Mere minutes after having the UFC light heavyweight title strapped to his waist, newly crowned champ Jon “Bones” Jones (13-1) has already accepted his first title defense, exchanging a friendly handshake with challenger, and fellow Team Jackson teammate “Suga” Rashad Evans (15-1-1).
During Jones post fight interview with commentator Joe Rogan, Evans was brought into the octagon to a chorus of boos from the crowd to. Both men shared a handshake, both displaying a cool composure.
When asked his thoughts on meeting Evans next, Jones commented “We are teammates, I’ve sparred with him and he’s sparred with me. This is my dream and this is everything I believe in, and I know God wouldn’t lead me this far to leave me. So I gotta do exactly what I have to do.”
Evans replied “I guess you should never say never. We train together and you got that strap, so I gotta go after it.”
Both men had been training out of Greg Jackson’s camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jackson has gone on the record to say that he won’t be in either mans corner when both men finally square off. In fact Evans has already decided that he’s “done with Jackson’s” and will train for Jones at Grudge in Denver for the title bout.
In an interview with MMAFighting.com, Evans talked about the upcoming fight.
“I’m happy for the dude, (Jones) went out there and fought well. I’m happy for him, he looked phenomenal, but at the same time, he got that strap so now I gotta go and get it. I know I was going to fight, no matter if he lost tonight or not, I was going to fight him…From the minute they called he was going to fight him, I knew he was going to destroy (Shogun). I already know how to fight (Jones), I train with him. I’m done, I’m done with Jackson’s. When ever Jon is ready to do it, (I’m ready).”