Rashad Evans reveals plan for rematch with fellow ex-UFC champion Rampage Jackson in 2025
Fifteen years on from their first pairing in the Octagon, former UFC light heavyweight champions, Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson are set to rekindle their infamous rivalry — with the former confirming plans to feature against the veteran in a professional boxing rematch early next year
Evans, who featured against Jackson in the main event of UFC 114 back in 2010 following a chaotic season serving as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, turned in a unanimous decision victory over the former Pride FC fan-favorite finisher.
Rashad Evans expects to box Rampage Jackson in rematch next year
Sidelined from mixed martial arts since a brief cameo under the Eagle Fighting Championship banner back in 2022 in which he snapped a five-fight losing run in a unanimous decision win over Gabriel Checco, Evans confirmed plans to fight Jackson as soon as 2025 in a boxing re-run.
“You’ll be interested to hear that I’ve jumped into training camp, and I’m going to do a boxing match with ‘Rampage,’” Rashad Evans told MMA Fighting during a recent interview. “We’re looking to do it potentially at the end of February, and it’s most likely going to be here in Florida. We’re going to do a boxing match.”
“I thought about [fighting again], and I was like I’m 45 years old right now, and I could just be done with it all and just enjoy this phase of my life that I’m in right now,” Rashad Evans explained. “But then I will always wonder if I would have just had that one boxing match just for fun, just to try it out.
“Boxing is something I’m a huge fan of and there’s nothing better than getting another chance to fight ‘Rampage.’ ‘Rampage’ is in pretty good shape right now. He was getting ready for Shannon “The Cannon” [Briggs] so he’s in pretty good shape. I want to get a chance to do it again with it.”
For Jackson, the veteran former undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion has yet to feature in mixed martial arts since he dropped a TKO loss to decorated heavyweight icon, Fedor Emelianenko under the Bellator MMA banner back in 2019.
Jackson most recently competed under the scrutiny of Fight Circus a year ago, turning in a third round knockout win over John Nutt and Woody.
