I legitimately got goosebumps when I saw this picture pop up on Rashad Evans‘s Twitter feed yesterday. The former UFC light heavyweight champion has been wavering on a move to the middleweight division for months now, but the right fight hadn’t really presented itself.
It’s a tricky piece of matchmaking. Evans, according to UFC President Dana White at least, can’t just drop down and expect an immediate title shot. He has to earn his spot like everyone else. But as an established star, he can’t fight just anybody, either. His opponent needs to be a “name” fighter, and those are few and far between at 185 pounds.
@sonnench let’s get it! 👊 instagr.am/p/N2IDOCE1AQ/
— Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) August 3, 2012
Enter Chael Sonnen.
Despite a loss to Silva at 148, Sonnen remains one of the biggest stars in the sport. Booking his fight is just as tough as booking a bout for Evans. Ideally, you’d match him with a fighter who can test him athletically, while also providing the box-office punch to merit a PPV main event.
That’s what makes this a match made in heaven. It’s a perfect test to see where Evans stands at 185 pounds and a high profile-fight for Chael.
What would it look like if this dream came true? Let’s see how these two match up with a head-to-toe breakdown.