• UFC 140

Jon Jones would never get up against me - Rashad

ESPN staff
December 8, 2011
Rashad Evans talks to ESPN

Rashad Evans insists Jon Jones will not always be held in the same awe that surrounds him ahead of UFC 140, and Evans is convinced he will outwrestle the UFC light-heavyweight champion when they finally meet.

Jones takes on Lyoto Machida this weekend in the second defence of his 205lb crown. Machida is a heavy underdog, and that is becoming a trend for any of Jones' rivals in the UFC.

Evans was originally supposed to be fighting Jones on Saturday but he had to pull out due to a thumb problem. Jones has since claimed that he knows for a fact that Evans "has no chin".

Rashad was rather more respectful of the champion when he spoke to ESPN, complimenting several parts of Jones' game, but he did vow to teach him a lesson in the grappling department.

"I know my wrestling's better than Jon's," Evans said. "I know if I get Jon to the ground, he's not coming back up. And if he does get up once, he won't be able to get up twice.

"I'd take him down and ground-and-pound him out."

Evans insists Jones' current air of invincibility is largely due to the fact he has not been hit. All the spinning elbows, 360-degree kicks and suplexes will soon disappear, according to Evans, once Jones has felt fear.

"Jon has phenomenal stand-up, he's very tricky, very crafty, that's one of his biggest advantages," Evans explained.

"He has no fear yet. He just goes and tries anything, and that's what makes him so tricky - he pulls anything out that typically you wouldn't put together. He marries these different concepts together and it works for him."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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