Rivals ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Rashad Evans set for 2025 boxing rematch

All the way in which again in 2010, there wasn’t a extra heated rivalry in blended martial arts than that of Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Rashad Evans.

The 2 fighters, each former UFC mild heavyweight champions, collided within the cage in Could 2010 in a battle which got here after the 2 served as competing coaches on a season of ‘The Final Fighter’ — with Evans claiming a unanimous resolution win in a three-round battle.

Now, some 15 or so years later, the 2 look set to as soon as once more throw down — this time within the boxing ring.

“You’ll have an interest to listen to that I’ve jumped into coaching camp, and I’m going to do a boxing match with ‘Rampage,’” Evans, 45, advised MMA Fighting this week. “We’re trying to do it probably on the finish of February, and it’s probably going to be right here in Florida. We’re going to do a boxing match.

“I thought of it,” Evans stated when requested a few return to blended martial arts competitors after most not too long ago combating again in January 2022 the place he scored a unanimous resolution win over Gabriel Checco. “I used to be like I’m 45 years previous proper now, and I may simply be completed with all of it and simply take pleasure in this part of my life that I’m in proper now. However then I’ll all the time surprise if I’d have simply had that one boxing match only for enjoyable, simply to attempt it out.

“Boxing is one thing I’m an enormous fan of and there’s nothing higher than getting one other probability to battle ‘Rampage.’ ‘Rampage’ is in fairly good condition proper now. He was preparing for Shannon “The Cannon” [Briggs] so he’s in fairly good condition. I wish to get an opportunity to do it once more with it.”

Since their fractious rivalry all these years in the past, tempers have cooled considerably between the previous fierce rivals.

“We’ve acquired a fairly respectable relationship,” he stated. “We’ve acquired a degree of respect for one another, however we nonetheless have enjoyable and we’re nonetheless clowning one another. I’ve nonetheless acquired to take care of him attempting to clown me, or I’ll ship him a message and attempt to clown him. We’re fiercely aggressive with one another. That’s a great factor.

“After we did the film ‘Boss Stage’, it modified our relationship as a result of we lastly had an opportunity to have a dialog and seeing the sort of individual that he actually was and dealing with him so shut on that for a number of months was a recreation changer so far as our relationship. With this battle, it’s enjoyable as a result of there’s not that anger/animosity, however on the similar time, it’s nonetheless aggressive.”