Jon Jones explains why he couldn't train with Rashad Evans again
Long before Daniel Cormier was his biggest rival, Jon Jones had a long-standing grudge with former friend and training partner Rashad Evans.
The two light heavyweights were teammates under the tutelage of coach Greg Jackson, but a rift occurred after Jones won the UFC title. Evans then left the gym before ultimately helping to found the Blackzilians in Florida.
Eventually, the two met once again in the Octagon. Jones won a unanimous decision over Evans and it seemed to put the rivalry to bed. Since then, Jones has gone on to become the most successful light heavyweight champion in UFC history, and his path with Evans never crossed again.
Jones now says whatever animosity he once shared with Evans has dissipated, and he no longer holds any ill will towards his former teammate.
"I think it's safe to say my beef with Rashad is gone," Jones told FOX Sports on Thursday. "I won that fight when we fought so if anyone were to have hurt feelings, I'd imagine it would be him.
"Me and Rashad had really great moments before our drama started and those moments both me and him will remember. It was good times."
Evans, on the other hand, has suffered a tough stretch in his career where he's lost two fights in a row, including a knockout to Glover Teixeira just last weekend at FOX UFC Fight Night in Tampa.
After the fight was over, Evans said that something really needed to change in his life if he was going to make another run in the UFC before his career was over.
While Evans hasn't mentioned the possibility, many believe a return to his old team in New Mexico could help fuel a triumphant return to the win column for the former champion.
Jones, for one, believes Evans could benefit from working with coaches like Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn again — and benefit from an excellent training partner: himself.
Though he is hesitant to have Evans in the same training room.
"As far Rashad coming down to Jackson's, I think he'd be a tremendous training partner, but at the same time I think he's a little too close to Anthony Johnson," Jones explained.
Evans hasn't spoken much since his loss to Teixeira so there's no word if he's planning to change up his training camp or just make other adjustments before returning to action.
Whether or not that happens, it appears a return to Jackson's in New Mexico is off the table for Evans for now.
