Jones to Evans: You’re a legend
Jon Jones: “Yeah, I actually felt really bad for him. I’m sure he trained really hard for that fight.”
Former and likely future UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones and former and likely not future UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans have a once friendly, turned bitter history. Evans helped put Jackson MMA on the map when he became champion, and when a young Jones joined the fold, it was with the understanding that he would not challenge the team captain.
Due to a convoluted set of circumstances, Jones ended up with title, and Rashad left and helped form the Blackzilians. Evans lost by decision to Jones at UFC 145 in 2012. He has gone 2-3 since and is on a two-fight losing streak, most recently to Glover Teixeira Saturday night in 108 seconds. He turns 37 in September.
Jones did not gloat Saturday night.
https://twitter.com/JonnyBones/status/721591843385774080
FOX analyst and former Jackson-Wink MMA fighter Brian Stann said on the UFC on FOX 19 post-fight show that fighting does not define Rashad Evans.
Jones agreed, in a message on Instagram.
“Stann’s absolutely right, keep your head up Evans,” wrote Jones. “In my eyes, you’ll always be a legend of the sport. You’re a great champion and always will be. Our fight records aren’t what define us, it’s about the journey we are courageous enough to be on.”
Jones has a history of posting inflammatory messages on his social network and then deleting them. Curiously, he apparently deleted this positive one too.