Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Ducked UFC 140 Fight

[WrestlingSmarks News]

When Jon Jones pulled out of the initially planned bout with Rashad Evans for a hand injury that he and his camp originally claimed would require surgery, only to not have any procedure done and take a fight with Quinton Jackson instead, many people (myself included) said that the way things broke down made Jones look like he had ducked Evans. Now, the tables have (kind of) been turned and Jones accepted the fight for UFC 140 only to have Evans say that a hand injury will have him unable to fight on the card.

Now, Jones is doing the very savvy thing and telling MMA Fighting that Rashad is now the one doing the ducking:

Did you tell the UFC that since Evans wasn't ready to fight in December that you would rather wait a month or two to fight him so you can finally put this beef behind you?

Well, Dana White basically needed someone to save 140. I didn't necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, 'You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks.' I'm already in shape. I already know what I want to do. Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, 'Oh, I didn't expect Jon to say yes. I don't want to fight him that soon.' So in reality, he's kind of the one who's ducking the fight. I feel like he's ducking the fight.

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Rashad put himself in a dumb position by swearing up and down that he could fight at 140 and then, once the fight is offered, saying he can't get cleared. Jones is doing exactly the right thing in terms of handling it in the media.

He was made to look bad previously, and now he has flipped it and giving it right back.

How disappointed I am in not seeing Evans/Jones finally is totally separate from how happy I am to see Jon be aggressive in the media.