Davis About To Get Some "Suga" In His "Wonderbar"

As the UFC hosts its first event of the New Year on Fox, could fans finally see “Suga” Rashad Evans complete his long deferred title run?
Evans, who was originally awarded a shot at champion Shogun Rua at UFC 128, injured his knee in training camp, and Rua was left without an opponent. After his short victory over Ryan Bader at UFC 126, Jon Jones was called up to fight Rua for the belt.
Jones went on to destroy Rua, frustrating the champ in all aspects of the fight. After the fight, Evans, fully recovered from his knee injury, entered the cage. He congratulated his training partner at Jacksons MMA, and UFC President Dana White announced that the two would square off for Jones’s newly acquired gold. Jones accepted, adding that he would fight anyone the UFC put in front of him. The unwritten rule that training partners do not fight one another, regardless of the circumstances had been broken, and Evans angrily accepted.
Shortly after UFC 128, and the announcement of the Jones-Evans fight, Evans left Jacksons MMA, where he had trained since he won The Ultimate Fighter season 2 as a heavyweight. He went to Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Florida and formed what is now known as “The Blackzilians” with a group of top Brazilian fighters shortly after their departure from American Top Team.
Evans versus Jones was supposed to happen several times. The first time, at UFC 133, Jones was forced out of the bout with a hand injury sustained while fighting Rua. Evans, wanting to stay active in the interim, agreed to fight rising prospect Phil Davis at the event instead. With less than a month before the fight, Davis was forced out due to a knee injury, and Evans was left without an opponent in the main event. Enter Tito Ortiz, a man with which Evans fought to a unanimous draw at UFC 73. The rematch was booked for UFC 133, and on four weeks notice, Ortiz stepped into the Octagon to square off against the perennial number one contender.
The fight began back and forth, with Ortiz getting the better of the early exchanges. Evans was backed up into the corner and taken down. After an exhausting struggle from both fighters, Evans made his way back to his feet and began to take the round. Evans amped up his striking and scored a massive slam. From top position, he improved to full mount and ended the ground with hard strikes from the top.
Despite ending the round throwing a lot of punches, Evans came out in the second the fresher of the two. He came at Ortiz, aggressive with his punches. Evans landed a combination that floored Ortiz, but on the way down he locked up a tight guillotine choke. Ortiz spent all of his energy on the choke, but Evans was able to wiggle free, spelling the end for Ortiz. He rolled over to avoid the punches of Evans, but was trapped in a crucifix, and later finished on the ground after a knee to the liver.
The title fight was finally in Evans’s sights, and was confirmed to happen at UFC 140. Evans decided to forego the opportunity of a lifetime to be 100 percent, as he had a nagging thumb injury to take care of. Lyoto Machida stepped in, and Jon Jones handled him with a guillotine choke in the second round. Jones and Evans keep tearing through opponents, and it seems these two are destined to meet. Before that can happen, Evans must get past the undefeated Phil Davis.
Evans and Davis both wrestled collegiately at Michigan State and Penn State respectively. Evans is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Rolles Gracie, where Davis is just a blue belt. Early on in his career, Davis has shown that he has an impressive arsenal of submissions. A variation of the kimura is now known as the “Wonderbar,” in homage to Davis’s nickname, “Mr. Wonderful.” The edge in the wrestling goes to Evans, but black belt or not, Davis is the better submission guy here. Evans probably has a stronger knowledge of grappling and positioning, but Davis has a much stronger arsenal of submissions. In terms of the striking game, I’m not sure either fighter really has an advantage. They both use their striking to set up takedowns, and neither can really be called a boxer. Evans however, has a superior ground striking game.
Time and time again, predictions have been cast aside when it comes to two spectacular wrestlers, as they end up in an all out striking brawl when their wrestling cancels out. I don’t believe we will see a stalemate in this one, but more of a back and forth grappling brawl. Expect Evans to get the better of the takedowns, and rain down punches. Davis won’t be held down for long, and will look for submissions from every position possible. Davis has a strong enough will, and a good enough ground game to not get suffocated and finished quick, but I still do not believe he has the tools to stop a highly motivated Evans, who takes a decision victory on his way to his ill-fated match with Jon Jones.