• UFC 145

Rashad mocks Jon 'Stevie Wonder' Jones at presser

Jon Jones and Rashad Evans enjoyed a verbal sparring at the UFC 145 press conference on Thursday © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Henderson not interested in Machida fight
  
• News: Jones wants Evans, Hendo and then heavyweight
  
• Profile: Jon Jones

The joke was on Jon Jones at the UFC 145 press conference on Thursday after Rashad Evans sent the media into an eruption of laughter by comparing his rival to Stevie Wonder.

Jones was in poetic mood as he sat alongside his light-heavyweight belt, explaining that he did not expect coach Greg Jackson to be in his corner on fight night. Jackson used to coach both men before a bitter split saw Evans depart, and even though he recently said he might corner the champion, Jones said otherwise.

"I don't expect Greg to be in my corner," Bones revealed. "Greg has always talked to me about being an artist and being a great artist, and to be that you need a great coach, somebody to give you new paint. That's what he'll do, he'll give me lots of new tactics, lots of new ideas, and then I'll have the canvas on April 21 to paint a new masterpiece."

However, the temperature truly rose when Jones explained his recent confidence as a pundit on Evans' win over Phil Davis. Jones claimed he saw nothing to impress him at the UFC on Fox 2 card, stating his belief that Evans was in decline.

"I expected a lot. After his first fight with the new camp there was talk of Rashad 2.0, and his body looked better and he showed some new moves. But in his last fight I didn't see any progression whatsoever.

"It inspired me. It made me happy. I thought, 'Wow, if that athlete shows up it's going to be an interesting night.' It's like seeing your competitor reporter not doing his job great, it's good for you."

Evans' response was to mimic Jones' swinging action in his chair.

"I studied psychology, and if you see the way Jon swivelled in his chair (motions), he couldn't keep still. It was like he was Stevie Wonder for a minute," Evans quipped, prompting laughter from all in attendance. "He knows it's going to be the hardest fight of his career. He knows."

Speaking more seriously, Evans was keen to point out that the last time he fought in Atlanta Chuck Liddell was an equally heavy favourite. That night he knocked out Liddell, and Evans claimed Jones was next.

"There's been so many people who are 'the one'. But that's the thing, there is no 'one'," Evans explained. "Anybody can lose on any given day and he's going to find that out."

Follow Ben Blackmore on Twitter

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.