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White: I'd love to see Evans fight 'Rampage'

UFC president Dana White on a radio show appearance Monday expressed his interest in seeing Rashad Evans make his first light heavyweight title defense against former champ Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

"I'd love to see Rashad and Rampage," White said on The Carmichael Dave Show on Sports 1140 KHTK. "I think that's a fun fight."

A concern with Jackson in a title situation is that the fighter is currently facing two felony (driving recklessly, evading police) and three misdemeanor charges (hit and run) that could place him in jail for up to three years.

However, White is confident that Jackson's legal problems will not be an issue and will not play a part in the UFC's matchmaking process.

"Obviously he has to go to court cause that thing happened," White told Carmichael Dave. "He had delirium, he had seriously something wrong with him. It wasn't like he was on drugs, drinking alcohol, doing any of that stuff, he was doing the right thing and he got sick. He'll go to court and I don't think he's going to have any issues."

Jackson though, stated at the UFC 92 post-fight press conference that he would prefer to avenge his loss to Forrest Griffin.

"I want the belt. I want to be champion," Jackson said. "But I would like to get Forrest first if I could, but like I said it's up to the UFC."

Another possible fight for Evans is Lyoto Machida, who could find himself in title contention if he gets past Thiago Silva at UFC 94 on Jan. 31, 2009.

"If he wins this fight, he's definitely in the mix too," White said. "He's another one of those guys, a lot of people think his style is too evasive and not engaging, but once he starts to get comfortable in that Octagon like all the other guys, he's going to come into his own. He's going to be very exciting and I expect big things from him."

Machida is 13-0 with wins over BJ Penn, Rich Franklin, Tito Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar.

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