“I think he’s too fast for Rampage. He can beat Rampage everywhere,” Winklejohn said. “He got caught in quicksand (against Machida), didn’t fight up to his capabilities and the world has no idea how good he is. The Chuck Liddell knockout (UFC 88) is nothing compared to what that man can do. I think he has Rampage figured out. That’s not to downplay what Rampage has done. He’s one of the best of all time. I’m just a big believer in our fighters and what they’re capable of doing.”
White’s message during the conference call: Believe the hate. Since June 3, 2004 in Colusa, Calif., when Evans defeated Jackson protégé Hector Ramirez at Gladiator Challenge 27 the animosity has reached volcanic levels. Ramirez tore ligaments in his right ankle in the first round yet went a full two, five-minute rounds in losing a unanimous decision. According to Jackson, Evans danced around the cage acting like he won something and “playing with his nipples.”
Evans subsequently asked Jackson to train with him. He was denied and things simmered down until the argument after the Jardine fight, punctuated when Jackson announced “there will be some black-on-black crime!”
“It’s kind of fun to be honest,” Evans said. “Every time I find myself I want to do something, I just think of something the he said and go oh yeah? It gives you that extra push.”
The hype needs no further enhancement; White said “these two have eclipsed any grudge match we’ve ever had.” Evans is confident the work he did with Jardine simulating Rampage familiarized him with his style. Evans also stepped up his cardio for this fight. “I want to make sure I’m in good shape the whole time,” he said. “If I want to take him down 100 times I can take him down 100 times without getting tired.”
Rampage could only laugh in response before resuming what he does best next to fighting: insult Evans to where blood boils and tempers erupt. During UFC Primetime, Evans called Jackson “Quitton,” in other words a quitter. He’s shown the endurance to withstand Rampage’s hardest verbal jabs. If he can take advantage of a Rampage who’s been away from the Octagon for 14 months to film “The A-Team” he’ll validate what he’s done before, whether Rampage finally gives him credit or stubbornly applies further revulsion.
“I sure hope Rampage comes with his ‘A’ game and I think he will,” said Greg Jackson, Evans’ head coach. “I think the hype and all that has really helped him focus. He wants to win and this is personal for him. I think it’s going to be the best Rampage Jackson anyone has ever faced, and that’s how I always think. Like Trevor [assistant Wittman] said, we don’t sleep on any guy.”
For a maximum of 15 minutes, Evans will have let the hatred hibernate. His ability to focus on everything else will be the biggest challenge of them all.