UFC 145 Results: Rashad Evans Needs to Drop to Middleweight

If you had an overall MMA record of 17-2-1, a UFC record of 12-2-1, were universally regarded as top-five in your division, had once held the title and just gave the dominant young champion the best fight he's ever had and someone suggested that you should drop down a weight category, you'd probably tell them in not so flattering terms where they could go.

And no one would be able to fault you because that's a crazy, nonsensical suggestion. 

But Rashad Evans should drop to middleweight.

He did give Jon Jones the best fight he's ever had, but he was still dominated. It was clear that we were just witnessing two separate levels in the Octagon last night. There's Jon Jones and then there's everybody else.

Some champions are so dominant that if an opponent can just give them a decent fight it's seen as somewhat of a victory. Until now there was Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva. We can now add Jon Jones to that distinguished list.

If Evans ever has aspirations of holding a title again, he needs to find a new home. He's one of the smallest light heavyweights out there. With a few minor tweaks in diet and training, he could easily make 185 pounds.

Surely you must be thinking, "But why go there? Anderson Silva rules 185 with a despotic fist."

Yes, he does, but Anderson Silva is 37 years old. Jon Jones is 24 years old. Silva is in his golden years. Jones is just getting started.

Rashad is 32 and still in his athletic prime. He has some good fighting years left in him, but it was clear last night that Jones is just better—plain and simple.

In a sport where big guys wear little gloves and punch each other in the face, anything can happen, but counting on the one-punch knockout to win a title is not a wise strategy for success. 

At 185, Rashad would be an immediate force. He would not only help himself, but he would add new life to a division that has been under totalitarian control since 2006.

Rashad may even be the guy to defeat Silva. That's a tall order, but with his mix of quick striking and excellent wrestling, it would be a fresh look to offer Silva. And even if he lost, SIlva will not be around forever. 

No one wants to get run out of their weight division. And if Rashad is content fighting for No. 2, then that's his prerogative.

There are still many interesting fights remaining for him at 205. He could rematch Lyoto Machida. He's never faced Shogun Rua, Ryan Bader or Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. And he could always welcome the red-hot Alexander Gustafsson to the upper level.

But he could be a champion at middleweight.