Born on September 25, 1978, Rashad “Sugar” Anton
Evans hails from Lansing Michigan. One of seven siblings, he got
his start in wrestling at Niagara-Wheatfield High School in
Sanborn, New York.
He actually got into wrestling to get in shape for football,
playing both offense and defense.
College
Rashad Evans then attended Niagara County Community College
where he took his wrestling skills to the next level, winning the
National Junior College championship in 2000. With a
promising wrestling future under his belt, he then attended
Michigan State University where he was a starter for three years
when he defeated wrestling legend, Greg Jones.
He is only one in four wrestlers who has won against
Jones.
Digging Deep
Thus began Evan's list of defeats by defense: his own
defense that is. "It was done because people said I
couldn't do it, and that made me dig a little deeper,"
he has been quoted as saying.
It was 2004 when Rashad Evans made his MMA debut. In a four
man tournament, Rashad won all four. He went on to win a two-day
tournament, Gladiator Challenge 26 and 27.
The Ultimate Fighter
Though he had competed as a light heavyweight, he was chosen
to compete in the television reality show, The Ultimate Fighter
(TUF) for the show's second season in 2005, which was
entitled The Ultimate Fighter, Season 2- Uncut, Untamed and
Uncensored!
The offer from The Ultimate Fighter together with Evan's
5-0 record made him “the man to watch.”
2005
proved to be huge for Rashad Evans. Not only did he become an
assistant coach for the Michigan State wrestling program, he also
competed on The Ultimate Fighter which aired in August.
As the series goes, contenders are followed through training
and preliminary qualifying fights until one fighter is determined
the winner in a season finale bout.
Rashad went into each of the fights as the underdog due to
being the shortest and almost the lightest of the
competitors.
Bad Behavior
Coached by Rich Franklin, Evans first went up against Tom Murphy and won
by unanimous decision after three rounds. But his behavior in the
ring caused much controversy, especially with opposing coach,
Matt Hughes. The next
fight was against Mike Whitehead. Evans won by unanimous decision
after three rounds and then went on to beat Keith Jardine
exactly
the same way, earning him the right to fight in the finale.
The UFC
In the final fight, Evans beat Brad Imes by split decision and
won not only the Ultimate Fighter season 2 winning title but also
a three year, six figure contract with the UFC and a brand new
car.
On April 6, 2006, Evan's first fight under his new
contract took place against Sam Hoger, winner of The Ultimate
Fighter 1. The event was referred to as the “The
Ultimate Fight Night 4.
Evan's was now fighting in the light heavyweight in order
to increase he chances of success.
Overcoming a kimura submission late in round two, Rashad Evans
pulled out to defeat Hoger by split decision five minutes into
the third round.
Evans next fight was against Ultimate Fighter finalist, Steven
Bonnar in June of 2006 at UFC Fight Night 5. Dominating
throughout the fight, Rashad repeated slams and take downs,
winning by unanimous decision in round three.
By September, Evans was in the ring again, this time facing
off against Jason Lambert in UFC 63: Hughes vs. Penn.
Significantly outweighed by Lambert, Evans went into the fight
more challenged than his prior fights under the UFC contract.
Lambert had won “eight straight “ before meeting
up with Evans. Early on, Rashad Evans took control, throwing
punches from the mounted position until securing the bout 2:38
into the second round.
UFC Success
UFC Fight Night 8 was held on January 25, 2007 and featured
Evans vs. Salmon. Sean Salmon, who also had strong roots in
wrestling, went into the fight with a 9-1 record.
Evans
held a record of 9-0. The first round went to Salmon who won via
two takedowns.
But Rashad bounced back in the second round, knocking Salmon
out with a head kick that sent him to the hospital and won the
fight for Rashad by Knock Out.
Facing Tito
Evan's next fight was against Tito Ortiz, the former UFC Light Heavyweight
Champion at UFC 73:Stacked on July 7, 2007.
Ortiz was also a wrestling-based fighter and the two were so
evenly matched, the fight ended in a draw by unanimous decision
five minutes into the third round.
On November 17, 2008, Evans went toe-to-toe with undefeated
Ultimate Fighter 3 winner, Michael Bisping.
The fight turned out to be surprisingly close, Evan's won
by split decision. Two of the judges favored Evan's 29-28
while the other judge scored it 29-28, Bisping.
Liddell
Evan's next fight was UFC 88 in September and was the main
event. He was up against the notorious Chuck Liddell and went in as the definite underdog.
But once again, he would give it all he had to beat the best
and he did with a in the second round.
Not only did Rashad come out of the fight with the honor of
“Knockout of the Night” but with a $60,000 bonus as
well and a shot at the UFC title.
The Title
The face-off for the title took place at UFC 92 on December
27. 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada against UFC Light Heavyweight
Champion, Forrest Griffin.
It was the first event where two fighters from The Ultimate
Fighter would compete for the title.
Griffin, who holds a brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu, won the first
two rounds but Evans kicked off the third round, literally and
then applied a ground and pound that led to a TKO win when the
referee stepped in to stop the fight.
Rashad Evans took the title of the new UFC Light Heavyweight
Champion.
Machida came out with a high kick then Evans with a low kick.
Lyoto pulled a flurry of punches, but Evans got back up but more
punches put him under causing his feet to give way.
Machida won the fight, 3:57 into the third round by knockout.
Not only did Evans lose the fight, but the UFC title as well.
Thiago Silva
On January 2, 2010, Evans fought Thiago Silva in UFC 108. The
morning of the fight, Rashad received his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
black belt under Rolles Gracie.
Silva holds a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt as well. Going
into the fight, it was important to Evans to keep the fight above
ground so as not to get submitted by the Jiu-Jitsu expert.
Rashad
Evans did not disappoint and won by unanimous decision five
minutes into the third round. He was back!
Most Recent Fight
A long awaited bout between Quinton “Rampage”
Jackson was expected for UFC 113: Machida v. Shogun 2on May 1, 2010 but instead it took place at UFC
114: Rampage vs. Evans on May 29, 2010. Rashad Evans defeated
Rampage Jackson by unanimous decision in the three rounds.
UPCOMING EVENT
Following UFC 128 it was announced that Evans would fight his
former training partner, Jon "Bones" Jones. Though the two were friends, the
upcoming event was expected to dampered their relationship.
Rashad would have gone into the bout as one of the biggest underdogs in
UFC hisotry but Bones had to pull out due to a hand injury. Evans is now set to face off with Phil Davis instead.
Background
With a
promising wrestling future under his belt, he then attended
Michigan State University where he was a starter for three years
when he defeated wrestling legend, Greg Jones.
2005
proved to be huge for Rashad Evans. Not only did he become an
assistant coach for the Michigan State wrestling program, he also
competed on The Ultimate Fighter which aired in August.
The next
fight was against Mike Whitehead. Evans won by unanimous decision
after three rounds and then went on to beat 
exactly
the same way, earning him the right to fight in the finale.
Evans
held a record of 9-0. The first round went to Salmon who won via
two takedowns.
With a
record of 13-0-1, Evans went up against 
Rashad
Evans did not disappoint and won by unanimous decision five
minutes into the third round. He was back!
