UFC 145 Fight Card: Will Jon Jones and Rashad Evans Ever Be Friends Again?

Today is Monday, April 16, 2012, and finally it is fight week for UFC 145. At this point, this fight card has been broken down and discussed a million different ways. But, one of the topics that I have not heard addressed is the topic of whether Jon Jones and Rashad Evans can ever repair their friendship.

Rashad Evans had already been training at Jackson-Winklejohn for years when Greg Jackson approached the former UFC light heavyweight champion to get his opinion of Jones joining them in New Mexico. Rashad has voiced that he was apprehensive from the start because both he and current UFC champion Jones fight at 205 pounds.

Evans explained on UFC Primetime that Greg Jackson told him that he would not ever have to fight the younger man.

Up until a little over one year ago, "Bones" Jones and "Suga" Rashad were friends who trained, ate and shared memories together. After an interview last year with Ariel Helwani in which Jon revealed that he would fight Evans if he needed to, their relationship took a drastic downward turn.

Then, shortly after, Jones dismantled Mauricio Rua to win the UFC light heavyweight title and Rashad left the camp for his new home in Florida.

With the two men finally set to square off this Saturday, the tension has only increased. But, even with all of the bad blood and choice words, MMA fans have grown accustomed to fighters having harsh words before a bout and then hugging and squashing their beef after.

So, can Rashad and Jon repair their friendship?

It is said that time heals all wounds and I think that same principle applies here. Plenty of men and women have had issues and have eventually been able to resolve them. This situation will be the same. Even though both of these guys have said many choice words to each other, that alone does not mean these men cannot resolve their personal problems after they finally fight each other.