Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis: Suga Must Improve to Take UFC Title from Jon Jones

There wasn't anything particularly pretty or memorable about Rashad Evans' win by unanimous decision over Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2.

Evans' takedowns were effective, if not particularly flashy. His strikes occasionally did damage to "Mr. Wonderful," but they mostly kept the up-and-comer at bay. He closed the gap on Davis time and again, though he didn't exactly use his strength and experience to dominant effect once he had Davis where he wanted him.

It was a workmanlike effort for Evans, just enough to go largely unchallenged and stay in control without ever really, truly putting Davis away. At times, Evans appeared to be going through the motions, as if looking ahead to his next challenge.

But "just enough" won't cut it if "Suga" Rashad is going to reclaim the UFC light heavyweight title that he failed to defend even once after it came into his possession in December of 2008.

Not against any elite contender and certainly not against Jon Jones.

If anything, Jones, who was on hand at the United Center in Chicago on Saturday night as a commentator for FOX, must've taken comfort in what he saw from Evans. He must've noticed just how unimpressive Evans' performance was against a bigger, longer, but far less skilled opponent in Davis and then inserted himself into the situation, smiling when he quickly realized that his five-inch advantage in height, his nearly 10-inch edge in reach and his superior skill on his feet and on the ground would render a fight against his former teammate ugly for only one of them.

For Evans, of course.

Then again, if Evans is going to have so much as a prayer of beating his old training partner, if he's going to steal the belt from a seemingly untouchable champion like "Bones," he'll need to keep the fight ugly. He'll need to put in a workmanlike effort, doing all he can to neutralize Jones' superior size and length.

Jones' only perceived weakness—his ability to handle adversity in the Octagon—is more of an unknown than anything, as no opponent has yet been able to do significant damage to the native New Yorker. Evans knows Jones' game well enough to be the first.

The question is, will he bring the sort of effort and ferocity necessary to penetrate Jones' as-yet-unscathed force field? Or will he resort to slogging it out again as he did with the hulking, unskilled Davis?

The answer to that question may well determine who holds the belt come late April.

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