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Feb 16, 2012 - The first time
Rashad Evans
marched into Atlanta, he was a sizable underdog trying to make a legacy for
himself. Next time he does, he'll again be a sizable underdog, this time trying
to seal a legacy as a two-time UFC light-heavyweight champion.
Nearly a
year after the long-simmering grudge between Evans and Jones began, there's
finally an end game,
UFC 145 in
April. But until then, expect salvos to be fired and returned. A full two months
before the two meet in the cage, they met at a spot overlooking downtown
Atlanta, with Evans reasserting his belief that his previous work with Jones
would give him the advantage in their matchup, and the champion admitting that
the broken friendship and personal feelings would play a motivational role in
his training.
"I think that my opponent will be in my head this fight," he said. "And I
want him in my head because I realize when people are in my head, it brings out
the best in me, and that’s what I’m prepared to show."
The 24-year-old
has seen his star rise over the last year following a brilliant stretch that saw
him win four times in 2011, including three finishes over former UFC champions.

But it was a question of whether Jones could finish Evans within one
round that led to the most animated exchange between the two fighters. It
started innocently enough from Jones.
"I’m going to be cliche and say I’m
going to go out there with great intentions and train really hard and just have
fun," he said. "I realize when I have fun great things happen. Magical things
happen."
But as he finished his thought, Evans interjected, saying "What
do you really think, though?"
"You remember what I told you," Jones
said.
"I remember what you told me, but I remember you didn’t mean it,"
Evans said.
Some rowdy fans in the crowd yelled out, asking Evans what
Jones said, and Evans mimicked Jones nervously saying, "Rashad, I’m going to be
the first one to finish you in the first round…," stuttering his way throughout
the less-than-flattering imitation.
That brought laughs from the
audience, and even got a chuckle from UFC president Dana White. Jones portrayed
the hint of a smile, but wasn't quite so amused.
"I remember being here
and Rampage was doing the same thing, so …," Jones said, letting his words trail
off and throwing his hands up, letting the memory of his fourth-round submission
win over Jackson finish his thought.
The easy rapport the two shared
mostly replaced by acrimony, the two did share a couple of lighter moments
throughout. But most of the time, it was a case of one answering a question, and
the other rebutting the answer as though they were debating.
Jones smiled
throughout the 30-minute press conference, although the two didn't look each
other in the eye during a post-event staredown photo opportunity or share a
handshake at its conclusion. Evans was clearly the crowd favorite of the two,
with one fan routinely yelling out support to the point where Evans adopted him
as his "hype man."

That's been par for the course for Jones, who has
watched his popularity rating increase right alongside his list of detractors,
one of MMA's most beloved and hated at the same time. That's a typical symptom
of the overnight superstar, and that's certainly what Jones has become, winning
the title in what is traditionally MMA's most competitive division within three
years of taking up the sport. But even with all the proclamations about Jones as
MMA's present and future, Evans wouldn't give in, anointing himself a "spoiler"
on April 21.
"There’s been so many people like him that’s been ‘the
one,’" he said. "But that’s the secret: there is no ‘one.’ Anybody can lose any
given day, and he’s going to find that out."
The back and forth about who
knows more about the other from their days training together has been discussed
ad nauseam, and will continue to be rehashed for another two months until
they're finally standing across the cage from each other. Then we'll get our
answer.
But for now, we're left with the same thing we've had for the
last year, loaded words going back and forth, just setting the stage for what's
to come. As for what might be afterward, well, the two opened a window on that
when a fan innocently asked if the two would be able share a smile or handshake
after going five hard rounds in April.
It was as if they didn't even hear
the question.
"This fight won't go five rounds," Evans said.
"Mark
his words," Jones said.
And so it goes, a blood feud in need of a
conclusion, a money rivalry to end in the place where for Evans, it all really
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