Former UFC champion Rashad Evans to unretire, wants marquee boxing match

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (19-8-1) is back — sort of. 

ESPN's Brett Okamoto reports Evans is coming out of retirement and eyeing a marquee boxing match that will generate headlines and, ideally, pay-per-view buys. The 41-year-old who hasn't fought since he retired in 2018 named former boxing champion Roy Jones Jr. and YouTube personality Logan Paul as potential opponents. 

Sportico reported that the bout between Paul and all-time boxing great Floyd Mayweather from earlier this month sold roughly one million buys. 

"Those are the names we came up with," Evans explained when speaking with ESPN. "I've been watching Logan and his brother, Jake, and it's been impressive what they've been able to generate from an audience standpoint. It just kind of bothers me they're out here killing it. I see them fighting these people and I'm just like, 'This can't be real. They're out here really beating people at this?'

"I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it. They can't be this good, and I want to test it out. We've been speaking with Roy [Jones Jr.], and my management has talked to Logan's people, but it's all in the preliminary stages." 

Evans added he wishes to fight somebody this year and is open to a mixed martial arts contest for the right opportunity and cash. 

"[Money] goes into this decision. I'd be lying if I said it didn't," he said. "At the end of the day, I'm a prizefighter. But at the same time, it's not the whole picture. I enjoy competing." 

Evans won the light heavyweight crown from Forrest Griffin at UFC 92 in December 2008 but failed to successfully defend the title. He lost his final five UFC matches.