Coach Greg Jackson has chosen to corner Jon Jones in his UFC 145 fight with Rashad Evans.
Feb 19, 2012 - Greg Jackson, the MMA coach who has long sought to foster a team-first environment at his gym and claimed he would never participate if two of his students planned to fight against each other, has made a difficult decision: He has decided to corner Jon Jones at UFC 145, when Jones will defend the light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans, a longtime member of Team Jackson.
Evans left the Jackson team only after it became clear that he and Jones were on a collision course at the top of the light heavyweight division, and there's some lingering bitterness between Evans and Jones. Jackson's decision will do nothing to lessen that bitterness, and it will undoubtedly lead to some hard feelings for Evans toward Jackson as well.
But it's the right decision: Jackson is Jones's coach, and Jackson needs to do his job as Jones's coach and be there for Jones at UFC 145.
It's easy to see why Evans is unhappy. He came up under Jackson's wing and always subscribed to Jackson's teachings about teammates not fighting each other. For a long time, the question Evans faced wasn't whether he would fight Jones, but whether he would fight his friend and training partner Keith Jardine. Evans and Jardine always insisted they would never fight each other, and Jackson always insisted that was the right course of action.
Things started to change a year ago, when Evans suffered an injury while training at Jackson's gym for his planned fight with Shogun Rua, and Jones stepped in to take Evans' place. Jones became the champion, Evans remained the No. 1 contender, and although it's taken a year to get the timing right, the Jones-Evans title fight is now going to happen. In the mean time, Evans left Jackson's gym in large part because he wasn't happy about the way things transpired between himself and Jones.
Jackson never wanted Jones and Evans to be in a position where they were fighting each other, but the reality of the business is that the UFC needs its best fighters to be willing to fight. They may be friends or teammates or training partners, but if one is the champion and the other is the No. 1 contender, they need to fight. Jackson has long supported an ideal in which teammates never fight teammates, but that ideal just isn't realistic at the highest levels of the UFC. Sometimes the two best fighters in a weight class just have to suck it up and fight each other.
And when those times come up, a coach who has a relationship with both fighters will face a difficult decision. Jackson was faced with a difficult decision as soon as Jones and Evans were identified as likely future opponents, and now Jackson can't delay that decision any longer. He's made his decision about where he'll be at UFC 145, and he made the right decision. He'll be in Jones's corner, doing everything he can to help Jones beat Evans.
28 comments
Comments
What a hypocrite Greg is… He really is a fake type of a person… How he told Jones to go get some fans and check if Lyoto is “AlrighT”. Bull… Rashad was right Greg is a shady guy.
by OXYGENgone on Feb 19, 2012 7:51 PM EST reply actions
Hope
by buddhakiller on Feb 20, 2012 1:19 PM EST up reply actions
He Doesn't Make JONES RUN Like He Did CARLOS
by buddhakiller on Feb 20, 2012 1:21 PM EST up reply actions
Good choice, Jackson is a boss. Next he’ll fight rashad. Lol
by albertherediuh on Feb 19, 2012 8:17 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Jackson always trying to get in the spotlight
wonder hom much he pays Jones for that cause bones dosnt even train that much there.
by jjrizzo223 on Feb 19, 2012 8:39 PM EST reply actions
Really?
Jones doesn’t train that much in Albuquerque? Where else does he train? I know he goes up to New York City to train with Renzo Gracie and at The Wat with Kru Phil Nurse occasionally, but I think his main training base is at Jackson’s. You’re partially right about Jackson though, he likes the limelight but he’s just trying to promote his gym. He’s trying to attract more prospects and top fighters to his gym in New Mexico.
by DX OX on Feb 19, 2012 11:20 PM EST up reply actions
Neither does GSP, but training and cornering aren’t the same thing. When it comes to game plans, isolating opponents weaknesses ect, there are few in the game as good as Greg Jackson. That’s why Greg is going to be cornering Jones, because if Jon ever needed a world class Tactician, it’s definitely now.
by David Palmer on Feb 20, 2012 10:12 PM EST up reply actions
Difficult
my ASS. Jackson knows where the $$$ is, and that is in Jones’ corner. Bones is his meal ticket right now, and Jackson loves to EAT.
by Hulka's Big Toe on Feb 19, 2012 11:10 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
You're right, it was easy.
It’s the right decision and it was an easy one, too. Evan’s left the team. Jackson doesn’t have to do any favors for Rashad after he left the team and dissed the trainers.
by DX OX on Feb 19, 2012 11:22 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
shady
i hate the jackson team..so called strategy.. i was condit’s fan until that fight with diaz..
by hollafront on Feb 20, 2012 12:29 AM EST reply actions
BS.
If a sinlge fight changed your entire opinion of a fighter you were never his fan to begin with.
by doomrider7 on Feb 20, 2012 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
He's not a hypocrite
He said he would never corner someone if they were both on his team, but Rashad left the team. Rashad had to know that that could mean having Jackson against him in a corner someday. And cornering Jones is nothing personal against Rashad. Jackson is just doing his job.
by altairograph on Feb 20, 2012 3:19 AM EST reply actions
+1
by albertherediuh on Feb 20, 2012 4:55 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Don't get me wrong . . .
I think nothing wrong happened here. I just think the idea that the decision was “hard” is laughable.
by Hulka's Big Toe on Feb 20, 2012 10:42 AM EST up reply actions
Exactly.
Nail on the head.
by KenpoJuJitsu3 on Feb 20, 2012 1:01 PM EST up reply actions
well he also said very clearly on several occasions even after Rashad left their camp that if the fight were to go down he would not take part. Clearly he is very fickle
ONE FC NEVER DIE
by Robust23 on Feb 21, 2012 12:43 AM EST up reply actions
Loyalty
I think we don’t know the whole story. Why would Rashad leave Jackson’s camp is the real question. I don’t think he did that as a favor to Bones. I think he did that because something happened that made him realize that Jackson backed Bones more than him.
And maybe that is the right decision by Jackson. If he believes that Bones is more talented, it is his right to ride that horse as far as it gets him. Rashad is a great fighter, MUCH better than I ever thought he would be from the days when I watched him on TUF.
But I think for Rashad, he was there first. He trained for years with Jackson before anyone even knew who Bones was or before Bones even started to train MMA. I think this comes down to a question of Loyalty. Rashad expected, since he is a legitimate title contender, and had trained with Jackson, showing him loyalty since the beginning…that he would receive the same in return. When the opposite became evident, he decided to leave the camp all together.
It is all how you perceive things. In my view, Jackson should remain loyal to Rashad. He obviously however chose to ride the hot horse. And I can’t completely blame him for that. But not for a second do I believe Jackson wasn’t sure if he was cornering Bones. He knew all along he was going to corner him. He has an issue with public perception. Tries to be something I’m not sure he is really. I mean seriously, if he came out and explained what I just said, rationally, we wouldn’t even still be talking about it. It’s only because he plays Mr. Nice Guy that we decide his actions don’t marry the picture he tries to paint.
by satownsaint on Feb 20, 2012 11:36 AM EST reply actions
Thank you
For being right
by DUPP24 on Feb 20, 2012 9:47 PM EST up reply actions
I'm not sure if this is going to...
puts on sunglasses
Get him some fans.
YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHH
OK, seriously. Good on him for cornering the guy that is still in his camp. He’s a coach and coaches corner their current fighters. Rashad was a fighter of his and was a friend but Rashad has made it clear those days are over so this is the right thing to do.
by KenpoJuJitsu3 on Feb 20, 2012 1:04 PM EST reply actions
Greg Jackson's Character??
I think if u train a fighter, invest in his life, he then makes u a star trainer, as a man, U don’t go behind is back and completely focus on another fighter just because that man ran into some stumbling blocks. Rashad Evans basically introduced Greg Jackson to the world as a worldclass trainer. How do u turn your back on him just because he loses and/or get injured? Its not all about money in this business. Greg Jackson has basically damaged his reputation and if Rashad beats bones…which he does have to tool to do…The “Jackson” brand will take a big hit. Tell me how many fighters (given their military mindsets) would trust Jackson after that? If Jackson kept his word and not cornered the fight he would at least seemed like a man with principles but now…
Now i know people will say its just business and he has a responibility to Jones…But Jones himself said he didnt expect Jackson to corner him. However, im starting to believe that Jones has some serious character flaws.
by mrbrick on Feb 20, 2012 3:12 PM EST via Android app reply actions
right, and u don't have character flaws
You people need to realize this is entertainment and no you won’t like all the aspects of it. It’s like in real life, you can’t hold one mistake as the person’s “identity”.
.
.
Oh and he didn’t need rashad to take him to stardom, there are many coaches that are great but the media seems to like Greg as a more commercial “character” therefore all his actions get amplified.
.
.
Jones will ridicule Evans
by iboneu89 on Feb 21, 2012 12:09 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Rock in a Hard Place
No matter what aspect of this argument you decide to take, I don’t feel you will ever have the WHOLE story. This is a triangle of stories that no one aspect, or even together for that matter, can you make a valid argument for who’s side you would be on. I have pros and cons on all of their arguments, but when it boils down to it, it’s a business. Evans has left the Jackson Camp. Jackson would like to do the honorable thing here, and could, and not corner Jones, but he wouldn’t be living up to his present contractual obligations if he did so. Evans didn’t have to leave the camp. He didn’t have to put Jackson and Jones on blast, but he did. Now, you’ve made your bed, you have to lie in it. And I do feel he will lie in it. Either by TKO or by Submission. Evans is going to get laid out. I look forward to it. Tired of the mouth.
by xX__FROST__Xx on Feb 20, 2012 4:56 PM EST reply actions
FUNNY
Can you please not act like you have an objective view when you really don’t THANK YOU. Next time just say i don’t like Evan because his a good fight promoter, because all the good fight promoters talk a lot like Sonnen, Rampage, etc… so i guess you dont like those
by DUPP24 on Feb 20, 2012 9:44 PM EST up reply actions
Jackson takes sweet time to corner Jones
Why the long time to decide to corner Jones in his bout against Evans? Evans left Jackson’s camp long ago. This decision should have been made public months ago. Like who is Evans, any way? He isn’t the champ.
When he defended the belt his one and only time, he made the most popular (photo) facial expression while being knocked out, in all of MMA history. Recall that dumb smile he had, while prone and twisted up like a pretzel; one leg this way, the other leg that way, neck twisted sideways, that silly smile on his mug, while sleeping thanks to Lyoto Machida, who took his belt, since Evans was unable to successfully defend it, after taking it from Forrest Griffin?
Making a difference.
by fingerssfv on Feb 20, 2012 9:04 PM EST reply actions
Why the negatives?
Greg Jackson is a good guy. I don’t understand how some people can conclude bad things about him.
Prbably because on mma forums, everything is always so extreme and exaggerated.
by mmafighter1969 on Feb 20, 2012 10:04 PM EST reply actions
Nail on the head
Any “famous” persons actions get amplified and criticized by so called fans of the sport . I call BS. We are here for the fights not the diva drama people love to create.
by iboneu89 on Feb 21, 2012 12:12 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Jackson should be in Jones' corner!!!
Why is this a big surprise???Rashad left Team Jackson and went to Team Blackzillas although he still trains with Tri Star Gym in Montreal a bit.Jones is still with Team Jacksonso Gregg should corner him against Rashad!!!There’s no disrespect in that this is business.After the fight Gregg and Rashad can be friends against or never speak again no matter what,Gregg has to bacj and support Jones!!!A different situation with Condit vs GSP coz although GSP is a full time Tri Star Team member He also part time trains at Jackson’s and Gregg Jackson goes and trains GSP for at least 3 weeks in Montreal before his fights.So he’ll wont corner neither guys
by Pauly Jozseffrd on Feb 21, 2012 12:14 AM EST reply actions
Rashad started all of this
He either felt outclassed or felt neglected by Jackson. Whatever the case he should’be stuck it out and be a man about the situation. All this I won’t ever fight this guy because he’s my friend is bullshit, its business and we can all respect that.
by iboneu89 on Feb 21, 2012 12:15 PM EST via mobile reply actions
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