Bickering like a couple of little kids on the playground, Quinton (Rampage) Jackson and Rashad Evans exchanged insults during a very heated press conference to promote this weekend’s UFC 114.
The two UFC fighters attempted to talk over each other repeatedly in during their face to face stare downs during Season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Reporters at the conference were unnecessary props during the majority of the conference as the two former light-heavyweight champions could not stop arguing with each other.
The two sworn enemies will finally meet May 29 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas this Saturday where the animosity will finally be settled once and for all.
While most MMA fighters pride themselves on showing respect to their opponents, Jackson and Evans literally hate each other.
“These kind of fights happen every once in a while,” said UFC president Dana White.
“These guys don’t like each other. It doesn’t get any more real than this,” he added.
Tuesday’s call had it all, from curse words to gay slurs. White called it the most heated pre-fight call he had ever been on.
“When you get two of the best in the world fighting each other, it’s fun anyway,” said White. “But when they don’t like each other this much, it makes it a lot more fun.”
There is more than bragging rights on the line, however. The Jackson-Evans winner will get a title shot at newly crowned 205-pound champion Mauricio (Shogun) Rua, White confirmed.
Evans (19-1-1) called Jackson a “Tin Man” — a fighter without heart who quit in a 2005 loss to Rua. He also laid into Jackson’s street vibe.
“Stop acting like you’re stupid. Stop acting like just because you’re black, you’re stupid,” said Evans, who is also black. “I can’t stand that attitude.”
Things turned ugly when Jackson (30-7) made reference to how fighters in Evans’ camp tweak their nipples in the cage before fights (an inside joke that reportedly started with Canadian Georges St-Pierre hearing it was supposed to bring luck).
“I do what I do, you do what I do,” said Jackson. “Why are you acting all cocky and acting all fake and be playing with your nipples because you’re all gay. … Why do you portray the stereotype of a black gay man?”
Said Evans: “I’m going to put my big balls right in your face.”
Needless to say it went downhill from there very fast.
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