Morning Report: Rashad Evans talks interest in move to WWE, but cites concerns over health and money

After rumors emerged this week that former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans was interested in making a move to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), ‘Suga’ clarifies the situation.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter indicated Wednesday that Evans had discussed the possible switch with pro wrestling officials over the July 4 holiday weekend in Las Vegas at the UFC Fan Expo. According to Meltzer, Evans’ name has been on a short list of UFC fighters in talks to make the transition one way or another. Thursday, Evans spoke with MMA Mania’s Michael Stets to set the record straight.

“If I ever did anything like that, it would be after I finished fighting, and I’m not gonna (sic) be done fighting for at least four years,” Evans said.

Evans was most recently booked to face Daniel Cormier at UFC 170 in February, but was replaced by Patrick Cummins after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during the final practice of his training camp.

“I had a million people asking me if I was retiring for wrestling, but honestly speaking, if I didn’t get seriously paid to do it I wouldn’t do it,” Evans said. “I think it would be disrespectful to my legacy in the UFC if I didn’t do a deal that would make sense where I got paid! Besides, that s**t is harder on my body than fighting.”

Evans is projecting a return to fighting this fall.

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5 MUST-READ STORIES

The Contender. Holly Holm signs with UFC.

Fight Pass. Invicta FC announces its first card to be streamed via the UFC’s digital service.

Another one. Ali Bagautinov has been suspended for one year after testing positive for EPO prior to UFC 174.

Coming and going. Cat Zingano returns to action against Amanda Nunes at UFC 178 while flyweight contender Jon Dodson has suffered a complete tear of his ACL and will be out until 2015.

Silver lining. Chuck Mindenhall explains the bright side of losing UFC 176.

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MEDIA STEW

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Free fight: Conor McGregor vs. Marcus Brimage.

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Mark Hunt and Roy Nelson running around Japan.

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ONE FC breakdown: Eric Kelly vs. Rob Lisita.

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Wanderlei Silva hits the fan expo and talks UFC 175 with Lyoto Machida.

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Cage Warriors’ half-year review.

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Free fight: Michelle Waterson vs. Lacey Schuckman.

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Long watches.

Meet the ladies of TUF 20.

Invicta to UFC Fight Pass conference call audio

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TWEETS

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Yay.

Welcome to the UFC @_HOLLYHOLM pic.twitter.com/BxNVy8SYTR

Dana White (@danawhite) July 10, 2014

I am blessed and very excited for this opportunity with the @ufc my goal is to keep learning and improving. Lots of hard work ahead!

— Holly Holm (@_HOLLYHOLM) July 11, 2014

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Dirty.

Imagine that. Another random drug test, another failed drug test.

Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) July 10, 2014

These “random” drug tests truly aren’t random. You are in a fight camp, you know you are going to be tested, and you agreed to the test.

— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) July 10, 2014

I guess PEDs are a lot more common in mma than I thought… #Cowards #noheart

— TJ Grant (@TJ_Grant) July 11, 2014

Ali Bagautinov gets caught for PEDs and Holly Homm gets a UFC contract and my first reaction for both is the same… About time….

Ulysses Gomez (@uselessgomez) July 10, 2014

I don’t even know what EPO is…

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) July 10, 2014

This is getting ridiculous! TRT I understand for those who need it, but now fighters are on EPO? Wtf is this, Tour De France?

Akira Corassani (@AkiraCorassani) July 10, 2014

Athletic commissions hittin paydirt testing people out of competition, duh.

— Marcelino Evil (@KCBanditMMA) July 10, 2014

another fighter testing positive for erythropoietin (EPO), this shit is bad, and it is not fear, WTF, let’s be honest and give good example

Igor Araujo (@igoraraujojj) July 10, 2014

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Congrats.

Ahhhhhhh, I’m so happy I don’t know what to do with myself. Time to get to work http://t.co/yvn56pI5UP

— Michelle Waterson (@karatehottiemma) July 10, 2014

Well holy shit! I guess I’m fighting on #InvictaFC8 @TaraLaRosa vs @Roxyfighter at @InvictaFights Sept 6th in Kansas City! THE RUBBER MATCH

Tara LaRosa (@TaraLaRosa) July 10, 2014

It’s official! I’ll be fighting for @InvictaFights on September 6 against Irene Aldana!

Peggy Morgan (@peggymorganmma) July 10, 2014

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Interesting.

@spastalla: @DustinPoirier love to see you fight @FrankieEdgar next. Or would you rather derail @TheNotoriousMMA” You know “The Answer”

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) July 11, 2014

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No thanks.

This was my entrance song for my very first mma fight! I wonder if it will make a second appearance http://t.co/uURfb7iFzb

Rory MacDonald (@rory_macdonald) July 11, 2014

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Get well soon.

Toe is getting better Back to work My dream won’t come to me I need to go get it. #HallsWay http://t.co/xG2PHrcK5b pic.twitter.com/GmAGYhN46u

— uriah hall (@UriahHallMMA) July 11, 2014

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Better luck next time.

WSOP Update… Just got KO’d around 1,200th place out of 6,650 plus players after 3 days of War on the green felt. TY for all ur support!

— Bruce Buffer (@brucebuffer) July 11, 2014

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Hard times.

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced yesterday (Jul. 10 2014)

Amanda Nunes vs. Cat Zingano at UFC 178

Akbarh Arreola vs. Tiago dos Santos added to UFC on FOX 12

Michelle Waterson vs. Yasuko Tamada at Invicta FC 8

Stephanie Eggink vs. Katja Kankaanpaa at Invicta FC 8

Tonya Evinger vs. Ediane Gomes at Invicta FC 8

DeAnna Bennett vs. Michelle Ould at Invicta FC 8

Tara LaRosa vs. Roxanne Modafferi at Invicta FC 8

Irene Aldana vs. Peggy Morgan at Invicta FC 8

Veronica Rothenhausler vs. Charmaine Tweet at Invicta FC 8

Chris Beal vs. Rob Font at UFC Fight Night: Mousasi vs. Souza

Ernest Chavez out, Mirsad Bektic vs. Max Holloway at UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Dos Anjos

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FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via Graham Douglas.

Drug testing is the biggest threat to the UFC

Drug testing is the greatest threat to the UFC. Increased random drug testing is a worse proposition than a fighters union, believe me.

The only fault here is on the professional sports culture. You could never convince me that the athletes in MMA are using more than any other sport out there. I agree with Dana that they are the most regulated sport out there. From a business perspective, why should one sport be treated than the others. If the stars and main attractions in any other sport were subjected to as strict testing, how would that affect business? Sales at the gates? Bagautinov gets 1 year. Well how about a star from say, baseball, gets taken out of a season by comparison because of a banned substance?

People say MMA is more vicious and serious because you are hurting the other opponent and as a result, there should be an increased testing procedure. Fine and dandy except if you’re the one in the MMA fight business and have to fill cards with fighters and market cards.

Check out the rest of the post here.

Star-divide

Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.

After rumors emerged this week that former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans was interested in making a move to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), ‘Suga’ clarifies the situation.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter indicated Wednesday that Evans had discussed the possible switch with pro wrestling officials over the July 4 holiday weekend in Las Vegas at the UFC Fan Expo. According to Meltzer, Evans’ name has been on a short list of UFC fighters in talks to make the transition one way or another. Thursday, Evans spoke with MMA Mania’s Michael Stets to set the record straight.

“If I ever did anything like that, it would be after I finished fighting, and I’m not gonna (sic) be done fighting for at least four years,” Evans said.

Evans was most recently booked to face Daniel Cormier at UFC 170 in February, but was replaced by Patrick Cummins after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during the final practice of his training camp.

“I had a million people asking me if I was retiring for wrestling, but honestly speaking, if I didn’t get seriously paid to do it I wouldn’t do it,” Evans said. “I think it would be disrespectful to my legacy in the UFC if I didn’t do a deal that would make sense where I got paid! Besides, that s**t is harder on my body than fighting.”

Evans is projecting a return to fighting this fall.

Star-divide

5 MUST-READ STORIES

The Contender. Holly Holm signs with UFC.

Fight Pass. Invicta FC announces its first card to be streamed via the UFC’s digital service.

Another one. Ali Bagautinov has been suspended for one year after testing positive for EPO prior to UFC 174.

Coming and going. Cat Zingano returns to action against Amanda Nunes at UFC 178 while flyweight contender Jon Dodson has suffered a complete tear of his ACL and will be out until 2015.

Silver lining. Chuck Mindenhall explains the bright side of losing UFC 176.

Star-divide

MEDIA STEW

Star-divide

Free fight: Conor McGregor vs. Marcus Brimage.

Star-divide

Mark Hunt and Roy Nelson running around Japan.

Star-divide

ONE FC breakdown: Eric Kelly vs. Rob Lisita.

Star-divide

Wanderlei Silva hits the fan expo and talks UFC 175 with Lyoto Machida.

Star-divide

Cage Warriors’ half-year review.

Star-divide

Free fight: Michelle Waterson vs. Lacey Schuckman.

Star-divide

Long watches.

Meet the ladies of TUF 20.

Invicta to UFC Fight Pass conference call audio

Star-divide

TWEETS

Star-divide

Yay.

Star-divide

Dirty.

Star-divide

Congrats.

Star-divide

Interesting.

Star-divide

No thanks.

Star-divide

Get well soon.

Star-divide

Better luck next time.

Star-divide

Hard times.

Star-divide

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced yesterday (Jul. 10 2014)

Amanda Nunes vs. Cat Zingano at UFC 178

Akbarh Arreola vs. Tiago dos Santos added to UFC on FOX 12

Michelle Waterson vs. Yasuko Tamada at Invicta FC 8

Stephanie Eggink vs. Katja Kankaanpaa at Invicta FC 8

Tonya Evinger vs. Ediane Gomes at Invicta FC 8

DeAnna Bennett vs. Michelle Ould at Invicta FC 8

Tara LaRosa vs. Roxanne Modafferi at Invicta FC 8

Irene Aldana vs. Peggy Morgan at Invicta FC 8

Veronica Rothenhausler vs. Charmaine Tweet at Invicta FC 8

Chris Beal vs. Rob Font at UFC Fight Night: Mousasi vs. Souza

Ernest Chavez out, Mirsad Bektic vs. Max Holloway at UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Dos Anjos

Star-divide

FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via Graham Douglas.

Drug testing is the biggest threat to the UFC

Drug testing is the greatest threat to the UFC. Increased random drug testing is a worse proposition than a fighters union, believe me.

The only fault here is on the professional sports culture. You could never convince me that the athletes in MMA are using more than any other sport out there. I agree with Dana that they are the most regulated sport out there. From a business perspective, why should one sport be treated than the others. If the stars and main attractions in any other sport were subjected to as strict testing, how would that affect business? Sales at the gates? Bagautinov gets 1 year. Well how about a star from say, baseball, gets taken out of a season by comparison because of a banned substance?

People say MMA is more vicious and serious because you are hurting the other opponent and as a result, there should be an increased testing procedure. Fine and dandy except if you’re the one in the MMA fight business and have to fill cards with fighters and market cards.

Check out the rest of the post here.

Star-divide

Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.