Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson eyes boxing grudge match against former UFC rival Rashad Evans
UFC legend Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Rashad Evans are looking to renew their rivalry, but this time in boxing.
Jackson was supposed to box Shannon Briggs on June 1 in Qatar but that fight didn’t happen. With Jackson looking to get back into action, he has floated the idea of rekindling his rivalry with Evans.
The two were both on TUF 10 and the two fought each other at UFC 114 with Evans winning the bout by decision. That was the only time the two have fought, but Jackson says despite them being friends now, he is open to them having a boxing match against each other.
“It was good catching up with Rashad because he is actually fun, he’s actually a good guy,” Jackson told Demetrious Johnson in an interview (via BloodyElbow).
“I just didn’t like him back in the day. The director of A-Team Joe Carnahan did another movie called Boss Level and he had a bright idea to make Rashad and I German twins. We were on set and at first, it was kind of tough but after a while we became cool and we’ve been boys ever since but I feel like I still have that unfinished business with him,” Jackson added.
Although the two are friendly, Jackson says there is unfinished business and would like to box Evans.
“He said that he’s down to fight me in a boxing match, I don’t think he wants no more MMA because he knows I was going to put my foot through his ass in MMA, he just got lucky and beat me so he thinks he can outbox me, so hopefully one day that will happen,” Jackson added.
‘Rampage’ Jackson last fought in MMA in 2019 when he suffered a TKO loss to Fedor Emelianenko and is 38-14 as a pro. Rashad Evans, meanwhile, is 20-8-1 and returned to MMA in 2022 with a decision win over Gabriel Checco.
Rashad Evans shows interest in ‘Rampage’ Jackson rematch
After Jackson called for a rematch with Rashad Evans, Evans also expressed interest in the bout.
“Hard to believe this happened almost 14 years ago time to run it back (Rampage Jackson),” Evans wrote.
Whether or not a boxing match between Evans and Jackson will come to fruition remains to be seen, but both fighters do seem interested in it.
