Rashad Evans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rashad Evans |
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Evans in December 2009
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| Born | September 25, 1979 Niagara Falls, New York, U.S. |
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| Other names | Suga | |||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | |||||||||||||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) | |||||||||||||
| Division | Middleweight (2017) Light Heavyweight (2004–2016, 2018) Heavyweight (2005) |
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| Reach | 75 in (191 cm) | |||||||||||||
| Style | Wrestling | |||||||||||||
| Fighting out of | Boca Raton, Florida, U.S. | |||||||||||||
| Team | Jackson Wink MMA Academy (until 2011) Blackzilians (2011–2017) Kill Cliff FC (2017–2022) |
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| Rank | Black belt in No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Rolles Gracie Black belt in Gaidojutsu |
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| Wrestling | NCAA Division I Wrestling | |||||||||||||
| Years active | 2003–2018, 2022 | |||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 29 | |||||||||||||
| Wins | 20 | |||||||||||||
| By knockout | 7 | |||||||||||||
| By submission | 2 | |||||||||||||
| By decision | 11 | |||||||||||||
| Losses | 8 | |||||||||||||
| By knockout | 3 | |||||||||||||
| By decision | 5 | |||||||||||||
| Draws | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||
| Occupation | MMA fighter | |||||||||||||
| University | Michigan State University Niagara County C.C. |
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| Children | 5 | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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last updated on: July 22, 2011
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Rashad Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial artist. He competed mostly in the Light Heavyweight division. Rashad started his professional MMA career in 2003.
In 2005, he won The Ultimate Fighter 2 as a Heavyweight. Later, in 2008, he became the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. In 2019, he was honored by being added to the UFC Hall of Fame. Today, he works as a TV analyst for the UFC. He also helps run a company called Umbo.
Contents
Rashad's Wrestling Journey
Rashad Evans was a talented wrestler in high school. He wrestled for Niagara-Wheatfield High School in New York. He reached the state finals tournament twice. In 1997 and 1998, he earned All-State honors.
He then moved on to college wrestling. He competed for Niagara County Community College. In 2000, he became the national champion in his weight class. After that, he wrestled for Michigan State University. He placed third in the Big Ten Championships in 2003. Rashad had a strong college wrestling career.
Starting in Mixed Martial Arts
Early Fights and Reality TV
In 2004, Rashad Evans began his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career. He won all five of his first fights. This success led him to be chosen for The Ultimate Fighter 2. This was a reality TV show on Spike. The show started in August 2005. It ended with a live finale in November 2005.
Rashad was one of nine heavyweight fighters on the show. He was smaller than most of his opponents. Still, he won his fights against Tom Murphy, Mike Whitehead, and Keith Jardine. He won all of these by decision. In the finale, Rashad beat Brad Imes. This win earned him a contract with the UFC. After the show, Rashad joined a new training camp.
Fighting in the UFC
Becoming an Undefeated Star
After The Ultimate Fighter, Rashad decided to fight in the light heavyweight division. He thought he would do better in a lower weight class. His first fight in the UFC was in April 2006. He won against Sam Hoger.
He continued his winning streak. He beat Stephan Bonnar in June 2006. Rashad controlled the fight with many takedowns. Three months later, he faced Jason Lambert. Rashad won by knockout in the second round. This was his first knockout win in a long time.
Next, Rashad fought Sean Salmon in January 2007. Salmon was a good wrestler. But Rashad surprised everyone with a head kick knockout. This win showed that Rashad was more than just a wrestler. It also earned him a Knockout of the Night award.
At UFC 73, Rashad fought former champion Tito Ortiz. The fight ended in a draw. Ortiz lost a point for holding the cage. This made the fight a tie. They would have a rematch four years later.
Rashad then fought Michael Bisping at UFC 78. Rashad won by split decision. This was Bisping's first loss. After this fight, Rashad changed his fighting style. He kept it a secret until his next big fight.
Shocking the World Against Chuck Liddell
At UFC 88, Rashad faced Chuck Liddell. Liddell was a famous former champion. Many people thought Rashad would lose. But Rashad surprised everyone. He knocked out Liddell with a powerful punch. Liddell was unconscious for a few minutes. This knockout won Rashad another Knockout of the Night award. It was also named "Knockout of the Year" for 2008. After this big win, the UFC President, Dana White, said Rashad would get a title shot.
Winning the UFC Championship
On December 27, 2008, Rashad fought Forrest Griffin for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Griffin was the champion. He did well in the first two rounds. But in the third round, Rashad landed a strong punch. Griffin fell, and Rashad finished the fight with more punches. Rashad Evans became the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion! This amazing year earned him "Fighter of the Year" honors. This fight also won a Fight of the Night award.
Losing the Title and Coming Back
Rashad's first title defense was against Lyoto Machida. Machida won the fight by knockout. This was Rashad's first loss in his career. After this, Rashad became a coach on The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights. He was supposed to fight Rampage Jackson. But Jackson had to film a movie. So, Rashad fought Thiago Silva instead.
At UFC 108, Rashad beat Thiago Silva by decision. He showed off his grappling skills. This win set up his fight with Quinton Jackson. They finally fought at UFC 114 in May 2010. Rashad won by unanimous decision. This win meant Rashad would get another chance at the title. He was set to fight Maurício Rua.
However, Rashad got a knee injury. His training partner, Jon Jones, took his place. Jones won the title. This led to a big rivalry between Rashad and Jon Jones. Rashad decided to leave his old training camp. He joined a new team called the "Blackzilians."
Rashad was supposed to fight Jones at UFC 133. But Jones got hurt. So, Rashad had a rematch with Tito Ortiz. Rashad won by TKO in the second round. This win earned him another title shot against Jon Jones.
Fighting for the Title Again
Rashad faced Phil Davis in January 2012. He won by unanimous decision. This was a big win for Rashad.
Finally, Rashad fought Jon Jones for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. This big fight happened on April 21, 2012, at UFC 145. Rashad lost to Jones by unanimous decision.
After that, Rashad had a few more fights. He lost to Antônio Rogério Nogueira. Then he beat Dan Henderson and Chael Sonnen. He won against Sonnen by TKO in the first round.
Injuries and Return
Rashad faced several injuries. He had knee problems that kept him from fighting. He had to have surgery. He returned to fight Ryan Bader in October 2015, but lost. He also lost to Glover Teixeira in 2016.
Later, Rashad decided to move down to the middleweight division. He fought Dan Kelly and Sam Alvey, losing both by split decision. In 2018, he returned to light heavyweight and lost to Anthony Smith.
On June 25, 2018, Rashad Evans announced he was retiring from MMA. In 2019, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
However, Rashad decided to return to fighting. In December 2021, he announced he would fight for Khabib Nurmagomedov's promotion, Eagle Fighting Championship. His comeback fight was on January 28, 2022. He beat Gabriel Checco by unanimous decision. In December 2024, he signed with the Global Fight League.
Life Outside the Cage
Rashad Evans has five children. He also appeared in a Microsoft commercial. He was a frequent commentator on the ESPN show MMA Live. Rashad also appeared on the show Deadliest Warrior.
Awards and Achievements
Mixed Martial Arts
- Gladiator Challenge
- GC Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- UFC Hall of Fame (Modern wing, Class of 2019)
- UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
- The Ultimate Fighter 2 Heavyweight Tournament Winner
- Fight of the Night (Two times) vs. Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz 2
- Knockout of the Night (Two times) vs. Sean Salmon and Chuck Liddell
- Tied (Chuck Liddell) for fifth most wins in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (13)
- Second most takedowns landed in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (50)
- Sherdog
- 2008 Fighter of the Year
- 2008 Knockout of the Year against Chuck Liddell
- Mixed Martial Arts Hall of Fame
Amateur Wrestling
- Niagara Wheatfield High School
- 4th place New York State High School Wrestling Championships 145 lbs 1997, 171 lbs 1998
- National Junior College Athletic Association
- Junior College National Champion 165 lb – out of Niagara County Community College (2000)
Rashad's Fight Record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 29 matches | 20 wins | 8 losses |
| By knockout | 8 | 3 |
| By submission | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 11 | 5 |
| Draws | 1 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 20–8–1 | Gabriel Checco | Decision (unanimous) | Eagle FC 44 | January 28, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Miami, Florida, United States | |
| Loss | 19–8–1 | Anthony Smith | KO (knee) | UFC 225 | June 9, 2018 | 1 | 0:53 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Return to Light Heavyweight. |
| Loss | 19–7–1 | Sam Alvey | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Pettis vs. Moreno | August 5, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Mexico City, Mexico | |
| Loss | 19–6–1 | Daniel Kelly | Decision (split) | UFC 209 | March 4, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Middleweight debut. |
| Loss | 19–5–1 | Glover Teixeira | KO (punches) | UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans | April 16, 2016 | 1 | 1:48 | Tampa, Florida, United States | |
| Loss | 19–4–1 | Ryan Bader | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 192 | October 3, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 19–3–1 | Chael Sonnen | TKO (punches) | UFC 167 | November 16, 2013 | 1 | 4:05 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 18–3–1 | Dan Henderson | Decision (split) | UFC 161 | June 15, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | |
| Loss | 17–3–1 | Antônio Rogério Nogueira | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 156 | February 2, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 17–2–1 | Jon Jones | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 145 | April 21, 2012 | 5 | 5:00 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | For the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. |
| Win | 17–1–1 | Phil Davis | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis | January 28, 2012 | 5 | 5:00 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | UFC Light Heavyweight title eliminator. |
| Win | 16–1–1 | Tito Ortiz | TKO (knee to the body and punches) | UFC 133 | August 6, 2011 | 2 | 4:48 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 15–1–1 | Quinton Jackson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 114 | May 29, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 14–1–1 | Thiago Silva | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 108 | January 2, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 13–1–1 | Lyoto Machida | KO (punches) | UFC 98 | May 23, 2009 | 2 | 3:57 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Lost the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. |
| Win | 13–0–1 | Forrest Griffin | KO (punches) | UFC 92 | December 27, 2008 | 3 | 2:46 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 12–0–1 | Chuck Liddell | KO (punch) | UFC 88 | September 6, 2008 | 2 | 1:51 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Knockout of the Night. |
| Win | 11–0–1 | Michael Bisping | Decision (split) | UFC 78 | November 17, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | |
| Draw | 10–0–1 | Tito Ortiz | Draw (unanimous) | UFC 73 | July 7, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Sacramento, California, United States | Ortiz was deducted one point in round 2 for grabbing the fence. |
| Win | 10–0 | Sean Salmon | KO (head kick) | UFC Fight Night: Evans vs. Salmon | January 25, 2007 | 2 | 1:06 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | Knockout of the Night. |
| Win | 9–0 | Jason Lambert | KO (punches) | UFC 63 | September 23, 2006 | 2 | 2:22 | Anaheim, California, United States | |
| Win | 8–0 | Stephan Bonnar | Decision (majority) | UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5 | June 28, 2006 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 7–0 | Sam Hoger | Decision (split) | UFC Ultimate Fight Night 4 | April 6, 2006 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Light Heavyweight. |
| Win | 6–0 | Brad Imes | Decision (split) | The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale | November 5, 2005 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Heavyweight debut. Won The Ultimate Fighter 2 Heavyweight Tournament. |
| Win | 5–0 | Jaime Jara | Decision (unanimous) | Gladiator Challenge 27 | June 3, 2004 | 3 | 5:00 | Colusa, California, United States | Won the Gladiator Challenge Light Heavyweight Tournament. |
| Win | 4–0 | Hector Ramirez | Decision (unanimous) | 2 | 5:00 | ||||
| Win | 3–0 | Bryan Pardoe | TKO (punches) | Gladiator Challenge 26 | June 2, 2004 | 1 | 3:24 | Colusa, California, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Danny Anderson | TKO (submission to punches) | Dangerzone: Cage Fighting | April 10, 2004 | 1 | 3:09 | Osceola, Iowa, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Dennis Reed | Submission (anaconda choke) | 1 | 0:50 | Light Heavyweight debut. |
Exhibition Record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 3 matches | 3 wins | 0 losses |
| By decision | 3 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 3–0 | Keith Jardine | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter 2 | October 31, 2005 (air date) | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | TUF 2 Semi-finals bout. |
| Win | 2–0 | Mike Whitehead | Decision (unanimous) | October 17, 2005 (air date) | 3 | 5:00 | TUF 2 Quarter-finals bout. | ||
| Win | 1–0 | Tom Murphy | Decision (unanimous) | September 19, 2005 (air date) | 3 | 5:00 | TUF 2 elimination round. |
Pay-Per-View Events
| Date | Main event | Billing | Buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 July 2007 | Ortiz vs. Evans (co) | UFC 73 | 425,000 |
| 17 November 2007 | Evans vs. Bisping | UFC 78 | 400,000 |
| 6 September 2008 | Liddell vs. Evans | UFC 88 | 480,000 |
| 27 December 2008 | Griffin vs. Evans | UFC 92 | 1,000,000 |
| 23 May 2009 | Evans vs. Machida | UFC 98 | 635,000 |
| 2 January 2010 | Evans vs. Silva | UFC 108 | 300,000 |
| 29 May 2010 | Rampage vs. Evans | UFC 114 | 1,050,000 |
| 6 August 2011 | Evans vs. Ortiz | UFC 133 | 310,000 |
| 21 April 2012 | Jones vs. Evans | UFC 145 | 700,000 |
| 2 February 2013 | Evans vs. Nogueira (co) | UFC 156 | 330,000 |
| 15 June 2013 | Evans vs. Henderson | UFC 161 | 140,000 |
| 16 November 2013 | Evans vs. Sonnen (co) | UFC 167 | 630,000 |
See also
In Spanish: Rashad Evans para niños
- List of male mixed martial artists
