Rashad Evans - The Big Finish

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By Anthony Evans

During the build-up to their rematch at May 1996's UFC 9, Ken Shamrock was asked what was the most dangerous aspect of rival Dan Severn’s game – his strikes or submissions. Seizing the opportunity to dis his hated opponent's Octagon reputation, Shamrock laughed: “Dan Severn couldn't finish a decent sized hamburger, much less a fight!”

Severn's UFC Hall of Fame record includes six submissions (and one stoppage from strikes) in nine wins but, at the time, 'the Beast' was coming off two points wins over Oleg Taktarov and Tank Abbott. And thus, Shamrock's quip did the intended damage to
Severn's reputation.

The UFC is now virtually unrecognizable from that chaotic card in Detroit over a decade ago, but to this day, only the reputation for mixed martial arts cowardice is more damaging to an MMA fighter’s rep than the stigma of being a fighter who struggles to submit or stop opponents.

And this phenomena at least partially explains why The Ultimate Fighter 2 champion Rashad Evans hasn’t quite made the impact that other TUF graduates have since landing a long-term contract by winning the Spike TV reality TV show. While TUF graduates like Forrest Griffin and Michael Bisping have immediately become bona fide stars within the UFC, true fan favorite status has somehow eluded the personable 27-year-old from Michigan.

The question is: how come?

Evans said: “I’ve asked myself that same question over and over, and I can’t really say why it is. I can only think it (the perception that Evans is a safety-first fighter) has something to do with it. I had six points decisions when I came into the UFC, and maybe I got a rep for not making exciting fights because I went to the scorecards each time.”

But while Evans, 14-0, admits he sometimes plays the percentages in the Octagon - refusing to hand an opponent a chance he cannot create for himself – wins over giant Brad Imes, Sam Hoger and Stephan Bonnar comprise quite a UFC resume when added to his big TUF wins over Mike Whitehead and current 205-pound dangerman (and now best friend) Keith Jardine.

“I feel that I’ve done pretty well in the UFC considering I came in pretty much as an unknown for the (TUF) competition,” Evans said. “I was considered one of the weakest contestants on the Ultimate Fighter, especially as I was fighting at heavyweight even though my best fighting weight is at 205lbs. I used to wrestle at college at 174 lbs so when I got to the house I was thinking ‘Wow. These guys (the other heavies) are monsters compared to me.’”

Evans said that he didn’t have time to bulk up to heavyweight properly before moving into the reality TV house. “I was 220lbs but it was like vacation 220lbs,” he explained. “I could go back up to heavyweight now, but I’d need a few months with a fitness and diet coach to make sure that the 220lbs was a powerful 220lbs. I didn’t have that going into the show and when I sat down and looked at these big, huge guys walking around the house I was like ‘OK…’”

And this uncertainly in his ability to match up physically with his TUF housemates manifested itself in his opening round bout against Tom Murphy.

Evans recalls: “I wanted to make him - and the other guys in the house - think that I was fully confident by playing a few head games, so I showboated a little bit. I realize now I shouldn’t have done that. Matt Hughes (one of the coaches on TUF2) really didn’t like that I did that and said so. I don’t blame him.

“Fans respect Matt Hughes and for him to characterize me as a show-off or whatever maybe stuck in the minds of UFC fans. Thing is, I’m not really an arrogant type of person, and I did that (showboating) just one time in 2005. I haven‘t done it since and I won‘t be doing it again.”

Yet the Michigan native admits that even if there is a misconception out there about him having a bad attitude, there is little he can do to change it overnight.

“All I can do is just be myself and hopefully the fans will come to realize that I’m not arrogant or any of that stuff,” Evans said. “I think, over time, my real personality will come out and maybe people will (embrace) me more.”

However, Evans is keenly aware that he can do something about his rep as one of the less explosive 205lbs contenders.

The 27-year-old said: “Going into my fight with Jason Lambert (at September’s UFC 63), I really worked hard on my aggression levels before that fight and it paid off. I went out there to stop the guy and it was a great feeling to get him out of there (via strikes) in two rounds. I was real happy and the fans liked it, too.

“The UFC is all about dramatic knockouts and going for big submissions and I realized that, now I’ve got a little more experience, I needed to find the balance between not doing something stupid and losing while at the same time exciting the fans. I needed to remember that as a UFC fighter my job is to win but also to entertain the fans at the same time. I felt that I got that happy medium right against Jason Lambert and I think I’ll get it right from now on.”

Which leads us to Thursday night, where Evans has a guilt-edged chance to not only gain fans but also re-affirm that he is more than just a superb wrestler with great takedowns.

The undefeated contender main events the UFC Fight Night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Florida against 9-1 UFC debutant Sean Salmon.

“I never thought I’d get to headline a UFC event,” beamed the unbeaten grappler. “But I am gonna go out there and prove that I can main event, and that I can steal the show. I am gonna open up a bit and I’m gonna take this spotlight I’ve been given and really do something with it. I am gonna put on a show, enjoy it, and give the people something they really will love to see.”

****

Rashad Evans is one of the true nice guys of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. How nice? Try this: he says that if his best friend and training partner Keith Jardine ever wins the UFC light heavyweight championship, he would find another division before facing off with ‘the Dean of Mean’ in a rematch of their TUF II semi-final.

Evans said: “I’ll never fight Keith again. I cannot fight him, I couldn‘t go through with that no matter the prize or money. We fight in practice every day and that’s the closest we will ever get to fighting again. We’re too close now, he’s my brother. He’s so caring and giving a friend I could never fight him again.

“We’ve had talks about it, and we both agree that we won’t fight again. The UFC title is something which would be unbelievable to even get a chance to fight for, but champions last a year, maybe a few years if you are a legend like Matt Hughes or Chuck Liddell, but friends last for a lifetime.”

I asked a hypothetical question: what if the UFC matchmakers put the pair forward in a final eliminator, the winner gets a shot at the title?

“I’d have to pass,” Evans said. “If it came to that I’d go to heavyweight and try and win the title there. It would be great, just great, to be champion, but I won’t fight my brother.”

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