Rashad Evans was very excited for his return to the ring for a boxing match towards longtime rival Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, however within the days main as much as the struggle, the UFC Corridor of Famer realized that the guarantees made to the fighters weren’t being saved by the promoters.
That led to the eleventh hour resolution for Evans and Jackson to drop off the cardboard somewhat than face a possible fiasco by truly preventing after which watching contractual obligations not get fulfilled afterwards.
“Negotiations type of simply fell aside so far as issues that me and Rampage have been promised going into the struggle. It didn’t get fulfilled,” Evans advised MMA Preventing on Monday. “We tried to work round it in order that it might occur however it simply wasn’t sufficient time to make all people joyful. The [parties] simply type of determined that it will be higher if we simply didn’t do it. It was disappointing.
“For one, that is one thing that we constructed up for some time and it’s one thing that we actually bought in form to do. We weren’t going to go in there and screw round. That is one thing we each bought centered for and it was focusing factor for he and I each. He’s in nice form proper now. I bought in nice form as nicely. It’s one thing we have been actually wanting ahead to doing.”
Whereas Evans didn’t talk about the precise particulars within the contract, he revealed that cash completely performed a component within the resolution to tug the plug on the struggle.
The previous UFC gentle heavyweight champion acknowledged that listening to horror tales from throughout the trade the place fighters have been assured sure payouts solely to get stiffed after an occasion already occurred lingered in his thoughts when it got here time to tug out of the struggle.
“It’s positively a monetary element,” Evans stated. “That’s the place issues simply type of went off the rails just a little bit. We weren’t capable of be made entire and appeased earlier than it was time to actually to take the subsequent step and actually know that the whole lot’s going to be taken care of when the struggle is completed. The very last thing we wished to do was put ourselves in a state of affairs the place we weren’t going to get the cash that we have been promised after the struggle is completed.
“There’s been some tales about different fighters that participated in boxing matches and never receiving anyplace near the cash they negotiated. So we put it in a couple of security measures so as to be sure we’re hitting sure milestones, and we’re capable of make that mark when it’s time. We simply weren’t capable of come to that settlement.”
One explicit incident involves thoughts involving fellow UFC veterans Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz after they confronted off in a boxing match again in July 2024 with Diaz then filing a lawsuit against Fanmio — the corporate that promoted the bout on pay-per-view — for $9 million he claimed he was nonetheless owed from the occasion.
Masvidal later told MMA Fighting that he had to “plead the fifth” concerning his personal points concerning potential cost issues from that occasion, however he promised “the whole lot might be identified” finally.
That state of affairs caught Evans’ consideration when he began to have doubts about whether or not or not he and Rampage have been going to finish up in the same ordeal with their boxing match.
“It was one thing that we wished to make it possible for studying from that state of affairs [with Diaz and Masvidal] and ensuring that we have been taken care and ensuring that the whole lot was all met and accounted for earlier than we even stepped into the ring to struggle,” Evans stated. “It simply wasn’t capable of get achieved in time.
“They’re nonetheless placing this card collectively, issues are nonetheless occurring so I don’t know if there’s an answer to it and so they include one thing within the final minute ditch effort, we’d have the ability to make one thing occur, however as of proper now, it’s simply not one thing that we are able to undergo with.”
Regardless of their rivalry within the UFC with plans to reignite the feud for the boxing ring, Evans stated he positively consulted with Rampage earlier than the struggle was cancelled.
“We had dialogue and we talked about it,” Evans stated. “We simply made certain that we have been each OK with stepping away from this promotion and probably serving it up for one more time. Prefer it or not, he’s my adversary in relation to struggle night time, however there’s additionally this symbiotic relationship that occurs alongside the best way when you’ve an opponent like Rampage. Him and I’ve a really particular factor collectively being that now we have actually good chemistry collectively and actually good struggle chemistry collectively. That’s one thing that you simply actually need to stick to as a result of it makes preventing that a lot funner.”
It’s an understandably upsetting final result for a pair of veteran fighters who haven’t competed not too long ago however put different tasks on maintain to prepare for a boxing match.
Whereas Evans nonetheless trains frequently, he’s not placing his physique via the type of exercises required for a coaching camp to prepare for a struggle. So with the Rampage bout cancelled, Evans admits that he’s going to must shift gears to return to his frequently scheduled actions, however he’s not completely giving up hope that the struggle might be rescheduled.
In reality, Evans says he’s open to the thought of working with a distinct promoter who may even need to characteristic the struggle on one other marquee card like these held by Misfits Boxing or perhaps a present headlined by a star reminiscent of Jake Paul.
“I’m going to regroup however I positively do have a need to do the boxing match with Rampage,” Evans stated. “It was a whole lot of enjoyable devoting myself and actually simply getting again into the preventing mindset. Since I stepped away from preventing, I’ve been busy doing different issues, creating myself exterior of the struggle sport, which is all essential. However on the similar time, there’s a sure itch that also must be scratched, and I nonetheless bought it. I nonetheless have that feeling inside me. Earlier than I completely relent to being an elder statesman, I at the very least need to really feel it another time or at the very least a pair occasions.”
“If the chance does current itself, and we do discover ourselves one other promotion that may make it occur, then I’m all for it. It’s nearly ensuring that each of us are taken care of and it’s one thing that is smart to each of us as nicely … . We all know that there’s a whole lot of promotions that basically match into this house and actually match into what we do. It’s actually factor that influencer market has opened up the best way that it has and it’s actually acquired by the followers and it’s one thing that’s enjoyable.”
Evans isn’t giving up hope on the boxing match towards Rampage till all assets are exhausted, however he’s additionally not going to spend an exorbitant period of time stressing about points exterior of his management.
He’s efficiently transitioned to a life away from preventing, which incorporates companies he’s opened in addition to doing analyst work round fight sports activities, so Evans has lots to maintain him occupied even when he nonetheless actually desires to punch Rampage another time.
“Life goes on if this doesn’t occur for the brief time period,” Evans stated. “I’ll put my coaching on the backburner so far as doing it two or 3 times every week and actually begin to put my concentrate on my different companies and actually begin to do different issues exterior of the struggle sport.”
