With his fight with Rampage Jackson pushed back indefinitely, Rashad Evans met with Cagewriter for an interview. The first question on list was:

Did you hear what Rampage said about leaving the UFC? What do you think about it?
I think that him coming out and saying stuff like that was a bit premature. He's jumping the gun a little bit. Rampage is a very emotional fighter, a very emotional person, and he just let his emotions take over his rational thinking. I think that him and Dana White just probably need to talk it out, and get past it. I think it's just a breakdown in communication.

Dana's the kind of guy who is going to say what is on his mind, maybe without thinking it through all the way, before he said. Rampage is a hothead, as well. You get two tempers like that, go at each other like that, it makes the situation hard to work through.

What are your thoughts on not fighting him?
I'd be disappointed not to fight him. It would be a good fight, a fun fight, but mostly because he talked trash. He got me really angry, and I want to fight him just because of that alone. It's a fight that people want to see. You get your mind wrapped up, and you get your mind so psyched up about fighting a fighter, and then it doesn't happen, it's disappointing.

That's why I hate making a fight personal. At the end of the day, we're professional athletes, and we get paid to do a job. But when you get to fight someone you really want to fight, that's like a bonus. You'd almost do it for free.

You would have punched Rampage in the face for free?
I would have loved to punch him in the face for free.

Did you get close on the set of "The Ultimate Fighter?"
We came close a couple times. Not even just on the set, but outside the set, just out in Vegas. I saw him in the club one time, and I walked by his table. He jumped down, and was running his mouth, and he got a shove in on me. Then I got kicked out. But then they let me back in, but I was mad about that.

I think now, he's trying to make it a thing every time he sees me, to jump down and try to get in a shove. I try to stay professional. I don't want to fight for free, but if I have to ...

Later this week, Cagewriter will have the rest of an extensive interview with former UFC light heavyweight champion and current TUF coach Rashad Evans.