RASHAD EVANS’ FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF
“That does sound a little bit cold-blooded. … Jon’s a young guy and when you’re a young guy sometimes you talk a little too fast for your brain to keep up.” – Rashad Evans, on Jon Jones’ declaration that he would fight Evans should the UFC request it. The first step is denial. (Pro MMA Radio)
“Those sound like fighting words. … I can’t control what anyone else says and it sounds to me like he’s a little bit insecure about the whole thing.” – Evans. The second step is anger.
“I’m more open to fighting (Jon Jones) since everything went down. It may become more of a reality where I’m not using Greg at all.” – Evans, who opposed the idea of bringing Jones to Greg Jackson’s gym. The third step is bargaining.
“I’m done with Jackson’s. I’m done.” – Evans, following Jones’ victory over Mauricio Rua at UFC 128. The fourth step is depression. (MMA Fighting)
“I thought about, it was going to happen even before it happened. This whole situation is awkward, but it is what it is.” – Evans. The last step is acceptance.
WHO’S GOING TO GET CUSTODY OF JARDINE?
“I couldn’t even be in the cage [for the Jones-Evans faceoff], I’m not going to corner anybody for that fight.” – Greg Jackson. Does this remind anyone else of spilled milk? (MMA Fighting)
“That’s like spilling a glass of milk and then walking away and saying that you don’t want to have anything to do with it. You f***ing spilled the milk, so you’re at least going to help clean it up right?” – Evans, going straight gangsta with the milk metaphor, son. (Bloody Elbow)
“Then for Greg to sit back and say he doesn’t want to have anything to do with it. Why not? You f***ing created the situation. Be his coach and be in his corner. … He’s already in different ways told me that this kid is going to be the one that takes Greg Jackson’s legacy to the next level. He’s already sent that message to me so if you are going to send that message then stand behind it.” – Evans
“I’m hoping it’s just emotion talking and that won’t be the case, cause we love him to death and I love him to death.” – Jackson
“Then Greg said if that situation ever did arise … [that he] would have to turn down the fight with me so that way I wouldn’t be put in a position where I looked like a punk. … When the first opportunity came and he said that he would fight me if Dana said so, that to me stung more than anything.” – Evans
“That interview was some backstabbing s*** but now it’s like whatever because now I know the game he is playing.” – Evans
“The UFC wants what it wants and the fans want what they want, I’m happy being an unimportant person, so that’s just my opinion. I can’t win that one so I’m not going to play.” – Jackson
“So I decided [to] leave Greg because I felt like he didn’t have my best interest anymore. Greg is not the same coach he use [to be].” – Evans
THE REST OF RASHAD
“I’m happy for the dude, he went out there and fought well. He looked phenomenal, but at the same time, he’s got that strap so now I have to go get it.” – Evans, on Jones’ victory over “Shogun.”
“[T]hey 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.” – Evans, on why Jones’ statement upset him so much.
“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.” – Evans, real talk.
“Sometimes when you open your mouth you show what you’re afraid of more than anything.” – Rashad
HUMAN SACRIFICE! DOGS AND CATS LIVING TOGETHER! MASS HYSTERIA!
“They wanted to get back to their core business, the hockey business and expansion of their other sports businesses.” – Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, on Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment’s decision to sell Strikeforce. Have fun getting bounced out of the playoffs for a seventh straight year, Sharkies! (Yahoo!)
“It’s just a matter of when. We’ll see what happens.” – UFC President Dana White, on the subject of the top guys in Strikeforce fighting their UFC counterparts. (MMA Torch)
“When you think about the history of mixed martial arts and where it’s come from and where it’s gone, I’m really proud of the accomplishments that we have made over the last two years.” – Coker. No joke, the strides they made in the time frame that they did were nothing short of remarkable. For as much criticism as they received over the last couple years — some deserved, some not — Strikeforce went out and grew a small, regional kickboxing promotion into a pseudo-national MMA brand in a short period of time. Hats off to you, Mr. Coker.
FROM THE MOUTH OF BABES
“The oddsmakers are smart in this situation. … To make me the favorite is a smart strategy. They actually think I’m going to lose.” – Jon Jones, on the gambling lines leading into UFC 128. And with that, MMA found its Yogi Berra. (Cagewriter)
‘My parents stuck by their beliefs. They always said that not too much positive goes on at night. They kept us where they could see us. We were never allowed to go out on Saturdays because we had to go to church on Sunday. We had to go bed at 9:00 p.m. even when we were in high school. They stuck to what they believed, and they thought it would make us good in a way, and it ended up panning out, even though it sucked as a child.” – Jones. Yet, he still found a way to breed twice out of wedlock. Very nice! (Cagewriter)
“It’s funny, I’ve been doing some autograph signings and I’ve been signing lately ‘Jon Jones Champion 2011,’ almost as if I’ve spoken it into existence. I just think it’s crazy.” – Jones. It is, indeed, crazy, and I look forward to championing you as “Quotemaster, 2011.” (MMA Mania)
WHITE NOISE
“Yeah, Rashad (Evans) is definitely next in line.” – UFC President Dana White, sowing the seeds of discontent prior to UFC 128. (ESPN’s MMA Live)
“Wanderlei knows I want that fight (and) Vitor is ready to roll. I don’t know (if Wanderlei wants that), but let’s find out. Run and tweet that, homeboy!” – White (MMA Fighting)
“I have all respect for Mirko ‘Cro Cop,’ but yeah, I’d have to say tonight is probably the last time we’ll see ‘Cro Cop’ fight again.” – White. Mirko Filipovic suffered another devastating one-punch knockout at the hands of Brendan Schaub at UFC 128. (MMA Junkie)
PARTING SHOTS
“Now I can say, right? Joe Silva told me to call him as soon as I was ‘free’, to call him to negotiate, but now we’re at the same home again.” – Fabricio Werdum, who’s now free to shed light on borderline contract tampering since Zuffa purchased Strikeforce. (Tatame)
“[H]is game plan was ‘Uh, maybe I’ll switch classes,’ and I said, ‘Oh, so you’re going to fight Shane Carwin? Or are you going to switch and fight Nate Marquardt? Who you’ve grown up in the game with?'” – Team Grudge trainer Trevor Wittman, on Rashad’s initial idea to move up to heavyweight or down to middleweight if Jon Jones defeated “Shogun” Rua for the light heavyweight belt. (Head Kick Legend)
“Anderson has this biotype, he loses weight easily, he can make any weight, so I believe a catchweight division would be perfect for GSP, and Anderson wouldn’t have problems with that.” – Anderson Silva’s trainer Jorge Guimaraes. Your move, Georges. (Tatame)
“I would love to fight that guy, just to punch him in his mouth and shut him up. He’s an ass.” – Nate Marquardt, who thinks the UFC is going to want him to fight Michael Bisping before he makes a move down to 170 pounds. You know, Nate, Anthony Robles was born that way, right?
“As the world turns, people win, people lose; get your ass back on the saddle and ride into town again.” – Brock Lesnar, poet. (MMA Torch)