UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans was originally slated to defend his title against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 98, but when Jackson said he wouldn't be ready, Lyoto Machida stepped in to challenge Evans.Some fans were disappointed that the Evans vs. Jackson match-up was replaced by Evans vs. Machida. But the champion says that he thinks Machida is a more worthy challenger than Jackson.
"I thought Lyoto was more deserving than Rampage anyway," Evans told me Wednesday. "He's better."
Evans said that despite his trash talking session with Jackson in the Octagon after Jackson beat Evans' friend, Keith Jardine, at UFC 96, he feels no personal animosity toward Jackson. But he just doesn't consider Jackson, the former light heavyweight champion, to be as good an opponent as the undefeated Machida.
Evans added that he disagrees with those who think Machida has a boring style, saying that he thinks it's interesting to watch Machida fight -- and interesting to prepare himself for the challenge of stepping into the Octagon with Machida.
My full interview with Evans, which also touched on his training methods, his thoughts on The Ultimate Fighter and his goals for the future, will appear later at FanHouse.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rashad couldn't come up with another way to insert the word interesting into his interview.
I agree completely with Rashad here. Lyoto is the best light heavyweight in the world and has absolutely earned his title shot. I also agree with him that people who think Lyoto's style is boring are just plain wrong.
I think its going to be a realy good fight with lyoto holdin the belt in the end no dout . And ima love watchin rashad getting his ....word
Will any MMA journalist have the balls to ask Machida if he really drinks what was reported on many sites
whoever does it will earn a lifetime of respect from me lol
machida the pee drinking runaway this fight will be a 5 round snooze, i hope im wrong, but both these fighters back away from there oppenent so wheres the action gonna come from?
this has the potential to be a very boring or very exciting fight. both guys are defensive but explosive. i don't see anywhere Evans can win this fight. he's proven me wrong up till now but Machida is a different kind of animal.
People have a bad habit of underestimating Rashad Evans. He is a champion for a reason. As for Lyoto Machida's style being boring. People have to realize that there is more to MMA than just typical slugfests. This should be a very interesting matchup that should go either way. It wouldn't surprise me if it goes the distance though.
This fight might start out a bit slow but before it is over there will be fireworks. Both have very different styles of fighting, but both can be explosive when the time is right. This is the fight I want to see!
man well first of all don't say things like lyoto is more deserving when you (rashad) avoided a fight with rampage. he didn't sign the fight with rampage when he was suppose to. I didn't know that champions can not sign fights to defend his title. instead he got his friend to fight him (the dean of mean). well anyways lyoto is very deserving but this shouldn't come out of the mouth of someone who avoids fights.
This does have the potential to be a snooze fest, i would agree to this to whoever said that. Both have majority wins in decision, though lyoto has finished his last fight doesn't mean he is an explosive fighter. so plz don't judge people on one fight even though it was str8 ass kickin. anywho I would love to see rashad lose and watch machida out point everyone until his career ends. he still fights for points and not KO's. and plz don't disagree because you only have one evidence to say this isn't true.
K, I agree 100% with you on every point except why Rashad didn't sign to fight Rampage. Evans always takes 4 to 6 months off between fights & while the UFC wanted to make the Rampage fight earlier at UFC 96, it would've been way too soon for Rashads normal training schedule after his last fight. And of course Rampage being the warrior that he is, instead of waiting for the title shot that he earned knocking out Silva, he went to Dana White and asked for another opponent, which they gave him Jardine.
oh okay i guess rashad can get some of his kudos points back, but still refusing to fight rampage or he could have at least signed a later fight you know what i mean. why just say "nah i don't want to it doesn't fit my schedule," seems kinda pussin out. but rampage will at least get the winner
I think Evens looses this fight, loyoto is going to beat.. KO Evens. I don't like Evens trash talk, and i really didn't like his act with Rampage. Rampage has a lot more class than Evens, and I hope Rampage knocks Evens out too.
MMA/UFC is an entertainment sport. Skill and character are what people want to see. The Machida/Tito fight clocked 13 minutes of inactivity and evasion and 2 minutes of total strike zone combat and full contact fighting. Machida is boring. Its womens self defense training style plain and simple, he capitalizes on dragging a fight and finding an opportunity to full momemtum-strike you.
Machida is good but hes not exciting....hes more like....interesting.
Rashad will end this guy with wrestling.
strike zone combat; what is that, a technical term? strike zone combat - heres an expert. pffft. you know about zero about this game, you learn everything you know from goldberg?
machida fights in a traditional karate style, nothing unusual, except he wins. machida is going to nullify Evens takedown and beat the hell out of him.
machida is a boring fighter....you cant say he isnt...all he does is two punches, back away, two punches back away...the only reason he dominated thiago silva was because thiago was an idiot and chased him the whole match...which is lyoto's game plan...get the opponent to chase him and attack as they are pressing forward....he just kept walking into lyoto's punches..
AS a fighter, Machida is an undisputed champion!!! He is the BEST! And he deserved the best. The only man who first defeated Rich Franklin.