Evans – Jackson: My Take

Rashad Evans vs. Rampage Jackson will happen on UFC 114 Saturday, May 28, 2010. As much as I was not all that excited to write about this, it just changed my mind last minute thinking – this is how great a promoter is the UFC – and once again, all the hype of this fight was made with such clearness and at one point all natural.

These guys hate each other and that’s the bottom line. This was what UFC probably banked on when promoting this fight. I hate to say it, but when Rashad was coaching against Rampage in TUF and we all know that Rashad is not Champion anymore, then the fire just went out. Rashad lost it all to Lyoto in which I believe should have coached TUF after he gained championship status and it was going to be Rampage Machida in the end of the TUF season. But the blunders were there or probably contracts were signed so Jackson – Evans pushed through.

Jackson pulling out of the fight actually did some good with their upcoming match and it was to give the UFC and them to hype the match to attract more fans. Resuming a few months back after a lopsided win for Evans over Silva, Rampage was back and the trash talking resumed. This time, more people were aware of who Rashad is, and how Rampage is now a member of the A-Team. Giving these highlights to what has transpired, a successful comeback fight for the 2 gets more interesting now.

Now I guess what happend next was for these 2 to keep on banging on each other mouths until the time came when they smash each other in the octagon, and it worked. The hype paid through, watch UFC primer, watch UFC Countdown, it is but more meaningful now than if it was done last year.

So I guess another victory for UFC / Dana White / Zuffa – you just proved that you are mountains in terms of the promotion business and I applaude that!

Evans vs. Jackson – The Fight

I see this fight either Evans getting KTFO or Rampage loses to a decision. Evans is a good boy and he follows whatever it is he needs to do to win, similar to what happend in the Thiago Silva fight. He tries to get back to his roots since his jaw is now broken by which I mean that once you get knocked out, your Jaw now converts to glass and can be broken by any of your next opponents.

Wanderlei Silva was un-KO’able before but after that Crocop kick, everything changed. So I guess if Rashad stands with Rampage, it will be an early night for him. So I am thinking that Rashad will definitely take the fight the ground and try to finish it there.

Rampage on the other hand, if he remains as cocky as he was on the Forrest fight, it will cost big time. Giving Rashad all the trash talking privileges after. Take down defense and KO power will be Rampage’s greatest chance of winning. As if he can pull off out of the bat submissions on his back then he can probably Triangle Evans – and it will be funny!

Evans is known to have that question chin now, similar to his mate Jardine, so the key is upper cuts. Or what I believe what Carwin did to Mir. Get him in the cage and make Evans work for it, move out and throw upper cuts or hooks. If that is what will happen, Evans will surely lose his legs again and get beaten badly.

My money is on Rampage, for the sole reason that he is more battle tested, and a fight with my boy Shogun should be very much interesting so Shogun can shut him down for good.

If Evans win, I see Shogun doing a knee bar on him, or an off-the-back arm bar / triangle.