Rashad Evans: 5 Defining Moments

Rashad Evans has little left to accomplish as he drifts into the twilight of his outstanding run as a mixed martial artist. The Niagara Falls, New York, native won Season 2 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series, served as a cornerstone for two world-class training camps, captured Ultimate Fighting Championship gold as a light heavyweight and engaged in two of the modern era’s most heated rivalries. Evans, 37, will downshift to 185 pounds for the first time when he meets four-time Olympian Daniel Kelly at UFC 209 on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where the man they call “Suga” seeks to reinvent himself and avoid his first three-fight losing streak as a professional.

In a stellar career replete with defining moments, here are five that stand out:

1. In Reality

Not much was expected of Evans when he was cast as a heavyweight on “The Ultimate Fighter 2” in 2005. He had wrestled collegiately at Michigan State University and was off to a 5-0 start in MMA, but at 5-foot-10, he was undersized for the heavyweight division and considered a longshot at best. Evans nevertheless rattled off three straight decision victories over Tom Murphy, Mike Whitehead and future Jackson-Wink MMA teammate Keith Jardine to reach the tournament final against the 6-foot-7, 265 Brad Imes. He offset two Imes takedowns with knockdowns in the first and third rounds, escaping with a split decision at “The Ultimate Fighter 2” Finale on Nov. 5, 2005 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Evans went 6-0-1 -- a draw with Tito Ortiz was the only blemish -- across his first seven appearances inside the Octagon, including a sensational head kick knockout on Sean Salmon and narrow decisions over Stephan Bonnar and Michael Bisping. Suddenly, he found himself matched with an all-time great.

2. Cold as Ice

Evans faced Chuck Liddell in a title eliminator at UFC 88 on Sept. 6, 2008 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, where he was given the opportunity to prove he belonged with the best the light heavyweight division had to offer. Liddell was no longer champion at 205 pounds, and he had begun to show signs of decline. Evans followed his game plan to perfection, drew “The Iceman” out of his comfort zone and forced him to give chase. Liddell reached with one too many punches and left himself vulnerable to the counter, eating a devastating overhand right in the second round. He hit the deck limp and unconscious 1:51 into Round 2, as a deafening hush enveloped an arena filled with more than 14,000 people, many of them sporting Liddell’s trademark Mohawk. The punch landed with such ferocity and force that some quietly wondered if they had witnessed a fatality. Liddell eventually regained his senses, but Evans had arrived as one of the game’s elite fighters. “The Iceman” would never win another fight.

3. Golden Ticket

Once Evans laid waste to Liddell, Ultimate Fighting Championship brass had no choice but to offer him a shot at the title. He was paired with champion Forrest Griffin in the UFC 92 main event on Dec. 27, 2008 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Griffin kept a safe distance for the better part of two rounds, frustrating the challenger with a hefty diet of leg kicks -- the same tactic that had brought him the light heavyweight crown in an upset of Quinton Jackson some six months earlier. Evans resorted to blowing kisses and grabbing his athletic cup, but his fortunes changed in the middle stanza. There, Griffin slipped during an exchange and wound up on his back. Evans capitalized on the opening, swarmed with punches from both hands and successfully avoided triangle choke and omoplata attempts before moving into position for the finish. He cut loose with a series of jackhammer rights that scrambled Griffin’s circuits and then followed up with a volley of lefts that had the dazed and defenseless champion tapping the mat as referee Steve Mazzagatti swooped in to stop it 2:46 into Round 3. “His guard was loose,” Evans said. “He was letting me hit him. He was smiling the whole time. I didn’t know if he was hurt or he was just pretending. Forrest was tough. He kept taking those punches.”

4. Brief Stay

Evans’ stay at the top covered just 147 days, as Lyoto Machida ended his reign with power, patience and precision in the UFC 98 headliner on May 23, 2009 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The unbeaten Machida dominated the match from the start, as he delivered three knockdowns against the champion and finished him with a brutal left hook. The final blow left Evans unconscious against the cage and brought a rousing conclusion to the first title bout between two undefeated fighters in Ultimate Fighting Championship history. With the exception of a brief second-round flurry, Evans never moved close enough to land anything of consequence against the elusive Brazilian. He met his end 3:57 into Round 2. For Evans, the first taste of defeat was a vicious one. “He was very difficult to solve, very fast and explosive,” Evans said after awakening from his slumber. “He did a good job tonight. He’s real clever, and he has excellent timing. I just didn’t come out sharp enough. The only thing I can do is go forward. It’s the first time being on the other side.”

5. Friends Turned Enemies

Adversity fueled Evans’ fire, as he pieced together a four-fight winning streak following his ill-fated encounter with Machida. Wins over Jackson, Ortiz, Thiago Silva and four-time NCAA All-American Phil Davis led to a confrontation with a familiar face: Jon Jones. The former training partners had become bitter rivals, prompting Evans to leave Jackson-Wink MMA for the Blackzilians outfit in Boca Raton, Florida. They met for Jones’ light heavyweight crown in the UFC 145 main event on April 21, 2012 at Philips Arena in Atlanta. It did not go well for Evans. Jones controlled the distance, unveiled an endless bag of tricks and kept his stranglehold on the division with a unanimous decision. Scores were 49-46, 49-46 and 50-45. Jones’ prodigious offensive skill and creativity was something to behold. He tore into Evans with kicks to the leg, body and head, a stiff left jab, crackling right hands and even violent shoulder strikes from the clinch. However, his most effective weapon was the standing elbow -- a technique for which Evans appeared wholly unprepared. It nearly finished the fight for Jones in the second round, where he staggered the challenger against the cage. A flying knee and a beautiful left hook followed soon after. Evans, like others who have preceded him, struggled to bypass Jones’ enormous reach advantage. He landed a clean head kick in the first round that seemed to rattle Jones and delivered a nice right hand in the third. Beyond that, he fought mostly with his back to the cage, eating punches and kicks from a distance. Jones punctuated his latest conquest with a strong fifth round, as he backed up a jab with a crisp right hand, uncorked a knee from the clinch and scored with the only takedown of the bout. Evans scrambled free, perhaps wary of the champion’s infamous elbow strikes on the ground, but his fate had long been sealed. “He was pretty crafty and tricky, and I didn’t get my timing,” Evans said. “Give him props. He kept me on my toes, so I have to give it up to him.”