UFC
UFC Champ Jon Jones pulling for Rashad Evans at UFC on Fox 2
Jan 23, 2012 - 11:20:06 AM UFC Champ Jon Jones pulling for Rashad Evans at UFC on Fox 2

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

A massive grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans has been brewing for the last ten months, and if Evans defeats Phil Davis this weekend at UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago, the fight will finally come to fruition. The fight had been in the UFC's plans twice in 2011, only to fall through due to a number of injury issues, but if Evans leaves Chicago uninjured, the fight should happen in April at UFC 145 in Atlanta.

Jones, the UFC's youngest Champion, has had the situation with Evans in the back of his mind throughout the entirety of his short Championship reign. On the Fuel TV post-show for UFC on FX 1 last Friday night, he said he believes Evans will win on Saturday night, and is looking forward to getting their feud behind him.

"I'm picking Rashad Evans," Jones said (transcribed by BJPenn.com). "I'm in his corner... I want to fight Rashad. He's the antagonist of my career. There's no just pumping up pay per views when it comes to me and Rashad. Everything about us disliking each other is true. After we fight each other it'll all be clear, and he can go have a seat somewhere."

Penick's Analysis: Jones-Evans is the bigger fight for both of them and for the UFC, but Davis absolutely can throw a wrench in those plans. A fight between Jones and Dan Henderson would be up next, and while it would still be big, it wouldn't be as big as the grudge match we could see in April. It makes sense for Jones to be pulling for that fight, because then he can finally get that fight out of the way and put an end to the endless back and forth between the two. Evans just needs to do his part on Saturday in Chicago.

[Rashad Evans art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]