Name Rashad Evans
Nickname Sugar
Association Imperial Athletics
Weight Class Light Heavyweight
Height 5′ 11″ (180 cm)
Reach 75in (190.5 cm)
Style Wrestling, Kickboxing
Birth Date September 25, 1979
Fighting Out Of Boca Raton, Florida, USA
Country USA
Rashad Evans Pictures http://www.rashadevans.tv/

”’Rashad Anton Evans”’ is an American mixed martial artist from Lansing, Michigan currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) where he is the promotion’s former-Light Heavyweight Champion. Evans won the Heavyweight division of The Ultimate Fighter 2. He holds notable victories over Stephan Bonnar, Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and took Tito Ortiz to a Draw. Evans trains out of Albuquerque, New Mexico with [[Jackson’s Submission Fighting]], alongside the likes of Keith Jardine, Georges.St. Pierre, Leonard Garcia, and Donald Cerrone.

Evans was also one of the coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 10.

== Professional Record ==

Record 17 – 3 – 1 (Win â€Â“ Loss â€Â“ Draw)
Wins 6 (T)KOs
2 Submissions
9 Decisions
Losses 1 (T)KOs
0 Submissions
2 Decisions
Result Opponent Method Event Title Date Round Time Notes
Loss Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Decision (Unanimous) UFC 156 Aldo vs Edgar 2/2/2013 3 5:00
Loss Jon Jones Decision (Unanimous) UFC 145 Jones vs Evans 4/21/2012 5 5:00 For UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Win Phil Davis Decision (Unanimous) UFC on FOX 2 Evans vs Davis 1/28/2011 5 5:00 Earned UFC Light Heavyweight Championship bout
Win Quinton Jackson Decision (Unanimous) UFC 114 Rampage vs Evans 5/29/2010 3 5:00 UFC Light Heavyweight Championship #1 contender bout
Win Thiago Silva Decision (Unanimous) UFC 108 Evans vs Silva 1/02/2010 3 5:00
Loss Lyoto Machida KO (Punches) UFC 98 Evans vs Machida 5/23/2009 2 3:57 Lost UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Win Forrest Griffin TKO (Punches) UFC 92 The Ultimate 2008 12/27/2008 3 2:46 Won UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Win Chuck Liddell KO (Punch) UFC 88 Breakthrough 9/06/2008 2 1:51 Won Knockout of the Night Honors; Became #1 contendor for Light Heavyweight title
Win Michael Bisping Decision (Split) UFC 78 Validation 11/17/2007 3 5:00
Draw Tito Ortiz Draw UFC 73 Stacked 7/07/2007 3 5:00 Tito Ortiz was deducted a point for grabbing the fence
Win Sean Salmon KO (Head Kick) UFC Fight Night 8 Evans vs Salmon 1/25/2007 2 1:06
Win Jason Lambert KO (Punches) UFC 63 Hughes vs Penn 9/23/2006 2 2:22
Win Stephan Bonnar Decision (Majority) UFC Fight Night 5 Leben vs Silva 6/28/2006 3 5:00
Win Sam Hoger Decision (Split) UFC Fight Night 4 Bonnar vs Jardine 4/06/2006 3 5:00
Win Brad Imes Decision (Split) The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale 11/05/2005 3 5:00 UFC debut; Won The Ultimate Fighter 2 Heavyweight competition
Win Jaime Jara Decision (Unanimous) GC 27: FightFest 2 6/03/2004 3 5:00 Won Gladiator Challenge Light Heavyweight Tournament
Win Hector Ramirez Decision (Unanimous) GC 27: FightFest 2 6/03/2004 2 5:00
Win Bryan Pardoe TKO (Punches) GC 26: FightFest 1 6/02/2004 1 3:24
Win Danny Anderson Submission (Strikes) Dangerzone: Cage Fighting 4/10/2004 1 3:09
Win Dennis Reed Submission Dangerzone: Cage Fighting 4/10/2004 1 0:50

== Biography ==
One of eight children, Evans was a two-time All-State wrestler at Niagara-Wheatfield High School in Sanborn, New York.[3] He was also a two-way player on the school’s football team, playing running back when on offense and safety on defense.

After graduating from high school in 1998, Evans went on to attend Niagara County Community College, where he entered the wrestling program and won the National Junior College championship at 165 lb (75 kg) in 2000. He then transferred to Michigan State University, competing in the 174 lb (79 kg) weight class. He started at Michigan State for three years and amassed a 48-34 record during that time. Evans was also one of only four people to ever defeat wrestling legend Greg Jones. Since graduating from Michigan State and earning a degree in psychology, he has remained a resident of Lansing, Michigan. In 2005 he became an assistant coach for the Michigan State wrestling program.

Evans and his wife have one son, Rashad Jr, and a daughter, Nia. He also has a daughter, Tahja, from a previous relationship. Evans’s brother Lance Evans made a brief appearance on The Ultimate Fighter 8 Team Nogueira vs Team Mir, but was eliminated by Vinicius Magalhaes due to a rib injury and did not join the cast.

Rashad has appeared in a Microsoft commercial, where he says the lines, “You got a problem with that!” and “I’m a PC!”, while sparring with an unidentified opponent.

== Mixed Martial Arts Career ==
=== Early Career ===
In 2004, under the tutelage of veteran wrestler and MMA fighter Dan Severn, Evans competed in five professional mixed martial arts fights, winning all five. This led to his selection as one of the nine heavyweights to compete on The Ultimate Fighter 2, a reality TV series on Spike. The season began airing on August 22, 2005, culminating in a live finale between the final two fighters of each weight division, held in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 5, 2005.

=== The Ultimate Fighter ===
At 5 feet 11 inches (1.8 m) and 225 pounds (102 kg), Evans was the shortest and the second-lightest of the nine heavyweight competitors. He was considered the underdog in each of his fights, but made it to the finals by defeating Tom Murphy, Mike Whitehead, and future team-mate Keith Jardine. During his tenure on the show, Evans was criticized by opposing coach Matt Hughes for his showboating during fights, but the two eventually settled their differences, and Hughes even cornered Evans for his semifinal bout. In the finale, Evans defeated 6 ft 7 in (2.0 m) Brad Imes by split decision, thus winning a three-year, six-figure contract with the UFC and a brand new car. After The Ultimate Fighter, Evans joined Greg [[Jackson’s Submission Fighting]] camp along with fellow competitor Keith Jardine, who would eventually become his training partner and good friend.

=== After the Show ===
Evans dropped down to light heavyweight after the show, deciding he would have a better chance of success in a lower weight class. His first fight under the contract took place on April 6, 2006 against Sam Hoger, who had been a semi-finalist on The Ultimate Fighter 1. Evans defeated Hoger via split decision despite nearly falling victim to a kimura submission at the end of the second round.

Evans followed with a victory by majority decision over The Ultimate Fighter 1 finalist Stephan Bonnar on June 28, 2006. Evans maintained control throughout the fight with repeated take downs, including a number of slams in the center of the cage and went on to secure the victory. Three months later, Evans faced Jason Lambert at UFC 63. Lambert, riding an eight-fight win streak, was seen as Evans’s first real test at 205 pounds. Evans controlled the fight from early on, and knocked Lambert out with punches from the mount in the second round. It was his first stoppage victory in over two years.

Evans next headlined UFC Fight Night Evans vs Salmon against UFC newcomer Sean Salmon, a highly decorated collegiate wrestler who held a 9-1 professional record. Though Salmon had won the first round by scoring two takedowns, Evans came back with a head kick knockout early in the second round. Salmon remained motionless for several minutes after the fight and was eventually carried out on a stretcher to a local hospital. The kick came to the surprise of many fans who had previously considered Evans a one-dimensional wrestler.

At UFC 73, Evans squared off against former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz. The two competitors fought to a draw as all three judges scored the bout 28-28. Ortiz had won two out of three rounds on all scorecards, but was deducted a point for holding the cage fence to defend against a takedown by Evans. Immediately after the fight, Ortiz asked for a rematch. At a press conference following UFC 73, UFC President Dana White promised a rematch, but it never materialized. Instead, Evans made his debut as a headliner on a pay-per-view event at UFC 78 against fellow undefeated fighter and The Ultimate Fighter 3 winner Michael Bisping. After three close rounds, Evans came out on top on two of the judges’s scorecards, winning by split decision. This fight marked Bisping’s first loss and his final bout in the light heavyweight division.

=== Fight with Liddell ===
Evans made his biggest appearance to date against former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell at UFC 88. Evans had previously been scheduled to face Liddell at UFC 85 as a replacement for the injured Mauricio Rua. When Liddell pulled out of the event due to an injured hamstring, Evans was matched with James Irvin. When Irvin pulled out after breaking his foot, the fight was removed from the card altogether. Though an underdog with a perceived deficit in the stand-up against a noted knockout artist, Evans traded punches with the former champion throughout the first round before finding his range. At 1:51 of the second round, Evans flashed a jab and then landed an overhand right just as Liddell was throwing an uppercut. The punch caught Liddell flush on the chin and knocked him out cold. Evans earned Knockout of the Night and a bonus of $60,000.

After the fight, UFC President Dana White confirmed in the post-event press conference that Evans’s next fight would be a title shot against newly crowned light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin at UFC 92.

=== Light Heavyweight Champion ===
On December 27, 2008 at UFC 92, Evans faced champion Forrest Griffin for the UFC light heavyweight belt. Griffin controlled most of the first two rounds with effective striking and low kicks. In the third round, however, Evans caught a low kick and countered with a straight right hand that dropped Griffin. Evans followed Griffin to the ground and eventually managed to finish the stunned champion with ground and pound. With the victory, Evans became the new UFC light heavyweight champion.

Evans was scheduled to make his first title defense against Quinton Jackson at UFC 98 if doctors cleared Jackson to fight, since Jackson had just fought Keith Jardine at UFC 96 Jackson vs Jardine. When Jackson let it be known that he could not be ready by UFC 98, Evans oppenent would be undefeated karate specialist Lyoto Machida. Machida defeated Evans, catching him with a flurry of accurate punches, which resulted in his legs giving-way and him losing consciousness, handing him his first loss in his professional career, as well as taking the Light Heavyweight belt in the second round via KO (Punches).

=== Post Title ===
After losing his title to Machida, Evans coached against Quinton Jackson in The Ultimate Fighter 10 Heavyweights. After the airing of the season, the two coaches were supposed to fight one another at UFC 107 on December 12, 2009, but the bout was called off due to Jackson being cast for the A-Team movie, and his subsequent retirement from the sport.

There were rumors that Evans would return to face Thiago Silva, whose only career loss came at the hands of Lyoto Machida, much like Evans. The fight materialized and it will take place on January 2, 2010 at UFC 108 Evans vs Silva. The match was somewhat of a grudge-match, as Silva’s last bout saw him defeat Evans’ good friend and training partner Keith Jardine. Evans returned to old form, using his improved stand-up to almost solely set up take-downs. Though Evans was wobbled by Silva in the final round, Evans’ continued take-downs earned him a Decision (Unanimous) win on the judges score cards.

According to UFC President Dana White, the victory over Silva did not earn Evans an immediate title shot, but instead would pit him up against rival Quinton Jackson in May 2010. It was then announced that the winner of that bout would earn themselves a title shot against the winner of the rematch between Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua. The bout took place at UFC 114 Rampage vs Evans, and after a year of trash-talking, the fight finally happened. In the end, it was Evans’ superior Wrestling that earned him the Decision (Unanimous) after a dominating performance, via scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

: “The game plan was simple: not have a game plan at all,” Evans said. “At first he was sharp, but he kind of slowed down. I was able to use my speed.”

The win will now set Evans up against Mauricio Rua who defeated Lyoto Machida in a dominating fashion in their re-match.

== Ranks and Titles ==
* Junior College National Champion for Niagara Community College
* All-American wrestler
* The Ultimate Fighter 2 Heavyweight winner
* UFC Light Heavyweight Champion