Jones: Rashad Evans is an all-time great

Rashad is really, really good. Bones knows. Id pick Rashad against pretty much anyone at lhw and mw. Current champs excluded.
 
MadTitan said:
I think Rashad will always be underrated for 3 reasons.

1) As someone else mentioned, his biggest "name" wins were against past their prime ATGs. Not his fault by any means, but some people will hold this against him.

2) He won his belt by defeating the criminally underrated Forrest Griffin. Forrest made the mistake of beating Pride legends Rampage and Shogun, and also getting eaten by Anderson Silva. So Rampage fans, Shogun fans, and Anderson haters have all discredited the man Rashad took the belt from.

3) Title reigns are crucial to most fans in ranking greatness, and Rashad never defended his. He didn't look great in beating Forrest to gain it, and then he immediately lost it to Machida in devastating fashion. So he's never had the kind of run where he looked unbeatable. Most ATGs have had something like that.

*** On the bright side, Rashad has some good years left in him. He doesn't fight often, so he hasn't worn his body down. Jones is moving up soon, which is good news for him. The only problem I foresee for Evans is that his wrestling and striking both largely revolve around him being quick and explosive. As he exits his athletic prime, he'll need to change the way he fights and refine his technique.
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As you get older you lose explosiveness a lot slower than you lose speed and endurance.
 
@ lhw i'd say bottom half of the top 10.. i don't consider him on the level of wanderlei/shogun/couture/hendo/chuck.
 
100% agree. Was a big thing for him. In my opinion his biggest win.
 
1. Hendo
2. Jones
3. Shogun
4. Page
5. Liddell
6. Rashad
7. Machida
8. Wandy
9. Handy
10 Ortiz
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How...howwwww can you piut Hendo above Chuck or Wandy? Look at their title reigns and performance as champions. I just don't understand. I love Hendo, fucking love him, but his place at LHW is certainly not number 1.
 
When u look at his record its hard to argue.
 
ufcbrass said:
you guys are nuts. i am a hater but top 10 all time?

just a few i would easily rank over him in no particular order

lidell
ortiz
couture
jones
shogun
wandy
f. shamrock
henderson
rampage
machida

and those are just off the top of my head
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He has beaten 3 of them.
 
bandicoot said:
The only reason Rashad was able to survive five rounds with Jon was because Jones did NOT give him everything he had in that fight, and imo, played it nice and safe because 1. Rashad was a former teammate and 2. He had tons of respect for the guy.

Anyone who doesn't think Jones held back in that fight is blind, imo.
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Funny how Jones playing it safe got him kicked in the head and made him lose a round for the first time since Bonnar. I wonder how you explain that away to take credit from Rashad? I guess you will just say the judges are stupid.

Rashad always had great cardio (except maybe in the Bisping fight) and recovery. Fighters rock him but he comes back and takes them down. This is the main reason the finish didnt happen. Another reason is that he was lucky enough to never get cut during the long fight. The cut Rampage got directly affected the finish. He turned to protect the cut and Jones skillfully exploited that.

Other fighters like Shogun, Rampage and Vitor survived for a long time vs Jones. So it wasnt a huge deal that someone went all 5 rounds imo. Bonnar survived 3 rounds but that was ages ago so it probably doesnt mean much.
 
Fatal Rose said:
1. Hendo
2. Jones
3. Shogun
4. Page
5. Liddell
6. Rashad
7. Machida
8. Wandy
9. Handy
10 Ortiz
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A guy that has never defended the belt and only beat one guy on that list legitimately is number one, sure. Hendo is 2-2 vs guys on that list, one being a very controversial decision. Jones is 4-0 and would beat any of them. Chuck, Shogun and Rampage are certainly higher too. Machida probably too.
 
ufcbrass said:
you guys are nuts. i am a hater but top 10 all time?

just a few i would easily rank over him in no particular order

lidell
ortiz
couture
jones
shogun
wandy
f. shamrock
henderson
rampage
machida

and those are just off the top of my head
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You do know that rashad beat 3 of those guys right?
 
Jones strikes me as a genuinely classy dude.
That said. Rashad is easily #2 at LHW, he beats everyone at 205 not named Jon Jones at this point.
 
Jon should speak like this more often, maybe he'll grow into his own skin yet.
 
I have to agree. There aren't many people is favor over shad.
 
I'd agree if Shad added another tenure as champ to his resume.

Not dogging the guy, just feel there are people ahead of him when it comes to "all-time greatness".

Fortunately Shad has plenty of game left.
 
Psychojoe86 said:
Shogun didnt defend his belt either. And rashad has a legit mma record.
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Shogun had won the PRIDE GP and held dominant victories over quality opponents prior to defeating Machida.

Can't say the same for Rashad. Nearly getting ko'd by Rampage, clowned by Silva in the third round, and then being made a Sherdog shoop icon by Machida? I don't think so.
 
MiroHa said:
I'd put put Wand, Shogun, Rampage, Chuck, Randy, Tito, Frank, Machida, Hendo and Jones in front of him so not in top 10. Forrest and Rashad are contenders, though.
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I agree, I'd put Rashad ahead of Forrest. But both are top 10-15 LHW's of all time imo.
 
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