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[Cat--Smasher]

Rashad Evans: “I Believe I Can Beat Anderson Silva,” but Still Undecided on Move to 185 Pounds | MMAWeekly.com

“Anything’s a possibility, but first things first, the only thing that’s on my mind is getting past Nogueira. He’s a tough competitor and I’m excited to compete against him, so that right there has been taking my focus more than anything,” Evans told MMAWeekly.com on a media conference call on Monday.

A fight against Anderson Silva isn’t really the question for Evans. He would gladly accept that tomorrow, but the problem is he’s not confident just yet that he’d make 185 pounds comfortably right now. Evans has fought at heavyweight and light heavyweight, and while he does have a smaller frame walking around at five-feet-11-inches tall, he knows a move to middleweight would be a major endeavor on his body.

“It would be a lifestyle change. I’m talking about not just pre-fight stuff, my whole diet year round would have to change. Cause naturally I don’t look it, I’m really short and everything else, but naturally my body it goes to 235 (pounds) when I’m consistently not training. So everything I’d have to change about my diet on a daily basis,” said Evans.

“But if an opportunity was there and I felt good to do it, I’d do so. But one reason I decided not to do it was because I was like why would I drop to 185 just to be in the same spot I’m in at 205? It didn’t make any sense to me. If an opportunity came along that made more sense then it would be worth the sacrifice. If it was a title shot or against a really good, top contender, something like that, it would be something that people wanted to see, it would be something I would think about.”

The sacrifice would include a huge shift in Evans’ daily eating habits, and at 33 years of age, he knows it would be a tough road to travel to make the move to middleweight at this stage of his career.

“It’s a big question mark for me,” Evans stated about the move to 185 pounds. “Once I moved past 30, my body started changing a bit. Before it used to seem so easy to make 205, but now I’ve really got to focus and pay attention to food I put in my body, as well as any nutritional supplements because it (expletive) with my weight. Eating normally now like having a day or two off, I can be like 227 (pounds) without even trying, so I would really have to get a dietician or something, get on the Dolce Diet or something.

“I’m already at the top of my division and for me to go down to 185 is kind of like now I’ve got to start over and prove myself at 185. Because I am good at 205, but who is to say I’d be the same fighter at 185 when I cut that weight? There’s a lot of variables that can come into play.”

“When my career’s all said and done, I want to be able to look back and say I competed against some of the best guys ever in history. To me to be able to get a chance to compete against Anderson Silva would just be an amazing experience, and something I’d be able to take with me forever, to be able to say I went against the best guy and beat the best guy,” Evans said.

“I believe I can beat Anderson Silva, and I believe that the skills that I have is something he’d have hard time dealing with, but to compete against the guy, first and foremost, would be an honor in and of itself.”

[VimyRidge]

I would be fine with Evans-Silva at a catch weight.

I know everyone here is always saying "Silva has to defend his belt bla bla" But the question is, against whom?

Weidman really hasn't done much to deserve a title shot. He needs to beat a top 5 guy (or at least another top 5 guy if you really think that Munoz is a legit top 5).

As well, he will have some ring rust from the injury, and if the Weidman-Silva fight is going to be competitive, Weidman needs to be at the top of his game.

Give Weidman Belfort (although I would love to see Belfort against Lombard) before a title shot while Anderson fight Evans.

[VimyRidge]

In terms of outcomes, at 205 or catch weight, I still see Silva winning, I can see Evans taking a round or two with some LNP, but feel like he will get caught eventually.

(Although I will be cheering heavily for Evans)

[CtGreat]

He might be right. I would certainly give him a better shot than sonnen or weidman.

[The Joker]

Originally Posted by CtGreat

He might be right. I would certainly give him a better shot than sonnen or weidman.

So would I.

Personally, I want to see this fight at 205.

[H0SS]

The only way I see Evans winning is by a decision. And I just don't think he has the chin to survive for 25 minutes against Anderson.

[roaddawg]

He would get his ass beat like he got his ass beat by Jones.

[Kimbo> Rampage]

Id give Evans a better chance against Anderson than against Jones...

Could be an interesting fight.

I see Evans getting clipped and put out, if he does win it will be a UD.

[AnchorPunch]

Originally Posted by The Joker

So would I.

Personally, I want to see this fight at 205.

I love the 205 idea. Good fight and no issues of someone getting an immediate title shot at a new weight class. Plus MW is a weird place right now, not a terrible time for Silva to fight at LHW again; but it needs to be against real competition (as much as it pains me saying that about Bonnar).

[Goremire]

We all saw how the roided up douchebad in my avatar went against Silva, but Evans is a whole different kettle of fish. KO power, great speed and athleticism, powerful and technically sound takedowns - he's everything that Bonnar (and Forrest for that matter) is not.

Would he be the favourite? No. But he has the potential to cause more problems for Silva than any of the other opponents at 205.