) is a winner when you’re Cecil Peoples!

4. The Korean Zombie with “Shin on Chin” Attachment

You’ve seen the “arrow through head” hat that always gets trotted out at or near Halloween, why not one-up the competition with a Chan Sung Jung outfit that comes with a shin-on-chin attachment? That way you can crush two birds with one stone: go to a party as the fierce and unstoppable Korean Zombie, while earlier in the night you lay down in front of your porch KTFO’d and scare any children that pass by. Not because you jump out at them, just because they’re so scared of how heinously you got your head kicked in.

3. Skeleton Tito Ortiz with Highlighted Injury Areas

For the man who hasn’t won a battle in over four years through no fault of his own. Didn’t get that sexy girl’s number? It’s not your fault, you’ve got a cracked skull. Have to take a break from dancing every five minutes because you’re dead tired? It’s just your back injury flaring up again. With the Tito Ortiz outfit, nothing you do is ever your fault. Just don’t hurt any women, even though you could probably get away with it. Domestic violence isn’t cool, kids.

2. Bandolier-wearing, Corona-drinking, Burrito-eating, Sombrero Brock Lesnar (Complete with Mariachi Band)

Nothing says, “I’m an insensitive bastard, deal with it” quite like a Brock Lesnar costume outfitted with traditional Mexican garb. Like the Korean Zombie costume, this costume is awesome thanks to its versatility. At the start of the night, you can proudly prance up and down the street like an idiot, sipping your beer, wolfing down your burrito, and dancing around your sombrero while your faithful friends play the Mexican Hat Dance. Once it annoys everyone to the point of violence, you can then get somber, paint a huge gash on your cheek, and talk about being a humble champion. Bonus points for sporting a Viking beard that looks cool at first but makes you look like an idiot after you get your ass kicked, and even more bonus points for busting out the Lesnar Twirl when you hit the dance floor.

But above all else, the #1 MMA Costume for Halloween just has to go to…

1. Rashad Evans “KO Face”

Nothing I could ever write could accurately convey the awesomeness of the following picture:

The face that spawned a thousand Photoshop spoofs, each one more hilarious than the last, Rashad Evans would be the ultimate Halloween outfit. Start the night out by talking about how much you respect everybody while wearing a suit everywhere for no real reason, and then begin cursing at everyone while grabbing your junk, blowing them kisses, and twisting your nipples. Then, just when everyone is tired of the act, you bust out the big guns: “KO Face”. You’ll be the life of the party as everyone tries to imitate your epic flop to the floor. “KO Face” is the gift that just keeps on giving.

And that’s my list, fans and friends. Feel free to let me know some other awesome ideas for MMA costumes if you’ve got them. And Happy Halloween!

When asked to comment on how he sees the fight going down, Rampage responded with the following: “Hell if I know, I’m not psychic. Who knows? The thing is, I come to fight. Some people don’t always show up to fight, they want to be ‘tricky’ and do angles. I come to fight. You guys can figure out how that fight’s going to go. I come to fight… I don’t even worry about MMA Math.”

At that point, Jackson cut the interview short and simply walked away. For those unfamiliar with the term, “MMA Math” looks to a fighter’s past accomplishments to predict future successes or failures. Generally, it’s expressed as the following: “If Fighter X beat Fighter Y, and Fighter Z lost to Fighter Y, Fighter X beats Fighter Z every time.” For Jackson, this applies to Rashad Evans beating him while Evans was famously KO’d by Lyoto Machida. Due to this, many are thinking that Machida will make quick work of his opponent in this clash of former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions.

To be honest, I’ve never bought into the whole “MMA Math” train of thought. Every fight is different, and every fighter has the potential to reinvent himself again and again. It sure sounds like a sound judgment call in theory, but there are simply far too many examples to list of this principal failing in practice. Just like I believe there is no such thing as luck in MMA, I also believe that “MMA Math” fails just as often as it’s proven correct, if not more.

What we should really be focusing on is Rampage Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida, not Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans when compared to Rashad Evans vs. Rampage Jackson. Now that he’s got a budding movie career, now that his relationship with the UFC continues to be on shaky ground, it remains to be seen whether or not Jackson’s loss to Evans was due to the sizable amount of ring rust he had to deal with heading into that fight…or if Jackson simply doesn’t have his heart in it anymore. A primed and ready Quinton Jackson has an excellent shot of beating Lyoto Machida. But Quinton Jackson hasn’t looked primed and ready since his last win in March 2009.

Overall, I think this will be a great match between two very talented performers. I’m still picking Machida to win, not just because I’m a Machida fan but because I think he’ll come back better and deadlier than ever when he steps into the Octagon against Jackson. But unlike some, I’m not going to quickly criticize or even ostracize Jackson simply because he’s made a few mistakes in the past. Quinton Jackson can still be a major force to be reckoned with in the UFC, but quite a lot hinges on how he performs against Machida. However, I’ll reserve judgment until then and wish him all the best as he heads into what will probably be one of the most important fights of his career.

And what do you think, fans and friends? As we get closer and closer to this key Light Heavyweight showdown, who are you picking to win and why?

“The bottom line is, and the way that that’s been in the UFC, it’s been a camp thing… This isn’t personal… You train, you work hard to be the best mixed martial artist you can be, and you’re going out to compete against other mixed martial artists to prove you’re the best… What I think, is when one guy says, ‘oh he’s my friend I won’t fight him,’ that means ‘I train with this guy and this guy’s probably going to kick my ass.’ That’s what I get out of that.”

Now, the norm for me is that I usually half-agree, half-disagree with Dana White. But this time, I find myself wholeheartedly agreeing with him. The phrase “It’s nothing personal, just business” applies perfectly to teammates fighting each other. This is a business, in order for this thing to work and for everybody to make some money, promoters and fighters need to get together and work on making the best and biggest fights a reality.

And I honestly think part of this “I’ll never fight a friend” mentality is definitely based on fear. If it’s not the fear of being humbled by your training partner, it’s the fear that your friendship isn’t strong enough to survive a fifteen or twenty-five minute fight. I think a lot of fighters are afraid that they won’t be able to leave their friendship at the door and their performance will suffer, or that their opponent won’t be able to leave his friendship at the door and will break off the bromance if he gets his face pounded in.

And since we’re being so honest, I do think that some fighters are specifically avoiding fighting their teammates out of fear that their best buddy will dominate them and make them look stupid. As much as I appreciate his warrior spirit and tenacity, just imagine what would happen if Keith Jardine fought Rashad Evans right now. Rashad Evans would most likely humiliate Keith Jardine so badly that Jardine would be forced to retire. So you can sit there and tell me that it’s all “No way, he’s a friend”, but much like Dana White, I’m almost certain that there’s far more to it than just that.

I’ll end this spat of honesty by being bluntly honest: I’ve gotten so fed up with this “teammates not fighting each other” nonsense that I actually think Dana White should force their hand and make these guys fight their buddies. He’ll likely be criticized a lot for it, but I think Dana White should grab hold of this problem and put an end to it right now. Because before long, we’ll see everybody refusing to fight everybody else, and what we’ll be left with is a few good fights here and there while a vast majority of dream-matches never come to fruition simply because everyone considers everyone else a friend.

And what about you, fans and friends? How do you feel on this subject, and what’s your response to Dana White’s thoughts?

The world-ranked and fiercely dominant Jon Jones recently said the following in an interview with ESPN: “[I would] absolutely not [fight Rashad Evans]. If Rashad Evans won the belt, which I’m hoping he does, my only goal would be to be the toughest contender there is, and keep whipping butt without being champion. I’d stay at 205 and be the second best. That would be my goal. As I said, I’m hoping he wins, we’re very proud of him. I can’t do it.”

I’ll say this right now: I think Jon Jones is only hindering himself if he keeps this promise and doesn’t fight Rashad Evans. I’ll go one step further: not fighting your teammates is asinine, and it prevents you from competing against the best competition possible. Now, before I get my trusty flame shield out and primed for an assault, hear me out on this one.

I get that it’s hard to fight a friend. But this is the UFC, this is MMA…it’s a hard sport. When that cage door closes, everything gets left out and the only thing that matters is you and your opponent. If you can’t separate your friendship for fifteen to twenty-five minutes, what does that really say about you as a top-level fighter? To be the best you have to beat the best, and if you don’t fight the best out of some misguided principle, ultimately the only thing you’re doing is hurting yourself and depriving the promotion and its fans of a potentially money-making bout.

I think Jon Jones will keep this promise no matter what I think, but for just a second, try to imagine what Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones would look like. If both men bring out their best, we’ve got a “Fight of the Year” fight on our hands. The same goes for encounters like Jon Fitch vs. Josh Koscheck. These are fantastic matches that could potentially make everyone involved a huge amount of money. And it’s not going to happen simply because some fighters aren’t willing to put aside their friendship for one little fight.

I understand the sentiment, part of me even agrees with it in principle, but I just don’t like the fact that more and more high-level UFC fighters are refusing to fight each other because they’re part of the same camp. A fight is a fight is a fight: either fight the best and prove yourself or stagnate against lower-level and unworthy competition. Either put your friendship on the back-burner for a couple of minutes and reap the noticeable rewards, or stick to your precious principles and anger everyone from the promoters to the fans. The choice is yours.

And what do you think, fans and friends? When it comes to teammates fighting teammates, where do you stand?

Previously mentioned, the main event of the evening is looking like it will be a battle between Brazilians when Vitor Belfort challenges former teammate Anderson Silva for the ufc middleweight title. Also on the card, a battle between light heavyweights Ryan Bader and Jon Jones will battle it out for top contenders status in a stacked 205-pound division.

Seemingly a shoe in for co-main event honors, the bout was trumped when a recent news breaker was published, which will garner a lot of attention come fight time.

MMAJunkie.com has recently reported that a battle between former champions is in place, when Forrest Griffin (a former light heavyweight champion) will do battle with Rich Franklin (former middleweight champion).

Franklin is coming off a devastating knockout over UFC Hall of Famer, Chuck Liddell, last June, at UFC 115. Then dramatic ending came when it appeared that Franklin was on the ropes in the waning moments of the fight, as he was reeling back against the cage, Franklin uncorked a right hand that put “The Iceman” down and out. The win helped Rich bounce back from a knockout loss to Vitor Belfort at UFC 103 in September of last year.

Forrest, meanwhile, was last seen in action at UFC 106, in November of last year. There, Griffin met with rival Tito Ortiz. The two had met a few years back, in April of 2006 at UFC 59, where Ortiz had won a very controversial split-decision victory. Forrest was then sent on the fast track towards the top of the weight class and eventually became the 205-pound champion. He proved to be victorious over Tito, gaining a bit of revenge over his rival, and evening the score. The win helped snap a two-fight losing streak that Griffin has sustained against Rashad Evans, in an unsuccessful attempt to defend his title, and than a knockout loss to current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, at UFC 101.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match up? Sound off in the comments section below.