UFC 140: 5 Reasons Rashad Evans Has to Fight Jon Jones Next, Win or Lose

When it was announced that Jon Jones wouldn't be facing Rashad Evans at UFC 140, fans were naturally disappointed.

The fight has been culminating ever since Jones took a title shot that was originally Evans' and won the belt.  Since the two were in the same training camp, it was assumed they would never fight each other, but as soon as UFC gold appeared, that went down the drain.

Even if Machida somehow beats Jones, which is a completely real possibility, the fight would still be a blockbuster to watch.

Starting with...

The Pay-Per-View Buy Amount Would Be Incredible

The easiest slide to start with.

It may not do as well as Jackson-Evans, which had over a million pay-per-view buys.  

But that had The Ultimate Fighter to help build up momentum.

This does have a great story, though, and as long as the media builds the fight up, then there is going to be a huge turnout for the event and a massive buy rate.

It's a story that almost tells itself.

Two friends in the same training camp and weight class promise to never fight each other.  Then the older one gets injured right before a title fight and the younger one is offered it instead.  The two friends break apart and swear to defeat each other when they step in the cage.

Its almost Shakespearean. 

The media will get behind that kind of story and that means publicity.  The UFC has shown in the past that they love making money, and unless that has changed recently, then the fight will be next for both men.

Its One of the Best Fights That Can Be Made at Light Heavyweight

Even if Jones loses his title on December 10, this is still a great matchup.  The only differences are that it won't be five rounds and that one of the questions isn't going to be if Rashad Evans is going to be the first to really defeat Jon Jones.

Part of the reason this fight is bigger than life is that Jones is so dominant, but Evans was a training partner and claims to have constantly gotten the better of him in training camp.  Because Jones seems so dominant in the cage, it almost seems hard to believe.

If Jones loses his title at UFC 140, there could be a new question, though.

Can Jones bounce back, or is Evans the second man to have his number?

Either question is interesting and will have the fans tuning in to watch.

Two Greg Jackson Fighters Will Square Off in the Cage

Rashad Evans is no longer a part of the Jackson camp, but he was for a long time.

Though Jackson has sworn that he won't be in the cage in either fighter's corner, he still trained both men and helped them to become dominant fighters.

The Jackson camp is known for turning out world champions and perennial contenders.  Seeing two of them square off is a rarity that most fans don't get to see.

Usually such fights are only allowed in training sessions as camps don't want their fighters to compete with each other.

This is one of the few occasions that fans get to see such a taboo broken.

It Will Help Determine Who Is One of the Best Fighters Today

Rashad is closing in on having a Hall of Fame resume.  All he needs is four or five more wins at the top level and he'll get there.

Jones is starting to string wins together. Though he is far from being mentioned as a Hall of Famer, a win against Evans would add another notch to getting there one day.

Even if Jones would be coming off a loss, the fight would still have two of the best light heavyweights in the world squaring off.

It would not only be a fight over bragging rights, but also a way to bolster the career of the winner.

It Would Finally Put an End to the Personal Grudge

Jones has already stated he feels that Evans is ruining his time in the spotlight.  It doesn't help that every time he seems to win a fight, there Evans is, complaining about Jones.

Evans is probably also tired of having to deal with a rivalry that isn't going to end, even at UFC 140.

Even if Jones has a quick turn-around time, that still means that it is probably six to eight months before fans get to see this fight.  That means that Evans and Jones have to deal with each other for another half year and that is only if they fight each other.

The war of words hasn't done anything but enrage both men and at this point, it doesn't seem like that is going to change.

The only way to end it is for the two to step in the cage.

And after UFC 140, hopefully they will.