RASHAD'S WORDS ON JONES & JACKSON

"I did my best to help [Jones in training] and I really felt that our friendship was on another level...but that wasn't the case. When the first opportunity came and he said that he would fight me if Dana said so, that to me stung more than anything. He said that he didn't want to lose his job and look man, the UFC isn't going to fire anyone because they are turning down fights. If anything it would mess up future opportunities for them and they weren't going to come to him and say, 'if you don't fight Rashad you are kicked out of the UFC.' That wasn't going to happen. I was always considerate and respectful to our system [at Greg Jackson's] because if I had the belt then I would want you to do the same for me. Then he comes across on national TV and says that he will fight Rashad if Dana White tells me to and I felt so f**cking utterly disrespected. I mean it's one thing to say something in an interview but the least you could have picked up the phone and been like, 'man I did an interview today and they kind of put me on the spot with a rough question and I answered it this way.' At least give me the heads up so that way I know and not look at it if he's Judas or something. You know who Judas is? That interview was some backstabbing s**t but now it's like whatever because now I know the game he is playing. Then for Greg to sit back and say he doesn't want to have anything to do with it....why not? You f**kn created the situation. Be his coach and be in his corner. That's what you want so do it. I don't care if coaches against me. It doesn't even matter ... Sure Greg Jackson is a great coach and he has been one of my great friends but let me tell you something...there is no end all be all in this game of mixed martial arts. It's a big of mixed nuts. People are touting Jon around like he's Neo from the Matrix. That's all good and dandy but be there for the kid when the kid falls. Be there to pick him back up rather than turn their back on him like they did to Machida. Lyoto loses and all of a sudden he sucks. No he doesn't f**kn suck it's just the way the game goes. Nobody is supreme in this game and that is what makes mixed martial arts what it is today. Nobody is the absolute best. Anybody can get beat by anybody on any given day."

This was a quote from Rashad Evans himself following the win of Jon Jones over the now former UFC Lightheavy weight champ, Muricio 'Shogun' Rua. After the fight, the UFC had Evans step into the cage and square off with Jones for publicity. After a short and sweet summary from Evans of Jones' performance, the once former and current champ looked at each other with a seemingly loving disgust.

Evans is now threatening to create his own camp and leave Jackson behind forever. In his last bout he stated that he only used Jackson a mere four times, and spent most of his training camp up in Colorado. He shows no sign of love for the Jackson camp out of Albuquerque, New Mexico and refuses to use them again.

Rashad become irate when Jones was brought in against his will into the training camp. After a short time Evans and Jones claimed to be good friends and they would never fight one another. "Well, I guess you should never say never," were the words coming out Evans mouth when he was in the cage with the newly crowned champ.

The truth of the reality is, business is business and that's what the fight game is. It just the same as any other sport. The biggest problem I have is that fighter's will refuse to fight one another because they become so close over training camps and living around one another for so long. The irony in that is their unwillingness to fight anyone near themselves. The fact of the matter is that if you look at any other competitive sport, Basketball, Baseball, Tennis, Lacrosse, Soccer, Hockey, and then look at the players. Many have friends on other teams and face them on the court, ice, etc with no qualms.

The biggest heel inside the matchmaking of the UFC right now is the 'loyalty' that fighters share with one another. This is a great thing to see on one hand because it shows comradery among the fighters and proves these guys have hearts and emotions just like all of us, an excellent display for the public. But, on the other hand, it keeps the fans from seeing great fights and also it becomes a problem in establishing the best fighters in their respected weight divisions.

Whatever the circus that Jackson plans to create over the next few months leading up to the fight will no doubt be hurtful and full of more and more remorse as the fight nears but one thing is for sure, Evans will have his hands full after Jones' performance this past weekend against the once great Pride FC champion.