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Thu May 28, 2009 3:30 pm EDT

TUF 10 coaches official: Rampage wanted Evans over Machida

By Steve Cofield

It seems odd that a fighter would pass on a title shot but as we've seen Quinton Jackson is generally off a bit. It was announced by the UFC and Spike this morning that Jackson and Rashad Evans would be the coaches on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. The glaring absence is UFC light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida, who just destroyed Evans at UFC 98.

Jackson said he was given a choice of who he wanted to fight and picked Evans over the title shot:

"I had my mind set to fight Evans," said Jackson. "I was actually there coaching (at UFC 98) trying to get him to win the fight. I want Evans he got in my face (at UFC 96), right after my fight. That was the wrong time to get in my face."

Listen to the The Ultimate Fighter 10 teleconference:

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88 Comments

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  1. HAHA
    1. Posted by HAHA Thu May 28, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

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    lets go RAMPAGE
  2. JoePiervincenti
    2. Posted by JoePiervincenti Thu May 28, 2009 3:59 pm EDT

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    Can't wait to see these guys fight, it's gonna be awesome! Their feud might end up being a little overhyped to build up to a big PPV main event, but fine with me, that only makes it more entertaining!
  3. Brian
    3. Posted by Brian Thu May 28, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    This is another reason why I don't watch TUF anymore. Rashad may be a good fighter and he is the former champ but what is he going to be able to teach these kids. I had the same feeling about Bisbing. These guys have not been around long enough to really be able to "coach". The only things these guys learn is from the assistants that are brought in. The first few seasons had legands who have been around and have knowledge to pass on. Bisbing and Rashad are still learning and only a couple of years removed from the show themselves. The TUF coaches shouldn't be used to hype future PPV's, they should be there to teach and pass along skills to a younger generation. Just a bad idea in my opinion.
  4. A Yahoo! User
    4. Posted by A Yahoo! User Thu May 28, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    "All I gotta say is there gonna be some black on black crime, baby!!!!"
  5. PM
    5. Posted by PM Thu May 28, 2009 4:27 pm EDT

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    at least Evans comes from a solid camp, so he'll hopefully bring some good trainers and guest training partners to the show...should be a good build up to a good fight
    the big question now: Who is gonna step up to fight Machida???
  6. Farthammer
    6. Posted by Farthammer Thu May 28, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

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    Didn't Evans just get outboxed by a guy who never boxed a day in his life? Evans better find a discipline that actually works, like Karate or Muay Thai.
  7. vudusup
    7. Posted by vudusup Thu May 28, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

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    Remember when Kimbo Slice beat that dude down until his ear was a pulsating bloody mess? I do, it was hawt...
    Also, remember when Quintin "Rampage" Jackson went on a rampage throughout Costa Mesa, CA. For that hour or so this nefarious malefactor terrorized all the good people that aren't rich enough to live in Newport Beach but are well off enough to not live in Santa Ana. One can only look foward to more hijinx in the forthcoming episodes of TUF when "Rampage" locks the proverbial horns with his arch nemesis Rashad Evans. The ebonix will flow from these two like an english class taught in Inglewood. The eventual fight this will lead up to will exhibit more black on black crime then the movie "South Central".
  8. DominantSelf
    8. Posted by DominantSelf Thu May 28, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

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    I think Machida will fight Forrest if he beats Anderson if not then I say give Shogun a shot!
  9. swrestler
    9. Posted by swrestler Thu May 28, 2009 4:40 pm EDT

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    Crap… this has a lot more to do with the current champion (Machida) than it does with Rampage wanting to fight Evans. You think if Forrest (or someone else) was the champ right now, Rampage would still want to fight Evans. Rampage is ducking Machida because he’ll get just as much $$$$$ to do TUF and fight Evans…
    One question…now who fights Machida?
  10. Sousa h
    10. Posted by Sousa h Thu May 28, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

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    two strong personalities will make for a great 10th season..............my money's on Rampage.
  11. k w
    11. Posted by k w Thu May 28, 2009 4:50 pm EDT

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    who is machida going to fight next? rampage was the only legit title contender
  12. swrestler
    12. Posted by swrestler Thu May 28, 2009 5:02 pm EDT

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    The UFC is afraid that the 205 division will become a dead division just like the 185 has become. Ever since Anderson Silva became champ, he beat all contenders and he made a burial ground of the entire division. The UFC is afraid Machida will do the same thing. Their solution is to protect their top contenders from Machida, because when Machida clowns them, the UFC won’t be able to market them.
    Think about it…would you even care to see a Rampage/Evans fight if Rampage were to fight Machida right now and get KO’d. Who would want to see two guys fight each other who just got clowned by Machida. It is obvious, the UFC is making sure the same thing that happened in the 185 division doesn’t happen in the 205 division. So you can expect a lot of spin doctoring, a lot of excuses and a lot of BS in the 205 division for the very near future. I am not surprised at all that they are protecting Rampage by handing him Evans.
    Anyone who loses to Machida becomes damaged goods….
  13. wave f
    13. Posted by wave f Thu May 28, 2009 5:06 pm EDT

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    Rampage is a moron.What the hell is he talking about black on black crime?-this is a legitimate fight and their isnt any crime taking place . Evans gets 1 loss and everyone thinks hes over. Didnt St.Pierre suffer a bad TKO? isnt he tied for first in the rankings?--i say Evans by KO
  14. AdamG
    14. Posted by AdamG Thu May 28, 2009 5:16 pm EDT

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    I like this idea, as Rampage and Evans are both charismatic fighters. I think they'll make good coaches too. I also believe that both will need a fight before either of them fights for the title. I think the winner of Wanderlei/Franklin will get the next title shot. Franklin has a history with Machida and Wanderlei is just fun to watch. Who else would get the shot? Griffin if he beats Anderson, but that ain't likely. Shogun could get a shot at Machida with another win, but as far as I know, he doesn't even have his next fight scheduled.
    Farthammer - Evans didn't get out boxed, he got out struck.
  15. Swift
    15. Posted by Swift Thu May 28, 2009 5:19 pm EDT

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    Someone's afraid of The Dragon...
  16. Dave
    16. Posted by Dave Thu May 28, 2009 5:20 pm EDT

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    I like Rampage, and I'm glad he is ducking the Machida fight to coach TUF instead. I did not want to see Machida destroy his legs worse than Forrest did. Well, maybe I did a little as that would be entertaining, but I'd rather see Rampage fight someone he has a better chance with. The Rampage-Evans fight should be a good one.
  17. Nate S
    17. Posted by Nate S Thu May 28, 2009 5:26 pm EDT

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    First of all I think you guys have made some great points. But dont question dana white because he know's what he's doing. I am definitely dissapointed that rampage isn't fighting machida for the title because I think that would have been a great fight. I'm a big fan of both rampage and rashad and i think they are definitely the second and third contenders at 205. obviously. I also think that this season is going to be fun to watch because they dont like eachother.
    Machida's next opponent is definitely a mystery. I don't think shogun is worthy enough because the performance against forrest was embarrasing and then he beat a couple of people (Coleman and Lidell) who were in the decline of their careers. Luiz Cane should fight Machida now. (Thats right I said it). Then after Anderson Silva beats Forrest Griffin, the spider should get the light heavyweight title shot. Then the Rampage and Rashad winner should obviously get the title after that. (I know Silva and Machida are friends, but this sport is a business and you should fight whoever is given to you).
  18. JohnnyBlue
    18. Posted by JohnnyBlue Thu May 28, 2009 5:32 pm EDT

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    I think turning down a title shot says alot. Who cares about Rashad when u can get a shot at the title? Rampage is affraid, its as simple as that.
  19. thecanuck
    19. Posted by thecanuck Thu May 28, 2009 5:34 pm EDT

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    i just wanna know why rampage doesn't want his title shot??......why would he wanna compete for anything less???....is he scared he can't win??...these are the questions that should be answered. that need to be answered. i have to agree with an earlier post(not my post).....this is now a dead weight class. no one left to fight machida. if evans can't compete against machida who can??? rampage? rau? griffin? vera? both silvas? gonna have to have someone drop weights
  20. Shaun
    20. Posted by Shaun Thu May 28, 2009 5:51 pm EDT

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    Rampage doesn't want the title shot because he is taking kickboxing lessons lol*just joking..So who fights Machida now?Hopefully someone who has earned a shot at the belt.I dont like how the UFC gives a fighter a shot at a belt after one or two wins it doesn't make sense i've always thought you had to earn your chance like Machida did!!!!Vera a title shot?Not yet but that would probally be a sick fight!Cant wait until UFC 100 wow its almost here !!
  21. swrestler
    21. Posted by swrestler Thu May 28, 2009 5:56 pm EDT

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    Nate…
    I call it as I see it. When the UFC says in a press conference, right before the Machida/Evans fight, that Evans and Machida are the top two 205 guys and Rampage is also in that conversation, then who else do you make a top contender. Google the press conference, the UFC said “Evans and Machida are the top guys, and Rampage is in that conversation too.”
    Obviously Rampage gets the winner then. You can’t say Rampage is the only other person in the conversation and then not have him fight for the title. Check it out, as soon as Machida KO’d Evans very easily, UFC went to Plan B. It’s that simple.
    The UFC has gotten way too comfortable creating matches out of thin air…it is getting old and ridiculous. As soon as I heard that Rampage (the #1 contender) was not fighting for the title, that is all I needed to hear!
  22. Smart_People_Fear_Me
    22. Posted by Smart_People_Fear_Me Thu May 28, 2009 5:56 pm EDT

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    You have to love the fact that Rampage ducks Machida by using Evans as an excuse.
    But seriously, this will be a great Season. And the promoting of the fight will start before day 1, hell, it has already started.
    This has all the makings of the great fights like Leonard vs. Haggler, Ali vs. Foreman/Fraizer/, Tyson (in his early days) vs. the World.
    When you look at it from a fight prospective, and promotion perspective, big name, ego driven black vs. black fights are a big draw and box office. Not rbeing racial here, just a simple fact.
    At best the trash talking should be priceless.
  23. D rok
    23. Posted by D rok Thu May 28, 2009 6:08 pm EDT

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    The trash talk alone will be interesting enough to watch. Two fighters so full of themselves on a war path to fight each other, im cool with that. And I'm okay with them trying to turn Machida into an Anderson by taking Jackson out of the equation. Even though jackson would lose, I think we would much rather see up and commers get destroyed than seeing the only marketable fight wasted within the first title defense. let machida build his rep for like two title defenses, make some money off of him, through jackson the evans fight, hopefully he wins, and that sets you up for a very good 2010 summer! Its marketing Genius!
  24. Allen
    24. Posted by Allen Thu May 28, 2009 6:09 pm EDT

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    Maybe Matt Hamill will get his shot. I am sure Henderson will be next in line if he beats Bisbing Or vice versa, Bisbing can always jump back up in weight class..
    Or maybe Dana needs to start shopping some 205 talent and see what they have to bring to the UFC.
    If Brock can get a title shot after 3 fights, it should stand for just about anyone then.
    Machida can coast through the class until that one special guy comes along, and he loses, then Dana can find another special guy.
    Like I said, it has been done once, why can't he do it again.
    He can always bring back Renato Sobral.
  25. Nate S
    25. Posted by Nate S Thu May 28, 2009 6:11 pm EDT

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    Yea OneUp I apologize I meant that Rampage and Rashad were the top two contenders, not second and third. I think the UFC is doing all they can do now that Rampage has passed on the title shot to fight evans. That was a good point when you mentioned how the 205 division is declining, but at the same time i think its too early for that. And Rashad isnt done just because he lost to machida, and even if he loses to rampage. The UFC isn't protecting anybody. Great fighters get their asses kicked every year. Chuck, BJ, Rich, Forrest, now Rashad. It happens all the time. Who do u think should fight Machida right now?

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