Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans has not been back in the octagon since his lost to Jon Jones at UFC 145 and was offered a chance to fight at UFC 153 on short notice.
Evans turned down the fight and explained why he turned down the fight on the UFC on FUEL TV 5 post fight show and then on Twitter.
“They offered me a fight, but it was against Glover Teixeira and I only had three weeks to fight and I haven’t been training,” Evans said on FUEL TV. “I was like, no way, not with that notice in Brazil.”
Evans then went to Twitter to explain in more detail on why he did not want to fight on short notice.
I will fight anybody with the proper notice.. But after 8yrs with the UFC & being one of their top earners. Y would I take a bad fight?!
— Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) September 30, 2012
Bad fight meaning not being in shape. Losing is hard enough but I will never serve myself up! If I’m haven’t been training I won’t fight!
— Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) September 30, 2012
I know alot of u fans may not realize but I don’t walk around ready 2 fight. No one does. In this sport it takes at least 8wks 2 b ready!
— Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) September 30, 2012
Fighting another person is much harder than most ppl think & if im not training it takes time 2 get ready. There r no easy fights!
— Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) September 30, 2012
“Suga” has been primarily been working for FUEL TV over the past couple of months and it should not come as a surprise that he didn’t want to take a fight on short notice.
He would like his next fight to take place in January or February and for the fight to be a light heavyweight bout. He had hinted about a possible move to middleweight, but that does not appear to be in his plans at this time.