Fifteen years on from their first pairing in the Octagon, former UFC light heavyweight champions, Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson are set to rekindle their infamous rivalry — with the former confirming plans to feature against the veteran in a professional boxing rematch early next year
Evans, who featured against Jackson in the main event of UFC 114 back in 2010 following a chaotic season serving as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, turned in a unanimous decision victory over the former Pride FC fan-favorite finisher.
Rashad Evans expects to box Rampage Jackson in rematch next year
Sidelined from mixed martial arts since a brief cameo under the Eagle Fighting Championship banner back in 2022 in which he snapped a five-fight losing run in a unanimous decision win over Gabriel Checco, Evans confirmed plans to fight Jackson as soon as 2025 in a boxing re-run.
“You’ll be interested to hear that I’ve jumped into training camp, and I’m going to do a boxing match with ‘Rampage,’” Rashad Evans told MMA Fighting during a recent interview. “We’re looking to do it potentially at the end of February, and it’s most likely going to be here in Florida. We’re going to do a boxing match.”
“I thought about [fighting again], and I was like I’m 45 years old right now, and I could just be done with it all and just enjoy this phase of my life that I’m in right now,” Rashad Evans explained. “But then I will always wonder if I would have just had that one boxing match just for fun, just to try it out.
“Boxing is something I’m a huge fan of and there’s nothing better than getting another chance to fight ‘Rampage.’ ‘Rampage’ is in pretty good shape right now. He was getting ready for Shannon “The Cannon” [Briggs] so he’s in pretty good shape. I want to get a chance to do it again with it.”
For Jackson, the veteran former undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion has yet to feature in mixed martial arts since he dropped a TKO loss to decorated heavyweight icon, Fedor Emelianenko under the Bellator MMA banner back in 2019.
Jackson most recently competed under the scrutiny of Fight Circus a year ago, turning in a third round knockout win over John Nutt and Woody.