Jackson, 31, said he felt disrespected by the UFC refusing to postpone his Dec. 12 fight with Rashad Evans so he could take a role playing B.A. Baracus in “A-Team” movie currently filming in Vancouver. He took issue with UFC President Dana White criticizing him for taking the role, a tone the company boss has since softened. The two looked to have smoothed over tensions last week on the phone, but White’s subsequent comments still rubbed Jackson the wrong way. In a post-UFC 103 press conference, White indicated Jackson likely would not be ready to fight until March at the earliest. All the while, the ongoing season of “The Ultimate Fighter” continues to masterfully build a Rampage vs. Evans grudge match.
While Evans voiced skepticism about his fight with Jackson being off entirely, he did agree to a bout with Thiago Silva, who defeated his close friend, Keith Jardine, at UFC 102. The match will likely take place either at UFC 107 in December or UFC 108 in January. Evans turned down a fight against Randy Couture at UFC 105 on Nov. 21. Evans said the Couture fight did not make any sense for him because he was still counting on fighting his division’s top contender -- Jackson. Couture was instead matched with Brandon Vera.