Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Rashad Evans simply had more at stake, and it showed big-time in a dominant finish victory at UFC 167. “Suga” polished off Chael Sonnen in Las Vegas at the 4:05 mark of the opening round thanks to brutal ground and pound strikes. Sonnen clearly didn’t have as much on the line as the former light-heavyweight champion, as “The American Gangster” already has his next fight in place.
The former middleweight and light heavyweight title challenger will square off against hated rival Wanderlei Silva after they serve as opposing coaches at the Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3. Sonnen is just 1-3 in his last four fights, but it doesn’t seem to matter given his ability to sell PPV fights. His battle against “The Axe Murderer” shapes up as a highly-anticipated contest given the bad blood between the two competitors.
Evans had talked about a sense of rejuvenation after his most recent victory at UFC 161 against Dan Henderson. Evans has now won his last two contests after losing a couple of fights in a row where he seemed to have grown very lethargic.
Evans was expected to be the more athletic of the two competitors with better power than his good friend and broadcasting colleague. The finish of Sonnen was a dominant one for Evans, and it puts him in line for another major fight in the 205-pound division. Evans has a stellar wrestling background and good power, which makes him a threat for any light heavyweight.
As for Sonnen, it doesn’t seem to matter — win or lose, fans will be watching the next time he’s involved in Octagon action.
Rick LaFitte is an MMA Writer for Rant Sports
