UFC 167: 4 Questions We Have About Rashad Evans
Before Georges St-Pierre and Johny Hendricks celebrate the UFC's 20th year by punching each other in the face, superstars Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen will do the same in Saturday's co-main event.
It's a battle between perennial contenders who might very well be eyeing the downside of their careers, and when those matchups come along, there are plenty of questions that come along with them.
These are some that we have about Evans before UFC 167.
Is His Heart Still in the Game?
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It seems like this has been the biggest question regarding Evans over the past year, since he lost to Jon Jones in a title fight that showed how far from that level he is at this stage.
He's said all the right things about still contending and wanting a second crack at Jones, but his heart hasn't been in his words, and it's been even less evident in his performances.
He's 1-1 since that fight and was almost finished by Dan Henderson in the win, which he eventually got by with a split decision. There's reason to question if this is what he still wants to do for a living.
Can He Fight a Friend?
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While Jones was no longer a "friend" when they fought, the drama leading up to them meeting was worthy of a clique of high school mean girls, and it's got to have people wondering what Evans' makeup is.
If he struggled so much to perform against a man he was once close friends with, how is he ever going to fight a guy who he admits is one of his better friends in the sport while they're friends?
While Sonnen seems able to frame it as competition and remain serious about the endeavor, Evans seems more wrapped up in the idea that he's fighting a guy he truly likes. Both men come from wrestling, where fighting friends is more common than breakfast is during competition season, but his demeanor and history suggest this could be a problem for Rashad.
Can He Handle Sonnen's Pace?
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Chael Sonnen is relentless.
From the opening horn to the final seconds of the fight, he is a tireless aggressor. He may not always be the most thrilling, and he may not always win, but he will not stop for however long he's in the cage with you.
Is Rashad Evans ready for that?
Sure he's been in there with all of the best 205ers the sport has seen in the past five years or so, but no opponent has ever been so prone to going forward in fifth gear for an entire fight. That's cause for concern for anyone, and Evans is no different.
He's well-conditioned and skilled in all facets of the game, but fighting Sonnen is a different beast entirely. If he breaks because Sonnen is pressing, even for a second, he won't get a chance to recover.
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Win or Lose, What Does This Fight Do for Him?
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It's hard to say what fighting Sonnen does for Evans, regardless of the outcome.
If he wins, he beats a guy ranked below him who many see as a natural middleweight and who was almost back in that weight class before this fight came up.
If he loses, he loses to a guy who is enjoying a career resurgence but is doing so as a 40-fight veteran with almost as many years punched on this planet. That's not flattering, especially after three forgettable performances in a row coming in.
It's kind of a lose-lose proposition for Evans, as winning is what he's supposed to do and losing would be a disaster. Nothing he does will be looked on favorably, and the best he'll be is a guy treading water at 205 while looking for another opponent doing the same.
The fight should be a fun one, but it's not going to alter his career path for the better.
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