(Video courtesy of YouTube/StudioMMA)
Studio MMA’s Bobby Cavian was on hand at Friday’s UFC 138 Q&A with former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans and he was good enough to record the entire session for us.
In the nearly 60-minute question and answer period Mike Goldberg and Rashad touched on a number of topics from how he broke his hand and where he is in his rehab to who he think s will win against Machida and his former teammate and current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. “Suga” also gives an update on his tumultuous relationships with his former nemesis Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and his former coach Greg Jackon.
Some spoilers:
• Mike Goldberg is sensitive about all of the people who point out his mistakes
• He broke his hand with one of the first overhand rights he threw against Tito when his thumb connected with the top of Ortiz’s head
• Goldberg says Tito could make 185 if his melon were normal-sized
• He feels that Anderson Silva would beat Jones
• He says Anthony Johnson is bigger than he is and likely walks around at 220 lbs
• Says that his former college roommate Gray Maynard used to be yoked and weighed around 205 after college
• Says the Brazilians he trains with at Imperial Athletics on the Blackzilians call him “Hashad” and they call Johnson “Humble”
• Rehab is going slowly because he damaged some of the nerves and tendons in his injured hand by not moving it for so long
• He went to Rampage’s after party when he lost to Jones to pay his respect and they had a drink together, before trading barbs like old times
• The last time he spoke with Greg Jackson was the day he told him he would fight Jones soon after he won the belt
• Says he’ll fight whoever they throw in front of him while he waits for the winner of Machida and Jones
• Says Jones is “sneaky” and “grimy” for the way he told reporters he would fight Rashad in spite of the Team Jackson pact
• If he had to pick it would be Jones because of the way he betrayed him than Machida to avenge the loss
• He loves Diaz’s mindset and anger he channels into his fighting, but is riding with his teammate GSP
• Says people would REALLY hate him if he went WWE like Chael Sonnen
• Says the UFC handled the Marquardt situation fairly and that he thinks he could come back the the promotion
• Feels he’s hated by many because he beat a lot of fans’ favorite fighters
• Can’t stop being who he is, so he’s stopped trying to prove the haters wrong
• Wants to be an analyst after he’s done fighting
• Doesn’t want to fight until he can’t
• Says when fighting stops being fun, he’s done
• Thinks Chael says things just to get a reaction
• Goldie says they are looking at 35 shows next year, up from 25 this year
• Mike also says Jon Anik will be a part of the “B” broadcast team similar to the WEC team
• Rashad doesn’t feel that Condit got screwed by losing his shot at GSP to Diaz
• Evans was starstruck by Denzel Washington when he met him
• Besides impeccable impersonations of his mom and Denzel, Rashad does a spot-on Mike Tyson at the 51:17 mark
• Says he would have liked to fight Randy before he retires
• Would love to fight either Hendo or Shogun next