Along with Frankie Edgar, you can count Rashad Evans as one of the few remaining in a dying breed of veteran mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters who are all about hard work and not the trash-talking, money-grabbing attitude that has taken over the sport. But, how much longer will the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion grace fight fans with his presence inside the Octagon?
It’s a question “Suga” still can’t figure it out … yet.
“I’m in a weird space, to be honest. I want to compete, I still want to compete, but then I am almost in a position to where do I continue to compete because then I am like, ‘Does it mess up my legacy? Why am I even competing? What is the point?’” Evans pondered during a recent appearance on “The MMA Hour.“
“So it’s a weird space, a weird transition. No one ever really talks to you about it so it’s kind of a weird thing I am working myself through,” he added.
What makes it even more difficult for Evans is that everyone seems to know what’s better for his career. And while he appreciates the positive messages the mixed martial arts (MMA) community sends him, he admits the harsh critics did take a toll on him for a bit.
“It hurts getting on the Internet and hearing people giving me advice at how to be better than me. As if I was a witness to myself, like I don’t know.”
“So, it hurts, and I know their intent, they are not trying to be mean and malicious, they are trying to inspire me. They don’t know what to say, but they are doing their best to give me encouraging words … to let me know they are still there,” said Evans, who is on a four-fight losing streak and hasn’t tasted victory since defeating Chael Sonnen at UFC 167 back in 2013.
“Then there are people who are like, ‘You suck, you were never as good as people thought you were, you were just over-hyped.’ So all those things do hurt and it makes me wish things were different. But, at the same time, I see things like this and I used to be, ‘I’m sad and I’m not winning.’ But, at the end of the day, the sun was going to go down on me anyway.
“I could be the most dynamic fighter in the world, a legend, the sun is going to go down,” he continued. “And it’s just a part of life. Everything ages too old, and it’s okay, it’s just life. So when I look at it like that, then it didn’t hurt so much. Then I can fan the flames of other people that want to do it and be genuinely happy for them and not be envious. That did happen, and I don’t know if my time will come again. But, whatever it may be, I am not going to be too upset about where I am right now.”
“Suga” was briefly linked to be Michael Bisping’s retirement fight in London next month, but nothing came of the bout as “The Count” announced he would not compete in his home country. Evans, meanwhile, wasn’t too crushed, admitting he wasn’t too keen on fighting Bisping again since he has a ton of respect for him and dubbed him, “a really good guy.”
That said, Evans hasn’t drawn the curtain on his career just yet, and if and when he does return, he plans on competing at 205 pounds. Any suggestions?