Rashad Evans has forged a remarkable career in mixed martial arts, but it hasn't been one free of hardship and adversity. In some ways, even in times of success, there have always been twists and turns, but Evans has always found a way to endure and absorb the lessons at hand.
Despite winning the second installment of The Ultimate Fighter as a heavyweight, "Suga" found himself on the opposite end of fan appreciation as he made his way up the ranks of the 205-pound division. The Chicago transplant became the fighter fans loved to hate, and never was that dynamic more obvious than when he was paired against light heavyweight legend Chuck Liddell at UFC 88 in Atlanta, Georgia.
"The Iceman," who was fresh off an action-packed tilt with Wanderlei Silva, was supposed to be on the road back to reclaiming his title, but a swift and devastating counter right hand demolished those plans in one rapid-fire moment. It was one vicious shot that passed the torch in an unforgettable fashion.
Evans would go on to win the light heavyweight title, then drop it in his next outing and spend the next three years working his way back to another title shot. While that eventually came against former friend turned rival Jon Jones at UFC 145 in 2012, it was originally slated to happen a year prior against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. It was a turn that created a tremendous rift between Evans and his longtime camp at Jackson/Winkeljohn's in Albuquerque, as Jones stepped up to replace an injured Evans and defeated the former Pride standout to become the youngest light heavyweight champion in UFC history.
Yet, despite his split from Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn and dropping a unanimous decision to Jones in Atlanta, Evans carried on. While he's never hesitated to admit that there was a great deal of personal baggage the bout with Jones put on his shoulders, the 36-year-old contender has also never lacked perseverance. Evans would go on to win his next two outings until a knee injury forced him out of his showdown with Daniel Cormier at UFC 170 and it is an affliction that still lingers to this day.
While he's been linked to several other matchups over the past year, Evans' knee still hasn't returned to form. Even though his layoff has undoubtedly come with frustration, Evans has kept his emotions in check. He knows he still has a lot to offer inside the Octagon, and he's patiently waiting for his chance to explode back onto the light heavyweight scene he helped to build.
"I've had to be really patient about things because I have to let everything heal correctly, but I'm really looking forward to getting back in there to fight," Evans told Bleacher Report. "My passion to compete is hotter than ever. I look at everything that happens in life and there is always a lesson to be learned. It may be hard and difficult to understand at first, but the lesson and message is always going to be there to be found. From this whole thing I've gone through I've learned a better appreciation for the sport.
"Sometimes you are involved in something for so long you start to kind of take things for granted. You just go through the motions. I think this break in my career and the time off I've had has helped me get back to the why...Why do I do this? Why did I start this in the first place? And that has helped me appreciate my career and regain the love I had for MMA when I first got started.
"Having a lot of time to think about fighting in life the way I've had can be a great thing," he added. "You can really examine the highs and lows and being in this position has opened my mind up in a way that wouldn't have happened had the injury not happened when it did."
While parting ways from the camp and team with whom he rose through the ranks wasn't an easy decision to make, it was also the first step Evans took toward creating an entirely new faction in Boca Raton, Florida. Although there wasn't a concrete name for the collective in the early days of the team that was forming around Evans, the Blackzilians moniker would arise and stick from there on out.
In the three years since the Blackzilians were founded by Evans and Glenn Robinson, the squad has grown to become one of the most dominant forces in MMA. The team boasts current title challengers Anthony Johnson and Vitor Belfort and a collection of notable talents that includes lightweights Michael Johnson, former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez and surging grappling phenom Gilbert Burns. In addition to the most recognizable names on the team, the faction consists of battle-hungry athletes waiting for their opportunities to break through.
Some of these fighters will be on display when the current season of The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians airs Wednesday nights on Fox Sports 1. Rather than put a collection of fighters in one house, all vying for the coveted six-figure contract, this season will pit two of the most prominent MMA teams in South Florida against one another. As the Blackzilians' front man, Evans' role further allowed him to appreciate a major contribution he's made to the sport he loves.
Therefore, in what hardship and friction started, Evans has yet again forged a positive out of a grim situation.
"When you stay patient and keep on track, the great things are going to come to you. This team was formed out of hardship and from an unfortunate situation. I didn't know how it was going to turn out and it turned out as a huge blessing. I couldn't be happier. Then, to be on The Ultimate Fighter again, but to be doing a season that is the first of its kind, is amazing.
"Man, I feel so great about this team and what's going on at our gym. That's one of those things I look at when I think about what I've accomplished and my impact in this sport. I was a big part of starting one of the best teams in the world. We are one of the best teams in the whole entire world and that's a tremendous feeling. It's kind of hard to believe at times, but it was just a collection of great things happening at one time. Great things continue to happen for us and everyone is still working together same as it was at the beginning.
"I'm excited for everything that is happening and all of the things the future holds because I can tell you right now my mind has never been so motivated and hungry to get back in there and compete."
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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