A top star who helped give the UFC mainstream recognition, Rashad Evans will become a member of the UFC Hall of Fame as a part of its 2019 class. He will be honored via the modern wing.
“Suga” will be inducted on July 5th during International Fight Week. The announcement was made during the UFC Rochester broadcast.
A dominant light heavyweight, Rashad Evans (19-8-1) entered and won the second season of The Ultimate Fighter as a heavyweight. He beat Brad Imes in the finals in 2005. Following that win, Evans went on a winning streak against a group of guys that included Stephan Bonner, Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin.
Evans won the UFC Light Heavyweight Title twice, once from Griffin at UFC 92 and against Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2. The former Michigan State wrestling standout added charisma to the UFC’s early success. It all culminated with a personal affair against Jon Jones for the Light Heavyweight Title at UFC 145. While he lost the title to Jones, the fight helped further cement Evans’ distinction of a box office hit.
Evans retired in 2018 following a loss to Anthony Smith at UFC 225. That was his fifth loss in a row. While he is no longer fighting Evans is still around the MMA scene. He is a broadcaster on UFC programming and trains various fighters, including Kamaru Usman.
Rashad Evans is the latest member of the UFC Hall of Fame’s Modern Wing, joining Griffin, B.J. Penn, Urijah Faber, Ronda Rousey and Michael Bisping. This year’s class also includes Bisping, along with Rich Franklin.