• UFC 161

Rashad fears UFC cut if he loses to Henderson

Rashad Evans is set to meet Dan Henderson © Getty Images

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Rashad Evans admits he will walk into his UFC 161 fight with Dan Henderson fearing the axe if he loses their light-heavyweight battle.

Evans is in the midst of the worse form of his career, losing a title bout to Jon Jones before coming out on the wrong side of a snoozefest with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in his most recent outing.

Defeat to Henderson on June 15 would see the former champion suffer a hat-trick of losses, and in the current climate that could mean he gets cut. President Dana White recently expressed his belief that money has lessened Evans' desire, but it appears the 33-year-old will have plenty of drive come UFC 161.

"This is the type of fight that keeps you up at night, because you want to do well," Evans told MMA Mania.

"My back is against the wall, and this is when I perform at my best.

"In the fight business, you're only as good as your next fight. If you lose two or three then you're done. My manager Bill Robinson always says, 'You're either one fight away from getting a title shot and becoming champion or you're two losses away from being cut from UFC.'"

Evans also explained that difficulties in his private life had harmed his performance against Nogueira: "Having a failed marriage and not being able to see your kids on a daily basis, that's what hurts me every single day," he said.

"I feel like I failed in my marriage and I failed my kids by not being in their lives on a daily basis.

"It's because they live in Chicago and in order for me to train I live in South Florida for the most part. I have a place in Chicago, but I'm rarely ever there because I'm always trying to train. It bothers me and I can't say that it doesn't."

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