“It sucked,” said Evans of his performance. “I didn’t get the job done, but it’s a lesson and you lean. It’s the fight business and this is what happens sometimes. I just have to do what I do, to come back stronger and keep my head up.”

“Suga” and Jones were former teammates, and you could see the tension between the two before they locked up inside the Octagon. However, following a few tough elbows to the face, Evans never seemed the same with the change also influenced by a potential injury he said he suffered in the second also hampering his abilities.

“I hurt my foot in the second round, so that messed up my mobility a little bit,” explained Evans, saying he also made a mistake by allowing Jones’ “range and stuff like that” to throw him off. The injury occurred when Jones checked a leg kick and Evans’ foot smacked into the champ’s knee.

Check out the full interview below:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

As an analyst on UFC Tonight Florian was asked to break down what Rashad Evans needs to do to defeat light heavyweight champion Jon Jones when the two meet this Saturday night in the main event at UFC 145.

“Evans could be the Joe Frazier to (Jones’) Muhammad Ali. He has the power to take down Jones,” Florian said, continuing, “If he can get inside of him, he has the takedown ability. He has to get in there and do it quick; he can’t make it a technical fight. He has to keep moving his head. He has the power in his hands and feet to get inside and to eventually break Jon Jones.”

Florian also believes Evans has won the verbal war, saying, “Evans has been beating Jones verbally for the last six weeks. That can really get into your head.”

:Ken Flo” also sees experience playing a role in that, as a former champion, Evans knows what it takes to secure the belt. He also knows what it feels like to lose it, something Jones has yet to taste.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

In fact, outside of their rivalry Jones and Evans are human beings like the rest of us, though obviously a pair of individuals with extraordinary athletic talent, competitive drive, and the mental tenacity to test themselves inside the Octagon. While each may be fueled by the history with one another, as well as the involvement of the sweetest prize in the sport, the light heavyweights will also be fighting for their families this weekend.

The topic of those most dear to them came up on last Friday night’s episode of UFC Primetime where Evans started inducing viewers’ sniffles by explaining the difficulty in being away from his home to train in Florida.

“I always wanna be there for my kids and to not be there is hard. And I just hope that all the fighting and everything, it pays off and it helps them in their lives, because it’s all I really have,” said Evans, fighting back tears before recollecting himself later to explain, “No matter what you have going on in your life, it doesn’t matter, because when you step out there into the Octagon you better be ready to fight. Because your opponent…he doesn’t care. He’s trying to get paid. He’s trying to get paid off you. So what are you gonna do about it?”

Jones also narrowly avoided waterworks when discussing the death of an older sister who had impacted his life greatly and whose memory he hopes to honor on a daily basis.

Check out the complete video below (with plenty of non-sappy stuff too):

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

However, there’s nothing underhanded about the process this time around. Evans not only decided to depart Greg Jackson’s gym, where Jones still calls home, but has questioned the integrity of instructors at the renowned training center. And, to hear Jones tell it, Evans was never much of a teammate to begin with.

“He’s never gone to a team dinner. He never went out and said, ‘Hey, let me buy these other guys a drink because I can afford it.’ It was not like that. He just had ‘Cowboy’ (Donald Cerrone) and basically the guys who had money in the bank and could hang with him, dress with him, and look good standing next to him at the club. That’s not a team member,” said Jones in an interview with MMAFighting, adding Evans completely ignored a number of the people at Jackson’s MMA.

Now, when they meet on April 21 for Jones’ belt, “Bones” will have an ace in the hole with Jackson, Mike Winkeljohn, and others in his corner who are extremely familiar with what Evans has to offer based on his years in New Mexico.

“I have the coaches that taught him how to fight. They taught him the guard passes he uses, the ground-and-pound system that he uses, the punches that he used to throw and the combinations. I mean, it almost seems not fair sometimes,” confessed Jones. “He always talks down about Greg Jackson now and he always talks crap about our team, by saying our team was just commercial and we’re overrated. But all those insults have really made it almost personal for our coaches. We know his psychology. We know what makes him tired. We know everything about him. He’s in trouble.”

Jones-Evans will serve as the headliner this Saturday night at UFC 145. Each man has only lost a single time in his career though Jones’ involved an unnecessary disqualification while Evans was finished cleanly by Lyoto Machida. Jones has won six straight since the stumble with “Suga” ‘Shad stringing together four consecutive victories.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Evans and Jones addressed the topic on last week’s Ultimate Insider during the second part of a segment seeing them go face-to-face over a variety of subjects. While Evans certainly didn’t stray from his belief, Jones was ready to defend himself, stating he felt the #1 contender is projecting the negative characteristics he sees in himself when it comes to dishing out insults.

“As an athlete, yeah I have a chip on my shoulder. There’s completely two different people. Jonathan Jones is a great person and I’ll say that about myself. ‘Bones’ Jones, yeah he’s a little high on himself. And I should be because that’s why I compete at the level I compete at and I train/believe that way,” admitted Jones before turning talk to Evans.

“I have no sympathy for Rashad whatsoever. I remember (him) leaving Greg Jackson’s and saying, ‘I needed a team that can just focus on me. I need something more based around me,’ and now (he) created the Blackzillians. I say it all the time – there’s no ‘I’ in team, there’s no ‘I’ in Jackson’s, there’s an ‘I’ in Blackzillians. So I really look at (him) as fake…arrogant…selfish…self-centered…and I think (his) biggest thing is to try to reflect it off on me and make me seem like I’m everything (he) is feeling inside of (his) heart.”

As might be expected, Evans didn’t take kindly to the matter and quickly fired back, starting a memorable exchange likely leaving host Jon Anik on edge based on the increasing intensity.

“The truth of the matter is you did wanna fight me and now we’re fighting, that’s just the bottom line,” snapped Evans.

“Why would I want to fight you if I’m the champ,” asked Jones in reply.

“Because you can’t be the champ unless you beat me,” Evans returned.

“I already am the champ, Rashad. I just choked out the guy who knocked you out. What are you talking about,” an smirking Jones answered, alluding to his submission victory over Lyoto Machida in December.

“You’ve got the belt but you ain’t the champ.”

“You had this long, ugly fight with (Quinton Jackson) where you almost got finished…I finished ‘Rampage’, I’m not the champ….Lyoto knocked you out silly and I just finished Lyoto…and I’m not the champ,” said Jones, his amusement in the debate dwindling. “I feel like the champ in every way and I feel like I’m gonna do the same exact thing to you (at UFC 145).”

Evans and Jones fight this Saturday night in Atlanta to settle their personal score with the added bonus of Jones’ championship being on the line.

Check out video of the interview below:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

However, before they settle their score inside the Octagon, divisional champ Jones and top contender Evans are set to link up today at 2:00 PM EST on a conference call with media where fireworks on the line are essentially guaranteed. As always, Five Ounces of Pain will be listening in throughout and reporting highlights/soundbytes as they unfold on the line.

Read below for a breakdown of action from today’s call:

Jon Jones

- Says the lead up to the fight hasn’t been as exhausting as the build to his bout with Quinton Jackson based on his integrity having been questioned (based on allegations of spying)
- Has no issue with anything he’s said about Evans thus far
- Wouldn’t be opposed to rekindling his friendship with Evans but he wants respect first
- Life hasn’t changed much for him since winning the title
- Feels he’s almost impossible to gameplan for based on how diverse his striking is, jokes that Greg Jackson told him they could send Evans tape of him training and it still wouldn’t help him
- Doesn’t regret his original comments about being open to fight Evans a year ago, bothered the media focused on all the negative things he said about Evans instead of the positive ones; would have said the same stuff to Evans’ face
- Avoids getting caught up in drama relating to MMA and talks about the obvious emotional investment Evans has
- Will be sponsored by the UFC for his fight and in the future / Rumored to have an option out if a major athletic line like Nike comes calling
- Starts recounting a story that Evans disagrees with and cuts off / “You’re in your mid-thirties and you’re so rude, dude!”
- Isn’t striving to be Muhammad Ali, just to be the best Jon Jones he can be

Rashad Evans

- Is tired of talking about Jones and Greg Jackson / “It’s to the point where I just wanna fight.”
- Recalls training with Jones as a positive experience, saying they had fun
- Has no regrets about anything he’s said referring to Jones and that nothing has crossed the line / “I’ve spoken my heart.”
- Doesn’t ever see himself being best friends with Jones but doesn’t imagine any bad blood after they settle their score
- Feels the only difference between this fight and other big bouts he’s been in is the emotional aspect
- Thinks Jones’ original interview was just the beginning of their problem and doesn’t think anything would have changed with/without the comments / “Who cares about that interview? It’s about what he said before and how he really feels. Jon never wanted to be teammates or like brothers.”
- Won’t bring someone like Jones into the Blackzillian camp to avoid situations similar to the one with Jones
- Said Jackson did what he wanted to do in terms of bringing in Jones in as a means of boosting his own status
- Doesn’t feel he’s reached his peak yet but is approaching it
- Not concerned about insight Jackson provides on him based on how little they actually worked together

Those feelings boiled over this week on Ultimate Insider when Jones and Evans came together to address the plethora of issues surrounding their April 21 scrap at UFC 145. Among the topics discussed in the segment were Greg Jackson’s decision to corner Jones, a fact “Bones” brought up was in part related to Evans’ negative remarks about the team.

“The history? I made that history. What are you talking about? I’m the one that helped make the history,” responded Evans after Jones mentioned he’d “bashed” Jackson MMA’s reputation. “You came into it. Don’t talk about the history when you have no roots in the history. I helped make Greg Jackson. I helped to make them the reason why you even wanted to come there and train. So don’t talk to me about the history of the team, bro. Don’t talk about the history of that program because motherfu*ker I made that program!”

Later in the conversation Jones also addressed Evans’ overwhelming confidence in his ability to win their fight based on the knowledge he gained while the two were teammates, smirking at the notion of Evans having any clue as to what he was working on more than a year after their split.

“Trust me, I know the ways I can lose and I’m training for that. You don’t think I’m training extensively on my bottom game and my takedown defense? You don’t know if I’m gonna shoot on you or if it’s gonna be a fake shot. You don’t know what you’re getting into. So you can say what you want but I KNOW just as much as you THINK that you know,” stated Jones on the matter while adding Evans was flat out “weird” based on the nature of his comments.

The remarks didn’t phase Evans who said other opponents had studied him as well and still come up short.

“When you’re in there with me I get you to skip to my Lou and you WILL skip to my Lou,” replied Evans confidently to Jones’ assessment.

Check out the first half of the interview with the second piece likely being made available later this week:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Evans addressed the matter along with a number of other topics on a UFC Primetime special documenting the build towards his crack at winning Jones’ light heavyweight championship in a few weeks at UFC 145.

“He has a book of notes that he takes, like a book of moves. And he reads this book of moves so that when he fights the moves are fresh in his head. So I go over there in the locker room to wish him luck,” began Evans on the true origin of his falling out with Jones.

“I’m giving him daps and hugs. I’m going to warm him up,” he continued. “And I go and sit next to him when he’s looking at the book of notes and he covers it, he puts it down, and he looks at me. I’m like, ‘Damn, brotha? It’s like that? For real?’ So then I knew at that point I was next on the menu.”

However, as might be expected, Jones sees things differently than Evans, saying his former training partner has manufactured much of the involved drama based on his own inability to hold down his claim to the divisional belt.

“Rashad was the one who got bypassed through hard work. He was the one who needed to find a way to challenge me for the light heavyweight championship. And that’s why Coach (Greg) Jackson, Coach (Mike) Winkeljohn, and everyone on this team is backing me to the fullest in this fight – because I’ve done nothing wrong,” explained Jones.

Thanks to the UFC, fans who missed the original airing can now watch the episode of UFC Primetime online. Check it out below:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

However, at 33, Evans knows he likely only has a few more years left as an elite competitor which is in part why sees his UFC 145 match-up with Jones is so important. Though taking “Bones” belt and satisfying the personal score with his former training partner are important to him, beating the dynamic divisional king is also an opportunity for Evans to remind the world why he’s a future Hall of Famer.

“I’m one of the very best light heavyweights out there and it’s time for me to cement my legacy,” wrote Evans in a blog entry he penned for Yahoo Sports. “I’ve beat top guys for years and years – before Jon was even in the UFC – and in a sport where everyone loses big fights here and there, I’ve had one bad night in seven years. This is the perfect opportunity and perfect chance for me to show that I’m as good as my record says I am.”

To dethrone Jones, Evans believes he’ll have to avoid the mental mistakes past opponents have made by often taking a tentative approach to exchanging offense with the seemingly unbeatable 24-year old.

“The illusion of or the mythical Jon Jones that the other guys fought, it doesn’t exist for me. I know how weak he is mentally – all the doubts he has about himself. I’m going to be the first one to stop this kid,” explained Evans of his intentions. “I saw an interview where he says he’s not giving it to me. He don’t have to. I’m taking it from him…”

The bout will mark the climax of the longstanding rivalry between the two 205ers stemming from Evans feeling as though Jones slighted him while teammates. Now it appears Evans is ready to return the favor, showing a gross lack of respect come showtime in Atlanta.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

While it seems most people are picking Jones to retain his belt, shrugging off notions of Evans’ ability to contend with the dynamic champion’s diverse skill-set and size, Henderson isn’t so sure such will be the case and envisions a scenario where Evans emerges with the title in tow.

“Rashad got a lot of criticism for his last performance but I thought he fought really well, really solid. Jon Jones is tough but Rashad could definitely come out winning,” said Henderson in an interview with ESPN. “He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad’s the better wrestler. It’s just that Jones is awkward. But Jones (won’t) be able to stop him taking him down for that long.”

“Don’t count out Rashad Evans. Everybody’s assuming it will be Jones, but Rashad is a good fighter too,” concluded Henderson on the topic.

Henderson’s next move involves waiting for Jones-Evans to face off, possibly even holding out for a few more months after being promised a shot at the middleweight strap as well if he so desires. The decorated veteran holds an overall record of 29-8 with wins in his last four fights including an instant classic against Mauricio Rua this past November.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Evans has done his best to try and use his experience as well as their personal history to gain a psychological edge on Jones, but the younger fighter doesn’t believe he has achieved anything in that regard.

“I love that he talks so much crap because the more crap he talks, the sillier he’s going to look when he loses that fight,” said Jones in an interview with the London Free Press. “Rashad’s just a pawn in this game that I’m playing. Nothing more.”

Since taking the belt from Rua, Jones has defended it successfully against former champs Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida. In Evans he’ll get another ex-UFC light heavyweight champ familia with what it takes to succeed in the spotlight.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

“I think that everything happens for a reason. I’ve been in a situation where I had to ride out a dark cloud a little bit in my career. I think Mo’s just going to have to ride the dark cloud in his career. I went about a 14-month period of not having a fight and just riding out some of the waves in my life, and that happens,” explained Evans in an interview with MMAFighting.

“Fighting is not just about fighting — it’s about life,” the 32-year old continued. “Sometimes you have those ups and downs in life, just like in your career. But as long as you keep your mind right and on what you really want, and you stay hungry, then you’ll prevail and make it through the storm.”

Evans will certainly be pulling for Lawal will come out on top in the end, growing from the experience rather than letting it diminish his drive.

“I feel bad for him. He’s a champion at heart, and I’m sure he’ll find a way to make it back to (Strikeforce) or find a way to make it in another organization as a top guy,” concluded Evans on the topic.

Lawal will be out until September based on his suspension though it is unknown when he will actually fight again after losing 30 pounds due to a serious staph infection that could’ve been fatal.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

Now, barring anything happening over the next month, Evans will finally face off with Jon Jones for the divisional strap. The two are set to compete in the main event of UFC 145 on April 21 from Atlanta.

After the UFC released a video highlighting Jones, a similar entry for Evans was promised and it debuted Friday night during the TUF 15 broadcast.

“We were never even suppose to entertain the idea of fighting each other,” Evans said in the clip. “This is a lot deeper than any other fight that I had. It is definitely code broken.”

Check out the video below, set to the song The Payback by James Brown:

Now, Evans is on a collision course with Jon Jones for that belt on April 21 at UFC 145 in Atlanta.

The two former teammates have had some choice words for one another, leaving many – including the hosts of MMA Uncensored Live – to wonder if Evans is jealous of how far “Bones” has come in such a short time.

“I’m not jealous of Jon Jones. You know, whatever Jon Jones has in life and whatever he’s accomplished, he’s earned,” Evans said in an interview on this week’s show. “I can’t want what another man has, because when it’s time for me to have something, undeniably, it will happen for me.”

Evans left Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico to help form the Blackzilians in Florida. He then fought in the summer of 2011, defeating Tito Ortiz, though hand surgery prevented Evans from taking on Jones later in the year and Machida received the shot instead. Now, with a win over Phil Davis in January and clean bill of health, Evans is ready to focus on the task at hand instead of outside issues.

As for all the hoopla and trash-talk between Evans and Jones, Evans revealed none of it is scripted based on the true feelings involved.

“Unfortunately, it’s 100-percent real,” Evans explained of the dynamic between the two 205ers.

“We had that connection with each other. A lot goes into that, so, there’s a lot of emotion that’s still there and still raw,” the 32-year old concluded, alluding to the lost friendship and training partnership he once shared with Jones in New Mexico.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

He wasn’t supposed to win TUF as a small light heavyweight competing for the heavyweight title yet in the finale he defeated 6’7”, 265 lbs Brad Imes, impressive considering the size difference. After defeating a few fighters who were thought to be on par with his talent, Evans finally got his big chance against Tito Ortiz and gave the former champ all he could handle in what would go down as a Draw.

Soon thereafter, Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin, the latter of whom he defeated for the divisional title, would find out just how far Evans had come. He had dynamite striking and was adept at using his wrestling to get the fight to the floor when necessary. In his nearly seven years with the UFC, Evans has lost only once and the stumble came in a title defense to accomplished 205er Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. That was nearly three years ago, though due to injuries and inactivity Evans has fought only four times since, winning against Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson, Ortiz, and most recently Phil Davis.

The Davis victory set him up for a much anticipated shot at current champion and former training partner/friend Jon Jones next month at UFC 145 in Atlanta. The world already knows the history between the two and how Evans left Greg Jackson’s camp because of the animosity between him and Jones. However, there is much more to Evans than just the fight with Jones. He is as passionate about this sport as anyone else. He is a devoted family man who misses his best friend/big brother Lance Evans, presently stationed in Afghanistan. Evans knows that this fight is important, but he also knows that this one fight will not define his career. He is happy where he’s at and ready to reclaim the UFC championship.

“Things are going so good for me right now,” explained Evans in an interview with Five Ounces of Pain. “I feel good since my last fight and it’s just continued on with this training camp. I’d really like to fight three or four times a year. I like to have that feeling where I want to fight. As long as I have that feeling I’ll fight as much as possible.”

Evans had a lot riding on his fight with Davis this past January. If he had fallen he wouldn’t have received a chance to not only fight Jones but to also win back the title he lost to Machida. On top of all of that pressure, his bout with Davis was occupying the main event slot of a UFC on FOX card. It’s not that Evans hadn’t been in big fights before, but there were high expectations from all involved to produce an entertaining show after the UFC’s first foray on FOX lasted just a minute.

“It felt like there was a little bit more pressure,” Evans said. “Then again I really put the added pressure on myself because I wanted to put on a show and put on a good fight for the people of Chicago. The actual show itself was pretty much the same as any of the other fights I’ve been in. One thing I was worried about was the title shot, I really wanted to win and go after the title so that added some pressure as well.”

It seems all people want to do these days when they talk to Evans or Jones is get them to trash talk one another. For some, it’s gotten to the point where they want to tune it all out, anxious to simply see the fight to happen so the sport can move forward while the involved fighters move on to the next stage of their careers. Evans can relate to such a mindset, also having had his fill of people telling him what Jones is saying.

“I’m just looking forward to fighting him to be honest,” offered Evans. “A lot of the back and forth and a lot of the drama is so old. I’m tired of hearing people say Jon is going to do this to you and he said this about you. It seems everyone has their own opinion. For me, I am just looking forward to getting it on. I had a good experience in Atlanta when I fought Chuck and hopefully it’ll turn out the same.”

No longer training with Jackson in New Mexico, Evans has found a new home and a new family with the Blackzilians in Boca Raton, Florida. There, under the tutelage of Mike Van Arsdale, Evans feels comfortable and has formed a bond with many of his new teammates. Following him down to Florida thus far, amongst others, have Melvin Guillard and UFC heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem. Managed by Authentic Sports Management, Evans is at peace with his surroundings.

“Down here it’s more organized and there are a lot more talented guys,” Evans elaborated on his current circumstances. “There’s just a better overall atmosphere down here. I’m a silly dude and I like to joke around. I like to make things a little lighter and funnier. It’s crazy the way things are now and how they were when I first started. I thought things would always be the same, but now things have changed so much. Keith Jardine just came down to train with us for awhile and seeing him was nice. Keith and I said we would never fight and that’s the way things were supposed to be with John, but I guess he didn’t feel the same way.”

Should Evans get by Jones next month and recapture the light heavyweight title the UFC already has an opponent waiting in the wings. 41-year-old Dan Henderson, fresh off of his thrilling five round Unanimous Decision victory over former 205-pound champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, is next in line for the winner of Evans-Jones.

“I definitely think Henderson is next in line,” Evans proclaimed. “I heard he’s going to wait and face the winner of my fight with Jones. I mean it makes sense for him to wait. At his age he has every right to sit out and wait to fight for the belt. These opportunities don’t come around every day. He’s still going strong; he’s out there and still doing his thing.”

Evans is one of many UFC fighters who will be attending the MMA Show Live in Birmingham, England in May. Others scheduled to join him are Brendan Schaub, Frank Trigg, Stefan Struve, Stephen Thompson, and Brittney Palmer. No doubt happy to focus on something other than the Jones rivalry and get away from the spotlight of America, Evans is looking forward to meeting the English fans and seeing some old friends as well.

“I am going to be doing a seminar and a meet and greet with the fans,” revealed Evans. “I had a good time the last time I was in Birmingham to watch the fights. It’s definitely a different vibe over there, but I had a good time. I’m looking forward to spending some time with Schaub; it’ll be good to hang out with some of my old friends again. I watched Brendan go from a guy who came into the gym to get into shape and look where he is now, it’s nice to watch his progression.”

Also outside of the regular realm of the fight business, Evans brother Lance, who once tried out for The Ultimate Fighter and has fought for some regional shows in Michigan and the surrounding areas, has since gone on to enlist in the United States military and is stationed over in Afghanistan. Rashad will miss having his brother around come fight time, but he’s happy to see his sibling doing something he loves.

“He’s in Afghanistan right now, in fact he just went back,” Evans explained. “He won’t be able to attend the fight as he’s going to be there for awhile. He likes what he’s doing, it’s tough being over there and there’s a lot that they don’t show on the news over here. There’s a lot of violence and you never know what’s going to happen. Being away from your family is hard and you never know what you’re going to come back to, it’s tough on the soldiers. The thing about America is we follow fads and it goes that way as far as the troops are concerned. If it’s not cool to support them then people don’t support them and that’s a shame. I miss having my brother around and it’ll be nice to have him home when his time is up.”

Until Evans-Jones meet on April 21 you can keep up with Evans on his Twitter account (@SugaRashadEvans).

With the event essentially a month away the hype has been amped up with a recent preview for the match-up where the world is offered a reminder of how little the wound has healed on the broken friendship the two shared in the not too distant past.

“A lot of my mentors have been talking to me, saying, ‘You know what, Jon, don’t let him get in your head.’ But the truth of the matter is he is in my head and I want him in my head, I like him in my head – that’s when I train better, that’s when I focus more, that’s when I study his fights more,” said Jones of Evans’ personal jabs at his attitude, labeling him as being an exceptionally cocky individual whose number he has.

“Let’s not beat around the bush here. I’m the champ, he’s the challenger. He wants what I have. I’m not giving it to him,” explained a frank Jones, adding, “I’m trying to solidify a legacy and beating Rashad Evans right now is the biggest piece to the puzzle.”

Watch the full preview below where bouts between Rory MacDonald-Che Mills and Brendan Schaub-Ben Rothwell are highlighted:

Now, with both men on the cusp of finally facing off with one another inside the Octagon instead of through media appearances, Evans is taking the approach he of all people understands what it will take to defeat the dynamic title-holder.

“I know I will beat Jon Jones,” said Evans in a recent interview with UFC. “He can talk about improvements he’s made, but there are still some things in his game he can never change. He’s a long, rangy fighter and I’m going to get inside, unleash my stuff, take him down and ground and pound him. I’m at a level in my career where I can take down and ground and pound anyone.”

“I’ve got the advantage mentally, too,” Evans continued on the topic of taking out Jones. “He’s not, ‘Jon Jones unbeatable champion,’ to me. I know the real Jon, the nervous kid who would ask me to tell him how to dress, how to talk and how to fight.”

With their fight scheduled for next month at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in Atlanta, expect plenty more talk from both men before Evans can prove his experience is the key or Jones once again wows by taking out a former champion.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

After recently speaking with Evans it became apparent very quickly that he is fiercely loyal and steadfast in his beliefs. While many will say MMA is an individual sport most of those people haven’t had the opportunity to spill blood, shed tears, and sweat alongside a teammate day in and day out. Evans values his relationships amongst his teammates more than he does a championship or a paycheck. That’s not to say he doesn’t desire to hold the UFC light heavyweight title or make a good living and be able to support his family. It just means he isn’t willing to sacrifice the relationships he has forged along the way and alienate the men who have helped get him where he is today.

Evans and Jardine quickly developed a bond when the two men were contestants on the Ultimate Fighter 2 back in 2005. They actually fought on the show with Evans winning by decision. As soon as taping was over Evans joined Jackson’s gym and quickly strengthened that bond with Jardine, one that is still going strong today. As the two fighters slowly but surely climbed the light heavyweight ladder talk began to grow that they could possibly face one another if their success continued. Beginning with his fight with Tito Ortiz at UFC 73 in July of 2007, Evans started to fight a higher level of competition. After the Ortiz bout he would go on to defeat Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and then Forrest Griffin at UFC 98 in December of 2008. With his ensuing knockout over Griffin, Evans became the new light heavyweight champ.

Jardine on the other hand was going through a period of inconsistency and because of this talk of him fighting Evans seemed to temper off a bit, but that doesn’t mean that White would forget that both men publicly refused to fight one another. If Jardine had continued on with the success he had after the show had ended both he and Evans would have found themselves in a very difficult position. Jardine had defeated both Griffin and Liddell before Evans did, but lost to Houston Alexander and Wanderlei Silva after those wins. While those losses may have spared the two friends and training partners the headache of either fighting one another or risk losing their position with the UFC it remained in the back of White’s mind and would rear its ugly head the minutes Jones started making a name for himself.

Evans has gone on record as saying that he was not comfortable with Jackson bringing Jones in to the camp. He felt as though it would ultimately lead to the same drama that he and Jardine were forced to deal with. Eventually Evans gave in and agreed to train alongside Jones. It didn’t take long for the two men to develop a strong bond in and outside of the cage. Evans took Jones under his wing and didn’t hold back when it came to helping Jones become the best fighter he could be. Somewhere along the way they made an agreement not to fight one another or allow White to come in between them. Jones seemed to value his relationship with Evans in the same manner Rashad did with Jardine.

After beating Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 114 the UFC announced Evans would go on to face then champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua once the champion had recovered from knee surgery. The bout was to take place at UFC 128. As it turned out, while training for the match-up Evans injured his knee and was forced to pull out of the fight. In a surprise move, White awarded Jones the opportunity to face Rua after he defeated Ryan Bader at UFC 126. The move in itself wasn’t what upset Evans as he knew the UFC needed to find a replacement; it was the fact that Jones spoke out in an interview during the promotion for his fight with Rua and stated he would face Evans if the UFC offered him the fight. Obviously upset with Jones, Evans left Jackson’s camp and moved south to Florida.

Stung by Jones betrayal and for what he perceived to be a lack of support from Jackson, Evans needed to pull himself together quickly and regroup. He and a team of Brazilian fighters who used to train with American Top Team joined forces with some respected fighters to create The Blackzilians and began training under the tutelage of Mike Van Arsdale at Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton. Since he began working there Evans has defeated Ortiz and Phil Davis. These days “Suga” seems to be more at peace, and although he is still hurt by what went down he is forced to deal with the fact that this is a business; that not everyone abides by the same values he does.

In just six short weeks Evans will get the opportunity to punish Jones for stabbing him in the back and in the process he can win back the belt he lost to Lyoto Machida. The veteran has a chance to prove to the young lion that he made a colossal mistake by breaking the pact they made. Evans also gets to show Jackson that he chose to stand behind the wrong fighter. There is much more at stake here than the UFC title. Everything Evans believes in is on the line. Never has a fight been more personal and never before has a fight created such controversy. As if fighting Jones wasn’t difficult enough, Evans also has to fight the naysayers who have criticized him for taking this too personal. None of us know what went on behind closed doors between Jones and Evans, but we will get to see the fallout from it all come April 21.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

After working together in New Mexico under the guidance of Greg Jackson, Evans departed the camp once Jones said he would have no problems facing “Suga” down the road for the title. His stance, in addition to having not spoken to Evans directly about it, angered the Ultimate Fighter 2 winner and the two have been on a path to fight ever since.

Finally, after having the bout called twice due to injuries, Jones and Evans will tangle on April 21 in Atlanta at UFC 145. Before they exchange blows in the Octagon, however, the two have been battling in a verbal sense and got into a word-based brawl recently while appearing on Canadian sports-show SportsNite.

When the topic of a training session came up where Evans claims he held Jones down, the streaking champion responded by saying, “You’re talking about a day where you held me down for may be 30 seconds and said, ‘OK Jon, work to get up.’ You didn’t strike me. You didn’t submit me. You held me down.” Evans obviously had a different take on the matter.

Check out the complete interview below:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

It’s been a long road back to the title for Evans, who was originally scheduled to fight for the belt after defeating Quinton Jackson back in May 2010. However, due to injuries suffered by him and then champion Mauricio Rua, “Suga” has had to defeat Tito Ortiz and Davis before being able to secure another shot at the gold. Now he returns to Atlanta, where his road to superstardom began when he knocked out UFC hall of famer Chuck Liddell with a highlight reel overhand at UFC 88.

When Evans went down with an injury, it was Jones who stepped up to face Rua in March 2011. “Bones” dominated “Shogun” en route to a third round stoppage and became the youngest fighter ever to hold UFC gold. Jones defended his title twice in 2011, stopping former champions “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida by submission and cementing his status as one of the best fighters in the sport.

Ever since Jones took the place of Evans and capture the title, the two have engaged war of words. Both men trained together under the guidance of Greg Jackson, but Rashad left the camp shortly after Jones became champion, feeling disrespected by the new 205 pound king. The two men will finally settle their differences later this year in a five round fight that is sure to produce fireworks.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC