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Fri Jan 02, 2009 8:15 am EST

Evans says relax about in-fight antics

By Steve Cofield

Rashad Evans is catching up on Christmas after sacrificing his holidays for a shot at the UFC heavyweight title. It was worth it, he took the strap from Forrest Griffin but it meant that he only got to see his new daughter for about three days during the lead up to UFC 92. He was in good spirits when he entered the TAGG radio "cave" to talk about the fight, his future and his junk grabbing display in the second round after a flurry of Griffin punches:

"It was just a little fun," said Evans, who was hanging in the Chicago area during a phone interview with Gorgeous George, MMAJunkie's John Morgan and Frank Trigg. "He hit me with a good shot and he gave me a little smile. We were just going back and forth. (It's like) when you're in the gym there's some stuff going on. There will be a little trash talking. It ain't nothing personal, just getting into the fight."

Griffin's training partner Mike Whitehead disagreed saying that Evans is classless and bad for the sport.

Click below to listen to the Evans interview (TAGG Radio):

Evans broke down the fight and said he may have gotten too amped up beforehand. He had a surprising thought enter his head seconds before the fight and that mindset may have led to his slow start in the first two rounds.

Evans got into what is next. He may be the first UFC light heavyweight to go on record saying that he'd actually like to fight Lyoto Machida. Machida has an awkward counter-striking style and most 205ers have said that they want no part of him.

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51 Comments

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  1. Stevie G.
    1. Posted by Stevie G. Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:43 pm EDT

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    LOL @ the Tagg Radio "cave". I can't listen to the show for that reason alone. They have great things going for them... they've got great guests consistently, Trigg as a host, but they still manage to sound like they're recording the damn thing in a furnitureless room with a microphone 10 feet away from them. That, and its definitely NSFW with all the cursing they do!
    As for Rashad, I think what he did was a little close to crossing the line... it was a little X-Rated for a sport that many purists see as one of respect and class. I'm not against in-ring antics, but his were a little much this time around.
  2. Wreckinball
    2. Posted by Wreckinball Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

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    Rashad = no class
  3. Jake T
    3. Posted by Jake T Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:44 pm EDT

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    I completely agree with Rashad. People need to relax and Mike Whitehead needs to get over his miserable performance on TUF 2.
  4. E.L.
    4. Posted by E.L. Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:51 pm EDT

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    Let it go boys. Let it go. Rashad won, fair and square. So it eats you that your "favorite" fighter lost. You groupies just gotta take it for what it is: A well planned victory by Evans.
  5. HAHA
    5. Posted by HAHA Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:49 pm EDT

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    here we go AGAIN
  6. Darkness!
    6. Posted by Darkness! Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    HAHA's right-
    do we really have to start all this again? Has Forrest come out and said that he was at all insulted by the infamous crotch grab?- not that I've heard. Evans says it was no big deal, nothing personal- just part of the trash talking that goes on during any competition... get over it. If Griffin earns another shot, and if Evans is still the champ by then, maybe we'll see Evans/Griffin 2. Unitl IF and when that happens- this drama should be over. As far as I saw- the post fight sportsmanship was still just as respectful as any other post fight... why does everyone feel the need to turn anything involving a black person and a white person into a racial issue?
  7. plutothree
    7. Posted by plutothree Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:14 pm EDT

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    The less Whitehead speaks, the better. Whitehead is a good fighter overall, but he was expected to win that TUF 2 season and he couldn't deliver on that. It doesn't matter if Rashad showboated then or showboats now. Rashad has maximized his opportunities and is the champ now. Whitehead has fallen short of expectations and is showing his envy by commenting. If Matt Hughes himself has put Rashad's showboating in the past and doesn't regard it, then Whitehead looks like a fool bringing it up.
  8. The Great White
    8. Posted by The Great White Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:27 pm EDT

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    The only reason this is an issue would be if A) your fighter lost or B) you are a racist. Otherwise, everyone else got to enjoy a good fight between TWO fighters who respected each other before, during and after the fight. Both fighters smiled at each other during the fight and praised each other after. Rashad went further with his "antics", but really who cares? Forest didn't.
    I hope this is the last blog on this subject.
    Happy New Year all!
  9. Farthammer
    9. Posted by Farthammer Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    I can't stand his in-fight behavior. But I have said many times: Rashad comes off as a great guy outside the ring. I have friends who have met him and said he is really cool. But I can still hate on his in-ring antics.
    And the first person to compare kissing your hand and grabbing your junk DURING a fight, to someone like Chuck screaming AFTER a fight, gets awarded "jerkface" status.
    And I don't even like Liddell.
  10. AdamG
    10. Posted by AdamG Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:45 pm EDT

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    I don't think we'll see a champion stay on top for long in this division in 2009. All the top 10 guys are closely matched and any given fighter can win on at any given event. Rashad has looked good in his last two fights and a little junk grabbing never hurt anyone, so let's focus on the fights and not a fighter's natural reaction to pure exhilleration.
  11. Popo
    11. Posted by Popo Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:01 pm EDT

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    why is there no comment of couture dropping to 205 lbs and "the spider" going up to 205 to face each other. silva would be younger and faster. where we can finally see randy as the bigger man. that sounds like a great non-title fight to me.
  12. Darkness!
    12. Posted by Darkness! Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    marc m-
    that sounds like another great KO for Couture to me...
    : p
    Farthammer-
    I guess I'll be the first to volunteer for jerkface status; cuz in my opinion, the post-fight taunt (everyone, not just Liddell- Lesnar's lasso, GSP's break-dance, BJ's disgusting bloody glove licking, Silva's air guitar, and especially Rampage's idiodic barking, etc.) is more disrespectful than an in-fight taunt. At least during the fight, u can chalk it up to adrenaline; once the fight is over, it's just showboating. Personally- I don't have a problem with either- it's a sport- let the competitiors and fans have a little fun, for God's sakes. I guess u also don't like end-zone TD celebrations, or the 25 team member on field group hug after a game winning homer or no-hitter, or the 12 man court rush to a player who hits a buzzer beater? Are all those things disrespectful to ur opponent too? Maybe they should just walk calmly back to the locker room and celebrate there... that'd be alot of fun for the fans who paid to see the athletes whose salaries they pay. I wonder if it'd be such a big deal if Forrest had made that motion to Rashad, then tko'd him; or maybe it's just a big deal cuz a black guy beat a white guy? Seriously- let this go, guys...
  13. Nutcracker
    13. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:22 pm EDT

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    Hey boys.. I know you missed me. I bet a lot of you guys on here would have no problem if it was Chuck Liddell doing what Rashad did. If he did that stuff and lost he looks like an idiot, but if he does it and wins, well, sit back and STFU..
    As for the guy saying it was a little Xrated.. LOL... Dude, so guys mounting a guy on the ground and elbowing him till his forehead basically explodes is less 'graphic' or X rated? I know it isn't racy in terms of sexual innuendo, but I would argue it is way more graphic than simply a guy grabbing his junk for a split second. What would trouble you more for your 8 year old son to see?? A guy that momentarily grabbed his nads or a guy getting repeatedly elbowed into submission and his forehead looking like roast beef..???
  14. HAHA
    14. Posted by HAHA Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    good points Nut and Darkness
    i wanted to ask the same but didnt care enough for the reply
    i guess everyone is supposed to be robots wit NO EMOTION
    i hate that man, that is old people and stupid supervisor mentality
    u can have fun without a GUMP having a problem with
    "back in my day they would hand the ball right back to the ref after a TD"
    like kanye said
    "well this is MY day"
  15. Stevie G.
    15. Posted by Stevie G. Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:43 pm EDT

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    I said "X-Rated", yes. Fighting is more graphic, yes. But that's not the argument. He was implying that Forrest suck his you know what. Rashad is a great fighter, and I am not a hater at all. I just think the gesture was a little over the line of most taunts in the UFC. Most haters are blowing it out of proportion... but I do think it was beyond any other taunt thus far that I've seen in the UFC.
    With that said, I'm really looking forward to Rashad's next fight.
  16. Nutcracker
    16. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:22 pm EDT

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    And one other thing. I remember Matt Hughes didn't like Evans. He said it was his showboating, but I think it is more than that. But i wont go there.. Ican2 might have a race related aneurysm. Here is what I like about this story. Evans, maybe more than any other TUF alum has taken basically a wrestling game and filled in around that talent with impressive stand up and ability with his feet . He has put in work, and improved himself more than any other TUF Alum to date.. Love or hate the guy, he has taken his raw wrasslin ability and done a great job in filling out the rest of his arsenal.. All other TUF alums and aspiring fighters should take note. And not all wrasslers can learn stand up.
  17. HAHA
    17. Posted by HAHA Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    the only taunts that i eva saw that i thought were a lil un sportmans like
    were lesnars pointing and laughing at herrings face and his lasso
    but hey herring was talkin ish so it is what it is
    and kendall grove
    diggin a grave for a downed evan tanner (no pun intended)
    that was the first grove fight i saw and he was jus doing too much thats all
    its like he has a ceremonial dance for when he wins
    and he jus looked like a jack ass
  18. HAHA
    18. Posted by HAHA Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    and i forgot penns glove/blood licking
    HAHA dude that is gross
    HAHA i remember reading an article that said penn believes in vampires
    HAHA i guess so he is one of them
  19. shoot2thrillpictures
    19. Posted by shoot2thrillpictures Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:21 pm EDT

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    Rashad Evans is a freak. During the fighter introductions of the previous UFC he kept on pinching his nipples and getting off on himself. This time during a fight he stops, kisses his fingers and then starts grabbing his junk. He's the gayest fighter in the UFC.
  20. HAHA
    20. Posted by HAHA Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    nipple tweak = good luck
    junk grab = 2 nutz
  21. HAHA
    21. Posted by HAHA Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    hah your funny Darkman
  22. HAHA
    22. Posted by HAHA Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    and my bad he might of said he is interested in vampires
    and believes in aliens
    HAHA
  23. Stevie G.
    23. Posted by Stevie G. Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:43 pm EDT

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    I don't really think I need to lighten up, as I say these things not to criticize, but to evaluate. Many MMA pundits say that MMA is about class and respect, as that's what Martial Arts is about. If that's the case, and that's what the UFC wants to potray, then what Rashad is did is off base. Telling your opponent to kiss your wang is certainly not within the Martial Arts protocol for respect. lol.
    Either way, I think this is getting blown out of proportion, but I think that his gesture was a little more vulgar than a lot of other gestures I've seen. Brock Lesnar was pretty disrespectful, but in a different way. Gaining mainstream acceptance is the UFC's goal, and I'm not sure actions like these help their cause.
    Anyhow, I can see how I'm coming across as complaining or uptight, but honestly, I don't really have strong feelings about the situation. I just enjoy looking at the 'overall picture'. I am becoming a Rashad Evans fan as he's becoming more and more complete as a fighter, and is starting to show he's getting towards total well roundedness.
  24. Stevie G.
    24. Posted by Stevie G. Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:43 pm EDT

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    And I don't fit into any of those groups. Thanks for generalizing though! ;)
  25. Farthammer
    25. Posted by Farthammer Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    Darkness, I sort of agree. I will not confer "jerkface" status upon you... :)
    Brock's lasso was absurd as well. As for post-fight celebrations, I will concede they are disrespectful, but I don't think they are worse than in-fight ones. Post-fight at a UFC event where millions are watching you, I imagine the adrenaline rush is huge. You just finished a guy on live TV, and all that hard work paid off. You get amped and maybe play a little air guitar.
    But during a fight, when you should be 100% focused on the task at hand? That's weak in my opinion. But, as I have said before, I like Rashad. I just don't like that aspect of him.
    And yes, toss the ball to the ref like Rice or Sanders. Kanye is garbage.

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