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Rampage Jackson hints at potential boxing match against former UFC champion
Rampage Jackson. Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Rampage Jackson hints at potential boxing match against former UFC champion

From mixed martial arts to kickboxing to professional wrestling, Rampage Jackson has just about done it all in the world of combat sports.

But there’s one form of prize fighting he hasn’t yet checked off his bucket — boxing.

That may change in the near future as Jackson alluded to a possible boxing match against former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans during a recent appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience.”

“I saw [Evans] not too long ago,” Jackson said. “Him and I are talking about doing a boxing match against each other in November. We’re trying to get that going.”

Though Jackson and Evans seem to be on good terms now, there used to be no love lost between them. The one-time training partners became bitter rivals back in 2010 ahead of their bout at UFC 114 — one that Evans won via unanimous decision.

The two also coached opposite of one another during Season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter” that same year in arguably the most drama-filled season of the series.

Jackson and Evans frequently engaged in smack talk on the show, and Jackson famously destroyed one of the doors at the UFC training center during filming after one of his fighters lost to one of Evans’ fighters.

“I hated him,” Jackson added. “I hated Rashad…He’s a totally different person. He’s likable now. I still want to knock him out though.”

Jackson hasn’t competed in MMA since his first-round TKO loss to Fedor Emelianenko in December 2019 at Bellator 237. 

He posted a 38-14 record as a mixed martial artist, winning the UFC light heavyweight championship and notching notable wins against several UFC legends including Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva and Lyoto Machida.

Jackson is 2-0 as a professional kickboxer, but neither he nor Evans have any pro boxing experience.

Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher is a longtime sports journalist based out of Nashville with a decade of experience covering college football, mixed martial arts and prep sports plus the NFL and NHL — specifically the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators. He’s covered several notable sporting events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game and an NHL Stadium Series. Some of his past bylines can be found at the Nashville Scene, SB Nation, The Hockey News and Fox Sports Knoxville

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