Rashad Evans

For two years now Rashad “Sugar” Evans has been the underdog whenever he stepped into the Octagon. Even though his MMA record is 15-0 and he fought his way through a group of heavyweight contenders to win the Ultimate Fighter 2, only now are people giving him the respect he deserves. Everyone has been waiting for Evans to lose a fight, but that has yet to happen.

Rashad wrestled at Michigan State University, where he started for three years and went 48-34. His big collegiate claim to fame was to be one of only four wrestlers to win over the legendary Greg Jones. He has since joined the Michigan State wrestling program as an assistant coach. While training under Dan “The Man” Severn as a heavyweight, he won five straight MMA fights, which won him a spot on Ultimate Fighter 2 – a heavyweight competition which he went on to win.

Since winning his three-year contract with UFC, Evans has gone 5-0 against stiff competition. He decided he would have a better chance at the Light Heavyweight division and dropped the weight he put on for Ultimate Fighter 2. Evans seems to be getting better as he moves forward, a direct result of the training he does with Greg Jackson and Diego Sanchez in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His last fight ended in a devastating head kick to his opponent, Sean Salmon, last January. It certainly looks like he will get an extension on the three-year contract he won on the Ultimate Fighter.

His next fight is against Tito Ortiz and it could vault him into the upper echelon of UFC fighters. It should get him a shot at Rampage Jackson’s Light Heavyweight title if he is victorious against the determined Ortiz. As Evans gains experience and weight, he should be a force on the heavyweight scene in the future as well. Expect to see him around for years to come.