Rampage's replacement against Rashad Evans most likely to be......

[jmt225]

Thiago Silva.

About a week ago, we all learned that the upcoming Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Rashad Evans fight at UFC 107 was off. Then yesterday news came out that “Rampage” was actually retiring from MMA to focus on his acting career. This left many people wondering who Evans would face next seeing as he was set to battle Jackson once their coaching stints on the “Ultimate Fighter” came to end.

That answer may have came when Evans sat down for an interview with MMA.Fanhouse.com and revealed that he could face Thiago Silva either sometime in December at UFC 108, or sometime in early-2010.

During the interview, Evans mentioned that Silva glared at him after his victory over Keith Jardine at UFC 102 in August and he interpreted that as a sign that Silva wanted to “take him on.”

If the fight is indeed signed, it would be a battle between two competitors with only one professional loss on their record. The irony in that is, both fighter’s only loss came at the hands of current UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.

Evans (13-1-1) faced Machida at UFC 98 in May and lost the UFC light heavyweight title after getting knocked out in the second round. Before that loss, Evans had run up an impressive win streak that featured wins over Forrest Griffin, Chuck Liddell, and Michael Bisping.

Silva (14-1) lost to Machida at UFC 94 in January. He was knocked out in the first round with only one second left on the clock. His UFC resume is impressive as well with wins over Jardine, Houston Alexander, and James Irvin among others.

Hopefully this goes through; I think it'd really be a great fight.

I was never a big fan of Thiago Silva, but after watching the Countdown to UFC 102, where we got to know him and what he's had to overcome to get to where he's currently at, I instantly became a fan of his as a person. And then with his destruction of Keith Jardine, I then became a fan of the fighter.

Rashad Evans is another one who's quickly making me become a fan of his. After his feud/fight with Tito Ortiz, I stopped liking him all together (I also can't stand his wife). However, with the Rampage/TUF situation, he's really showing himself to be a class act. And you cannot deny his skills as a fighter, either. I mean, before that fight with Machida, he looked fantastic against Liddell and Forrest, and showed that he had some real stand-up to go with his wrestling.

So this fight will be interesting for me since they've both recently turned a corner in my eyes for the good. And the fight itself should be awesome as well to be quite honest, and perhaps even better than Rashad/Rampage was going to be. It's a hard one to predict though. If it becomes a stand-up battle, I see Thiago winning by either knock out or decision, but if Rashad utilizes his wrestling and picks his spots on the feet carefully, then I can see him taking home the victory. It'll be very interesting to see.

What are your thoughts on this possible match-up? Excited, or disappointed?

 

[INDYjon22]

I am dissapointed that Evans wont be fighting Rampage as most everyone else is as well but this fight with Silva looks good on paper. Two guys who can throw some huge bombs, Evans with great wrestling and Silva with good bjj. I would not mind this fight at all however I dont think it really sets either up for a shot at the belt like the Rampage/Evans fight would have. This still leaves the light heavyweight division in turmoil in regards to a number one contendor cause the only big name not to face Machida right now is Forrest Griffin and he isnt getting a crack at the belt anytime soon. I see the Evans/Silva fight going like this. Both will start by feeling each other out then they will exchange and after a couple of these times in about the second round Rashad will catch Thiago and put him down for the count. Rashad wins and still has to beat 2 or 3 guys before he is in line for another title shot. On a side note I hope Thiago wins because I dont like Evans at all.

 

[BaconBits]

I think this is the best option for Rashad for an entertaining fight, and Dana is kind of throwing him a bone with this one. Rashad's boy Jardine just fought Thiago, and I'm sure the techno viking will give him pointers. Thiago also has a tendency to always come forward, and Rashad is a fearsome counterstriker and much faster than anybody not named Lyoto Machida in the 205 division. Thiago will be severely outclassed in this fight if he decides to box, and Dana knows this. He's looking to make Rashad a viable contender again as soon as possible, because the guy is marketable, and the 205 division is lacking in guys they can hype as title contenders right now. Even though Rashad just lost in pretty awful fashion, a solid dominating performance on the feet makes him the best possible fight for whoever wins the title after Machida v. Shogun. The rest of the division doesn't seem nearly as deep as it did even a year ago. Right now, the only truly viable guys at the top are Machida, Shogun, and Rashad (if he beats Thiago, which he should). Seriously, that's it. Everybody else is too green or too old to be considered viable right now.

 

[jmt225]

Right now, the only truly viable guys at the top are Machida, Shogun, and Rashad (if he beats Thiago, which he should). Seriously, that's it. Everybody else is too green or too old to be considered viable right now.

I have to disagree with you there, man.

You have three big fights in the Light Heavyweight Division coming up in Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera, Tito Ortiz vs. Mark Coleman, and Luiz Cane vs. Lil' Nog.

Randy Couture of course looked great in his last two fights, and that was at Heavyweight. He has a size/strength advantage on pretty much everyone in the Light Heavyweight division, and his stand-up has improved vastly since his last fight there against Liddell.

Brandon Vera I can't stand, but if he gets a win over Couture, he shoots up that Light Heavyweight ladder, that's for sure.

Tito Ortiz took Rashad Evans to a draw (and the only reason it was a draw was because Tito was deducted a point by the referee), and almost beat Machida. So there's nothing more I need to say there.

Mark Coleman took Shogun to the limit, and decisively beat Stephan Bonnar. He's looked great since his return.

Luiz Cane only has 1 loss on his record and has looked FANTASTIC in his last 3 fights.

And Lil' Nog has two wins over Alistair Overeem, and has defeated Dan Henderson. And even though he has lost 3 times in his career, only one of them was legit (against Shogun, who he took to the absolute limit, by the way), as one was a complete fluke, and the other he made up for by defeating the person who defeated him years later.

And you also can't forget about the up and comers like Matt Hamill, Ryan Bader, etc. And of course, you never know if Forrest Griffin or Rich Franklin or even Keith Jardine start to make an impact again with their next fights. The UFC's Lightweight Division is fine and in my opinion, as stacked as ever.

 

[BaconBits]

I have to disagree with you there, man.

You have three big fights in the Light Heavyweight Division coming up in Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera, Tito Ortiz vs. Mark Coleman, and Luiz Cane vs. Lil' Nog.

Randy Couture of course looked great in his last two fights, and that was at Heavyweight. He has a size/strength advantage on pretty much everyone in the Light Heavyweight division, and his stand-up has improved vastly since his last fight there against Liddell.

Brandon Vera I can't stand, but if he gets a win over Couture, he shoots up that Light Heavyweight ladder, that's for sure.

Tito Ortiz took Rashad Evans to a draw (and the only reason it was a draw was because Tito was deducted a point by the referee), and almost beat Machida. So there's nothing more I need to say there.

Mark Coleman took Shogun to the limit, and decisively beat Stephan Bonnar. He's looked great since his return.

Luiz Cane only has 1 loss on his record and has looked FANTASTIC in his last 3 fights.

And Lil' Nog has two wins over Alistair Overeem, and has defeated Dan Henderson. And even though he has lost 3 times in his career, only one of them was legit (against Shogun, who he took to the absolute limit, by the way), as one was a complete fluke, and the other he made up for by defeating the person who defeated him years later.

And you also can't forget about the up and comers like Matt Hamill, Ryan Bader, etc. And of course, you never know if Forrest Griffin or Rich Franklin or even Keith Jardine start to make an impact again with their next fights. The UFC's Lightweight Division is fine and in my opinion, as stacked as ever.

I disagree. The casual fan who, who creates the big buyrates Dana craves, doesn't give a flying fuck about any of the guys you just mentioned, save for Tito*.

Luiz Cane, like him or not, is too green, much like Jon Jones. These two will be the top of the division, far and away, in the next two years. They're just not ready yet for the step up to main event status. I say give one of these two the loser of Coleman-Ortiz to step them up beyond the level they are presently at, then give them a fight up top with a title shot on the line. Hell, have them fight each other to see who deserves the push to the top. Throw Matt Hamill into the mix, and the LHW division is going to be rip roaring fun in 2011. Right now, these guys are still second tier. Where's Chuck Lidell to get KTFO'd to determine oncoming greatness when you need him?

Brandon Vera is all hype. Has been since the beginning of his career. He's always been "the next big thing" and every time he's given a shot at something spectacular and advancing his career, he folds. He won't beat Couture, and he won't be an issue at the top of the division. I'm sick of hearing how great Brandon Vera is. He needs to back up the hype, something he's never really done, save for one fight.

Mark Coleman is marketable for nostalgia points, he might beat Tito, but that's only because Tito is coming off a seriously long layoff and will have rust after injury, similar to his fight with Shogun. His wrestling style might be the way to beat Machida (albeit a slim chance that'll happen), but he would get murdered by a fast striker such as Rashad, Anderson or even a healthy Shogun..

Lil Nog is still too unknown to Americans. I agree that he's an amazing fighter, no doubt, but he's going to have to put in a couple dominating performances against well known UFC fighters (Jardine, Bonnar, Franklin types) to get a title shot. It's not right, but it's the way things happen. He could defintely bangwith the top of the division, but it's not going to happen legitimately until the end of next year, once he builds a reputation. Plus, he's not a TUF fighter. That pushes him down the line.

A guy to throw in the mix is Gegard Mousasi, but he's still a ways out before he comes to the UFC.

Rich Franklin isn't even a true 205er yet. Neither is Dan Henderson. Once they fully commit to one division, they can be considered. They haven't yet, so they will be stuck between LHW and MW for the next year or so, fighting Wandy amd Brandon Vera (who will be moving down again when he gets exposed) and others at catchweights.


*You, like so many other misguidied souls, thinks Tito would have won the fight if not for the point deduction. You're wrong. Tito's fence grabbing antics prevented takedowns which would have won Rashad the fight. Tito backed his way into a draw, not the other way around. These days, Rashad would KO Tito into oblivion before the fight even got started or got near the fence. Yes, Rashad's striking, particularly his boxing, has improved that much since the first fight. Don't think for a minute that Dana doesn't know this. If Rashad beats Thiago and Tito beats Coleman, you can be damned sure Tito-Rashad 2 will happen, with the winner getting a title shot.

 

[jmt225]

I disagree. The casual fan who, who creates the big buyrates Dana craves, doesn't give a flying fuck about any of the guys you just mentioned, save for Tito*.

Okay, then why is Shogun the one fighting Machida next? Who the fuck knows/respects Shogun outside of PRIDE fans? He lost to Forrest, barely beat Mark Coleman, and knocked out a chinless Chuck Liddell.

But you know why this fight sells? Because the title and Machida sell themselves. Championship contenders only need to be guys who deserve the shot, not "Big draws". This isn't professional wrestling; in MMA, the Championship belt is actually a draw, not a prop.

Luiz Cane, like him or not, is too green, much like Jon Jones. These two will be the top of the division, far and away, in the next two years. They're just not ready yet for the step up to main event status.

Yeah, but the same could have been said about Rashad Evans, who only had 13 fights by the time he was granted a title shot. With his fight against Lil' Nog, that will be, guess what, Luiz's 13th fight. And if he wins it, he'll definitely deserves a shot at the title.

I say give one of these two the loser of Coleman-Ortiz to step them up beyond the level they are presently at, then give them a fight up top with a title shot on the line.

But dude, that was my point. There are a LOT of options you can do here with these upcoming fights. People will be made in this division in the upcoming months, and my point is that there will be plenty of valid challengers for Machida's belt for quite a while. You were acting like as if there was hardly anyone in the division to challenge for the belt now that Rampage is gone, and that's just false.

Brandon Vera is all hype. Has been since the beginning of his career. He's always been "the next big thing" and every time he's given a shot at something spectacular and advancing his career, he folds. He won't beat Couture, and he won't be an issue at the top of the division. I'm sick of hearing how great Brandon Vera is. He needs to back up the hype, something he's never really done, save for one fight.

I completely agree, but if by some miracle he does beat Couture, then there's another contender. And if he loses to Couture, look there... another contender in Randy Couture.

Mark Coleman is marketable for nostalgia points, he might beat Tito, but that's only because Tito is coming off a seriously long layoff and will have rust after injury, similar to his fight with Shogun. His wrestling style might be the way to beat Machida (albeit a slim chance that'll happen), but he would get murdered by a fast striker such as Rashad, Anderson or even a healthy Shogun..

But still... Coleman is there, and making noise. If he beats Tito, that automatically shoots him into title contention. I think he'll need one more win for a shot at the belt, but he'll still be in the picture and that's all that matters.

Lil Nog is still too unknown to Americans. I agree that he's an amazing fighter, no doubt, but he's going to have to put in a couple dominating performances against well known UFC fighters (Jardine, Bonnar, Franklin types) to get a title shot. It's not right, but it's the way things happen. He could defintely bangwith the top of the division, but it's not going to happen legitimately until the end of next year, once he builds a reputation. Plus, he's not a TUF fighter. That pushes him down the line.

Well, I completely disagree. First of all, him being the twin brother of one of the top Heavyweights in the UFC, who is certainly known by every fan by now, makes him known. And speaking of his brother, he got a shot at the UFC Heavyweight Championship just after one fight himself, so why is this any different? If Lil' Nog looks good against Cane and wins decisively, then he's just another name in Title contention.

Also, Spike will start airing PRIDE fights in January, so a lot of those guys will start to become known here in the states soon enough, anyway.

A guy to throw in the mix is Gegard Mousasi, but he's still a ways out before he comes to the UFC.

Well, of course... but he's under an M-1 contract, and there's no telling for how long he'll stay with them.

Rich Franklin isn't even a true 205er yet. Neither is Dan Henderson. Once they fully commit to one division, they can be considered. They haven't yet, so they will be stuck between LHW and MW for the next year or so, fighting Wandy amd Brandon Vera (who will be moving down again when he gets exposed) and others at catchweights.

I think Henderson will stay at Middleweight for quite a while, but Franklin won't move back down until Anderson Silva vacates or loses the title.

And the only reason Franklin's last couple of fights weren't at 205 was because he was doing a favor for Dana. Rich is a company guy through and through, and Dana wanted Vitor and Wandy to cut to 185 slowly and give them time to do so, so he made the fights with Rich at 195 pounds. I'm sure if it were up to Rich, each fight would have been at 205 pounds.

*You, like so many other misguidied souls, thinks Tito would have won the fight if not for the point deduction. You're wrong. Tito's fence grabbing antics prevented takedowns which would have won Rashad the fight. Tito backed his way into a draw, not the other way around.

For one, Tito wasn't even 100% in this fight. Nevertheless, he still should have won it. Did you not watch the fight? You're acting like Tito repeatedly grabbed the fence all throughout. He grabbed it TWICE, and didn't do so for long anyway. You're acting like he clung to it every takedown, very false. He barely touched them for a second, which yes, did help a bit, but even if Rashad could have gotten him down, he wouldn't have been able to hold him there, especially in the early rounds, as Tito proved.

Tito won that fight, and looked better against Rashad than any other of his opponents, with the exception of Machida.

These days, Rashad would KO Tito into oblivion before the fight even got started or got near the fence.

Yeah, okay.... well, hopefully we'll get to find out if that would happen, as Tito/Rashad 2 should go down hopefully sometime next year as you mention.

Yes, Rashad's striking, particularly his boxing, has improved that much since the first fight. Don't think for a minute that Dana doesn't know this.

What makes you think Tito would stand with him? Did he in the first fight?

If Rashad beats Thiago and Tito beats Coleman, you can be damned sure Tito-Rashad 2 will happen, with the winner getting a title shot.

Well, I hope you're right...