Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans is an America based Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter who was born in the hometown of Niagara Falls, New York on September 25, 1979. In the present scenario, Evans is teamed up with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and trains under legendary submission fighting trainer Greg Jackson; out of Albuquerque, the largest city in the state of New Mexico. In addition, there are two more heavyweight contenders Keith Jardine and Dan Christison, who have contested in the same season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, alongside Diego Sanchez, who is the season 1 middleweight victor and present welterweight challenger.
Rashad Evans has already been a two-time all-State fighter, when he was pursuing his schooling from Niagara-Wheatfield High School, based at Sanborn in New York. Furthermore, Evans was also a part of the school’s football team, wherein he played running back on offence, and safety when on defense. However, his wrestling abilities were much better than his football skills.
Ever since his graduation in 1997, Rashad Evans continued on developing his wrestling career as he attended Niagara County Community College, and also won the National Junior College championship at 75 kg, in the year 2000. Later on, he was shifted to Michigan State University, where he competed under the 79 kg weight category. Evans started for three years at Michigan, wherein he gathered an impressive 48-34 record, and was one of the only four to beat the legendary wrestler Greg Jones. He continued remaining a Lansing, Michigan resident even after earning a psychology degree from Michigan State, and during 2005 turned into an assistant coach for the Michigan State wrestling program.
As far as MMA is concerned, Rashad Evans contended in 5 professional MMA fighting matches, under the training of the MMA wrestling legend Dan Severn, and successfully triumphed in each of the matches. This campaign ensured his selection as one of the nine heavyweights to contend in the season 2 of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a reality TV show programmed on Spike TV.
Rashad Evans was considered as the shortest and the second lightest contender amongst the nine original heavyweight contestants, with a height of 180 cm and weight of 102 kg. Though termed as the underdog during ‘The Ultimate Fighter 2’, Evans gained success over Tom Murphy, Mike Whitehead, and Keith Jardine, to reach the finals of the competition. Moreover, he went on to continue with his winning form by defeating Brad Imes in the November 5 finale, thereby gaining a 3-year and a 6-figure contract with the UFC, accompanied by a spanking new car. Subsequent to The Ultimate Fighter, Evans united with Greg Jackson’s submission Fighting camp at New Mexico.
Thereafter, Rashad Evans emerged as a prominent MMA fighter and participated in several other championships and occasions, wherein he managed to draw consistent victories and fame to add another feather in his cap.
By Sherdog.com Staff
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