Joe Rogan interviews Rashad Evans during UFC 98 official weigh-ins at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The former light heavyweight champ is sporting a Silver Star T-shirt, while Rogan is wearing MMA’s top brand Tapout. The two apparel companies not only represent two key sellers in the sport, but an entire attitude of the mixed martial arts lifestyle.
Saturday, May 23, 2009 | 3:30 a.m.
Champion vs. Challenger
Saturday Night at UFC 98, Rashad Evans defends his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Lyoto Machida. Both fighters talk about the title fight.
A True Grudge Match
The co-main event of UFC 98 features two welterweights who just don't like each other. Matt Hughes and Matt Serra plan to settle their long-standing grudge in the Octagon Saturday night.
Sun Archives
- Evans, Machida keep it simple at weigh-in (5-22-2009)
- Serra eager to settle verbal war with Hughes (5-21-2009)
- Hughes mum on grudge match (5-22-2009)
- Evans ready for battle with favored Lyoto Machida (5-13-2009)
- UFC 98 fight page
- Boxing/UFC/MMA coverage
Rashad Evans woke up three days after Christmas this past year with a funny feeling in his head and an even stranger sensation as he gazed at the shiny new present in his possession.
The UFC light heavyweight belt was finally his, but the 29-year-old Niagara Falls, N.Y., native wasn’t quite sure what to do with it.
“It was really weird, kind of like nothing really had changed,” said the UFC’s 205-pound champ, who took out UFC poster boy Forrest Griffin to win the title at the promotion’s year-end show.
“Don’t get me wrong, it made for one hell of a New Year’s celebration. But the initial feeling of winning it was quite surreal.”
Well, tonight Evans should feel right at home. He regains his role as underdog when he takes on fellow unbeaten Lyoto Machida in the historic main event of UFC 98 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
While Evans (18-0-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) is coming off two huge wins, the third-round TKO over Griffin and a stunning knockout of UFC legend Chuck Liddell, Las Vegas bettors have made “Sugar” an overwhelming underdog as the MGM sports book had him pegged as a minus-210 dog all week in the first UFC title tilt to feature a pair of unbeaten fighters.
Evans doesn’t seem too worried about the lopsided odds though. He said the role is one he not only relishes, but rather a stance that has shaped him into the fighter he is today.
“It’s what I was born into,” said a smiling Evans, who said his confidence in defending his title made it pretty easy for him to lay a little cash of his own against those big odds.
“I don’t really care too much what other people say as far as whether I’m gonna win or not. If I did, then I wouldn’t be here today.”
The same could be said for his opponent, Machida, whose own path to this point has been, at the very least, unconventional.
The “Dragon” (14-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) is renowned as the UFC’s most unusual fighters because of his elusive hybrid style of defense and deadly striking ability all built on around a karate-base.
The Japanese-Brazilian fighter whose father, Yoshizo Machida, left everything he knew in Japan to explore his own personal fighting forms in Brazil, has never lost a round in the UFC and is the organization’s least hit fighter.
“My philosophy is the same as a Samurai,” Machida said simply on the UFC’s preview show. “To hit without getting hit.”
Machida has shown that form in taking down some of the biggest names in mixed martial arts as he owns victories over UFC champions Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn and Tito Ortiz.
In his last fight, a similar match-up of unbeatens, Machida made it a point to excite the masses inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena as he knocked out Thiago Silva with one second remaining in the first round.
"It's part of my job to entertain the fans," said Machida, who along with his interpreter and manager Ed Soares (who also works with Machida’s good friend and middleweight champ Anderson Silva) shrugged off the label of being a boring fighter.
"In the end, it's a sport, but it's also entertainment. I'm being paid to entertain my fans, but all of the criticism goes on (helps) my training because I can hear what the people are saying and adapt my training."
UFC president Dana White said that while Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (who was originally scheduled to fight Evans) belongs in the argument of top 205-pounders, he’s been buzzing with anticipation for the style match-up between Machida and Evans.
“With 32 wins and no losses between them, this may end up being one of the most memorable UFC title fights of all time,” White said.
“Neither guy has learned how to lose yet, and I’m interested to see if Rashad is the first fighter to figure out Machida’s style, as well as if Machida can withstand the striking power and wrestling of Rashad. The winner of this one is truly the best 205-pound champion on the planet.”
The pair share three common foes in Stephan Bonnar, Sam Hoger and Tito Ortiz, with Machida holding an advantage in terms of outcome.
Evans earned a draw against Ortiz, while Machida scored an easy unanimous decision. Both beat Bonner, but Evans’ bout went to a majority decision, while Machida stopped “The American Psycho” with a cut in the first round. Evans earned a split decision over Hoger, while Machida's was unanimous.
Evans, who utilized his wrestling prowess to earn his way to victory on the second season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” said he’s been warned by several fighters not to play Machida’s game. However the champ says he sees some holes he can attack.
After all, Evans admitted the first truth he learned after waking up with the belt, is you have to hold onto the gold.
“I know to truly be a champ you have to defend your title,” Evans said.
“Getting to this point is special, staying here is what proves you are the true champion.”
Andy Samuelson can be reached at [email protected] or 702-948-7837.
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