A press conference organised to announce the upcoming bout between Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Rashad Evans at UFC 114 descended into a slanging match with Rashad branding Rampage a ‘tin man’.
The pair first went up against each other as competing coaches on the TV show Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights. The animosity between the two was soon on display and regularly looked likely to boil over into an on-air brawl.
“He couldn’t hold on to the belt after one fight,†Jackson (pictured) said at the conference.  “So why am I even fighting this guy? I’m fighting this guy to teach him a lesson to keep his mouth shut if he isn’t on the same level.”
“You have no heart,” Evans responded. “You are the f***ing Tin Man.”
UFC president Dana White, who attended the press conference, was quick to point out that the hatred the two fighters had for each other was not an act.
“It’s a sport, but make no mistakes, this is a fight-game,” said White. “Some people don’t like each other and want to fight real bad. This is one of those times.â€
The long-awaited clash between the two Americans has been penciled in for 29 May at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Jackson (30-7, 14 KOs) has not fought in over a year having taken time out to film the upcoming A-Team movie. Evans (14-1-1, 5 KOs) meanwhile last fought in January, winning on points against Thiago Silva.
The winner of the bout will go up against new heavyweight champion Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua for the title.
Â
