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Evans-Jackson Postponed Until Early 2010

2K views 32 replies 25 participants last post by  The505Butcher 
#1 ·
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/evans-jackson-postponed-until-early-2010-19568

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s big break has broken up a headlining bout against Rashad Evans at UFC 107.

Jackson and Evans, rival coaches on “The Ultimate Fighter 10” debuting Sept. 16 on Spike TV, will no longer face off in a culminating bout on Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn., where Jackson hails from.

Evans was notified Saturday that his headlining light heavyweight bout with Jackson will be postponed until early 2010, as Jackson begins shooting a lead role in the feature film remake of “The A-Team” in Vancouver, British Columbia. The 31-year-old Jackson will reprise the role of “B.A. Baracus,” made famous by iconic personality Mr. T in the 1980s.

Numerous outlets, including U.K-based “The Sun,” have reported on the jeopardized bout for the last few weeks, and UFC President Dana White even voiced his disdain for Jackson’s moonlighting aspirations at UFC 102 in late August.

The UFC has yet to make an official announcement regarding the postponed bout. Evans said White exerted all efforts to preserve the matchup, which will be heavily promoted for the next 12 weeks on Spike TV during the series.

“It’s definitely off on the 12th,” Evans told host Bruce Buffer on the Sherdog Radio Network’s “It’s Time” show Tuesday. “I am (going to fight him), but not when I’m supposed to. He’s kind of getting sidetracked taking other opportunities above fighting.”

Evans, who lost the light heavyweight title to Lyoto Machida via a vicious second-round knockout at UFC 98 last May, said he hasn’t been given a replacement date yet.

“They haven’t nailed down any dates, but they did say it would happen after the new year,” said Evans. “I think they we’re waiting to speak with Quinton’s guys to see when exactly he feels he should be ready.”

The UFC has already scheduled a Jan. 2 bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will likely follow it up with another event in town around Superbowl weekend.

Jackson’s withdrawal leaves a headlining slot vacant on Dec. 12. A lightweight championship bout between B.J. Penn and (presumably) Diego Sanchez has been moved to the date, though fans are expecting another big-name tilt to fill the void. The UFC is also currently trying to lock down a main-event bout to anchor its UFC 105 card on Nov. 14 in Manchester, England.

Evans, 29, said he would be open to fighting another opponent on Dec. 12 if necessary. However, he seemed doubtful the promotion would supersede the original bout between the two former light heavyweight champions.

“If it couldn’t happen at all, I would definitely want to fight somebody else,” said Evans, “but I know the UFC definitely has a lot invested in us fighting each other. It makes no sense for us to fight somebody else because then all that they have created is just a waste.”

Evans said he was disappointed and “let down” by the development, and that it called into question the “trust and respect” between the various players.

If faced with the same decision, Evans said he would have kept his commitment to the UFC and Spike TV.

“I would stick with my obligations and do the fight,” said Evans. “I know he has this amazing opportunity to do this acting, but at the same time, at the end of the day he’s still just going to be a fighter. He’s not going to be an actor. He’s a fighter. That’s what he does. We all want to branch off and do different things because we never know when this is going to end, but you have to remember what’s paying the bills for you at this particular time.”
 
#2 ·
Rashad Evans confirms UFC 107 bout with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is off

The speculation is over.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (30-7 MMA, 5-1 UFC) will not be fighting Rashad Evans (13-1-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) at UFC 107 in December.

While the potential for Jackson to withdraw from the event has been discussed for weeks, Evans today confirmed in an interview with Bruce Buffer that the fight has been delayed until at least 2010.

The interview aired on today's episode of "It's Time" on the Sherdog Radio Network.

"It's definitely off for the 12th," Evans said. "It's just disappointing because as a fighter you get your mind wrapped around when you're going to have to fight. Then you kind of just gear up toward it and put everything in place for that time. You take care of a lot of things you need to take care of so when you're in camp you don't have to worry about it. To find out its not going to be happening when you want it to happen is always a little bit of a letdown."

While multiple outlets have reported on the potential for Jackson to take on the role of B.A. Baracus in a feature version of "The A-Team," Evans said until recently he believed it wasn't going to happen.

"I heard a little bit about it at the last UFC, 102, and (UFC president) Dana (White) said he was working to resolve the issue, and he was pretty confident that he was going to have some kind of resolution by the end of the week," Evans said. "But then things must have took a turn for the worse and it wasn't going to be resolved. The end result was him definitely pulling out."

While White made his feelings on the subject obvious at a pre-UFC 102 press conference, Evans echoed the sentiments that fighters should stick to what they do best.

"I would stick with my obligations to do the fight (if I was in the same situation)," Evans said. "I know that he has an amazing opportunity to do this acting role, but then at the same time, at the end of the day he's still going to be just a fighter. He's not going to be an actor."

As opposing coaches on the upcoming tenth season of "The Ultimate Fighter," Evans and Jackson were supposed to clash at the conclusion of the series. Evans said he still believes his next fight will be with Jackson, he's just not sure when it will be.

"I'm pretty positive that it's going to be my next fight," Evans said. "They haven't nailed down any dates, but they did say it was going to be after the New Year. I think they were waiting to speak with Quinton's guys and find out exactly when exactly he feels he should be ready. They just want to get it done and over with, and they're just trying to work with him and see what they can do."
http://mmajunkie.com/news/16119/ras...-bout-with-quinton-rampage-jackson-is-off.mma

Well that really sucks.
 
#17 ·
....not to mention the almost pointless build up in this season of TUF!

major buzzkill for sure!
 
#13 ·
props to rampage.

forget all the fans if you're doing something for yourself you wanna do, big ups to rampage.

ricky williams (NFL for the slow people) recently said he's studying to be a massage therapist, and all of his fans wanted him to smoke weed and play football some more. he's doing what he wants to do for him, so props.

oh well for rashad, fight luis cane or some shit.

all of these peons and peasants catching feelings because he wants to do something other than fighting and explore new professions, lmao get over it..not every fighter wants to fight and fight and fight constantly.
 
#18 ·
do you want to look at the the budget for TUF 10? How about what Spike has invested in it as well?
 
#20 ·
I don't mind this at all. Rampage sounded like a perfect guy to play BA on that movie and Im looking forward to see it more than Rampage vs. Rashad fight already. I pity the fool that isn't feeling same. :D
 
#26 ·
N1™;992598 said:
the contracts should prevent them from doing movies when they have fights scheduled
It may welll have such a stipulation, but I read that he never signed the contract, not too surprising given that it's still over three months away. You'd think they'd want him to sign a contract prior to TUF that would guarantee a fight, but perhaps that's just not the way fight contracts have been done so far.

Bet Dana's gonna shore that right up tho.
 
#28 ·
Rashad is a moron. If the movie does really well and people like Rampage he will get more big money acting jobs. Go ask the rock or hogan how big of a mistake it was to put their careers on hold to do movies. Rampage making himself into a bigger star makes more money for himself, his oppoenents, the UFC, and everyone else in the company. More buyrates equals higher payouts. How much crossover is there on this site between the people crying about what Rampage is doing and people who show up in every payout thread and cry about that too?
 
#33 ·
Yes us almighty internet gurus who would rather watch a fight than a movie with a punch of men running around shooting the ground around the villains who run away and is a happy ending. Sorry but I like fighters more than actors.

He might get paid more but if he is going to act like he hates Rashad so much and then put off that fight for even longer even though he still has time to train and stay in shape while filming the movie he should fight.
 
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