Rashad Evans believes Jones owed it to the UFC to save the card – UFC News
Like many others, even former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans believes Jon Jones could have saved the UFC 151 card, which is now a thing of the past. According to Evans, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones could have saved the card, and that he
owed it to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
“So, he was rewarded by the very process of somebody stepping in to take a fight,” said Evans in an interview to Pro MMA Radio.
“So, he owed it to the UFC to take the fight. Not only that, he owed it to all the other fighters on this card who are going to be missing paydays because of that. And lets not talk about how the UFC has done so much to make him the face of the UFC.”
Jon Jones is widely known to be UFC’s favourite fighter, as the company sponsors him in his fights. Evans challenged Jones earlier this year in a fight that took place on April 22. It was supposed to Jones’ toughest fight to date but the champion easily
made it out. Jones was sponsored by the UFC against Evans, which many thought was unethical as it pressurized Rashad Evans.
Jones defeated Evans via unanimous decision to save his crown. Evans, who had trash-talked a lot about Jones, was finally convinced that Jones indeed deserves the title. However, with the newly developed circumstances, Evans believes Jones could have saved
the UFC 151 card.
“They sponsored him. Everything he's gotten is because of the UFC, the whole Nike endorsement and everything else like that, has all been because of the UFC,” Evans added.
UFC 151 was scheduled to be held on September 1, 2012. Jones was slated to defend his title against Dan Henderson. However, due to an injury suffered by the latter, the fight was called off. President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship Dana White immediately
came to the rescue, trying to find a replacement for Henderson.
White tried Chael Sonnen but Jones declined saying he would not change opponents just a week before the fight, and so the card was cancelled.
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