source: www.mmajunkie.com
While a recent ESPN.com report suggested that former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (15-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) was upset at sitting on the sidelines while waiting for current champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (19-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) to heal from knee surgery, UFC president Dana White said "Suga" is doing just fine.
White was initially baffled by Evans' comments in the report, which suggested he was frustrated at Rua's recovery schedule, but the UFC boss says the two have since worked through any hard feelings and everything is on track for 2011.
"Rashad and I talked right after that whole goofy incident," White said. "We're cool."
In the initial report, Evans suggested that if he didn't get a chance to fight for the title in a timely fashion, he might lose his desire to fight for the belt altogether.
This past weekend, White said those comments were misconstrued.
"When you're in this business, and you have these guys talking to the media ... believe it or not, you guys take things out of context sometimes, and stuff happens," White said.
White did admit he's had some past tension with Evans, but he believes everything is fine for the time being.
"Me and Rashad fight sometimes," White said. "We get into arguments, and I do with all the guys. Nothing is ever 100 percent. 'Hey, this is great. We're all the best.'
"Sometimes you're going to have different opinions and disagree on things, and we're going to go out and say things publicly, but we try to patch them up behind the scenes."
White believes a yet-to-be-announced March card in the United Arab Emirates (expected to serve as UFC 128) is the most likely date for the fight. Ultimately, the date will depend on the status of Rua's knee, which he had surgically repaired this past June. Rua's knees have proven troublesome for the past few years of his career, but White believes the issue may now finally be resolved.
"He's had these knee problems before, and he got his knee done in Brazil and then never did the therapy he was supposed to do," White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "(He) always tried to come back too soon. The guy who did his knee this time is the best. He might even be the best in the world, and Shogun's done all the right things – done the right rehab, taken time off, didn't come back training too soon.
"Everything's on schedule, and he's looking good."
The UFC light heavyweight title has proven difficult to maintain in previous years with just two men successfully defending the belt at least once following Chuck Liddell's two-year run as champ. Those two men, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto Machida, meet at this weekend's UFC 123 event in suburban Detroit, and the winner will have a strong claim as the division's next No. 1 contender.
White said he's not certain exactly how the division will shake out, but with Rua nearing full recovery, he's excited at the potential for the 205-pound division in 2011.
"The 205-pound division is so stacked with so many good fights," White said. "That's what I'm waiting for; I'm waiting for this logjam to free up. [Rua's] knee is clogging this whole thing up. So once his knee is healed up, we're going to be putting on some sick 205-pound fights next year."
While a recent ESPN.com report suggested that former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (15-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) was upset at sitting on the sidelines while waiting for current champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (19-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) to heal from knee surgery, UFC president Dana White said "Suga" is doing just fine.
White was initially baffled by Evans' comments in the report, which suggested he was frustrated at Rua's recovery schedule, but the UFC boss says the two have since worked through any hard feelings and everything is on track for 2011.
"Rashad and I talked right after that whole goofy incident," White said. "We're cool."
In the initial report, Evans suggested that if he didn't get a chance to fight for the title in a timely fashion, he might lose his desire to fight for the belt altogether.
This past weekend, White said those comments were misconstrued.
"When you're in this business, and you have these guys talking to the media ... believe it or not, you guys take things out of context sometimes, and stuff happens," White said.
White did admit he's had some past tension with Evans, but he believes everything is fine for the time being.
"Me and Rashad fight sometimes," White said. "We get into arguments, and I do with all the guys. Nothing is ever 100 percent. 'Hey, this is great. We're all the best.'
"Sometimes you're going to have different opinions and disagree on things, and we're going to go out and say things publicly, but we try to patch them up behind the scenes."
White believes a yet-to-be-announced March card in the United Arab Emirates (expected to serve as UFC 128) is the most likely date for the fight. Ultimately, the date will depend on the status of Rua's knee, which he had surgically repaired this past June. Rua's knees have proven troublesome for the past few years of his career, but White believes the issue may now finally be resolved.
"He's had these knee problems before, and he got his knee done in Brazil and then never did the therapy he was supposed to do," White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "(He) always tried to come back too soon. The guy who did his knee this time is the best. He might even be the best in the world, and Shogun's done all the right things – done the right rehab, taken time off, didn't come back training too soon.
"Everything's on schedule, and he's looking good."
The UFC light heavyweight title has proven difficult to maintain in previous years with just two men successfully defending the belt at least once following Chuck Liddell's two-year run as champ. Those two men, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto Machida, meet at this weekend's UFC 123 event in suburban Detroit, and the winner will have a strong claim as the division's next No. 1 contender.
White said he's not certain exactly how the division will shake out, but with Rua nearing full recovery, he's excited at the potential for the 205-pound division in 2011.
"The 205-pound division is so stacked with so many good fights," White said. "That's what I'm waiting for; I'm waiting for this logjam to free up. [Rua's] knee is clogging this whole thing up. So once his knee is healed up, we're going to be putting on some sick 205-pound fights next year."