“Rampage” one of the few things that irks Evans
Rashad Evans is one of the faces of MMA. His smile is omnipresent. His personality affable. He wins you over as an ideal spokesman of the sport through interviews and as a guest panelist on ESPN’s MMA Live. As a fighter “Suga’s” accomplishments speak volumes. He’s a former light-heavyweight champion who went undefeated in his first 14 MMA fights (with one draw), won Season 2 of “The Ultimate Fighter” and coached a group of hopefuls on the 10th installment, including prospect Matt Mitrione and eventual winner Roy Nelson.
What you’ve learned through the years is that Evans won’t come unglued – except when the name Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is brought up. The thought of Rampage, hearing his voice and sharing the same air turns the warm and cerebral Evans into the volcano Eyjafjallajokull. Since going nose-to-nose following Jackson’s UFC 96 win over Keith Jardine the two have warred over the media, the entire TUF season as opposing coaches, through Twitter and most recently the telephone that turned a normally routine conference call into an explosive situation.
Jackson was asked his thoughts on how defeating Evans at UFC 114 would result in a chance to regain the light-heavyweight title he held for 14 months. That didn’t matter. His respect for Evans is nonexistent to where it’d be just a moral victory and he wondered aloud why he’s fighting Evans other than to “keep his mouth shut. He has done nothin’ compared to what I’ve done (as the first unified UFC and Pride FC light-heavyweight champ). It’s a step backwards.”
Evans shrugged off the initial verbal slap, the deep breath helping for about 15 seconds before the screaming began, dominated more than half the call and made it clear that the main event of UFC 114 is professional and personal – and it’s not hype.
“Mother—- you’re not stupid,” Evans shouted. “Stop acting like you’re stupid. Stop acting just like you’re black, you’re stupid. I can’t stand the attitude.
“It’s just the way he is. Who am I to fight him? Who is he to fight me?”
There’s nothing fake about this feud
It became clear to UFC president Dana White the day these two guys walked on The Ultimate Fighter set that they hate each other. Jackson said he’s never fought anyone he’s hated as much as Evans, dismissing his rival’s title reign as a token honor . To Evans the challenge is not just defeating one of the sport’s most extraordinary athletes. It’s defeating the demons that are stroked by Rampage’s vitriol. Evans must win the conflict of Man vs. himself in addition to Man vs. Man, and that’s not allowing his rage to be the strongest motivator.
“I’m going to stay cool despite how hot he makes it,” Evans said. “My corner will do a good job of keeping me focused and dialed in. I do want to go out there and start throwing punches at him and seeing where they land. At the same time there’s a strategy involved, so I have to stick with the strategy.”
Losing focus cost Evans dearly when Lyoto Machida knocked him out in the second round at UFC 98 and took away the light-heavyweight championship. He nearly paid the price seven months later by sitting back in the third round of a bout he controlled against Thiago Silva, was tagged and nearly put away in the final minute. Mentally, Evans must answer more questions. Physically, he’s at or near his peak as an explosive striker since the day he told Greg Jackson associate Mike Winklejohn, “Coach, all I got is a jab.” In addition, Evans worked with Strikeforce light-heavyweight king Muhammed Lawal during training to help simulate Rampage and learn some of King Mo’s best takedowns.
It’ll be the total package, one that’s mentally awake, that will put away Jackson.
“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.
