Had the fight gone a little longer, Rashad Evans might not have made it.
Evans outlasted Thiago Silva via decision on Saturday at UFC 108 in Las Vegas.
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Evans instigated the clinch in the opening moments. Silva was comfortable with his back against the fence for 25 seconds before going to his knees and getting up, only to have Evans slam him to the mat. Evans got into mount quickly, but Silva spun out of it and got it back to the feet.
Near the midway point, Silva missed on a knee as Evans shot for and scored a takedown into side control. But Silva was able to scramble to his feet again. Evans kept up the pace and pressed the action, hitting a combination to set up a takedown with 27 seconds left. Silva once again got it standing, but the round belonged decisively to Evans.
Evans got Silva against the fence 30 seconds into the second round, after Silva’s corner implored him to circle to the right and take the back.
Evans scored a double-leg takedown into Silva’s half-guard. Silva again had little problem gaining his feet, but it led once again to Evans taking him down at the fence. Midway through the round, Silva was up again.
Silva got things slowed down and landed his best combinations of the fight, stopping some of Evans’ excellent head movement for about 90 seconds. Evans then left no doubt about winning the round by driving Silva across the Octagon for another takedown.
Silva’s corner was well aware that the Brazilian was behind in points and needed a finish as Round Three commenced. The first minute featured Evans pressing Silva against the fence. When it broke to the middle, Evans registered a quick takedown, but the fight went standing again right away.
Now with 3:30 left to work and clearly pumped up, Silva became the stalker, ready to try anything. He clapped his hands and asked the crowd for cheers. With 2:41 left, Silva stuck out his chin to bait Evans to try for a knockout he did not need.
Evans bit, and he got bitten instead. Silva blasted him with a big left-right combination that staggered Evans and clearly put him in trouble in a fight he had in hand.
With the crowd now into it from nowhere, Silva tried hard to finish Evans, but perhaps suffered an adrenaline drop and could not muster up enough to mount more of an attack to his wounded foe. Evans won 29-28 on all judges' cards.
“It was a strategy I got away from for a long time," Evans said of his wrestling. "I got back to it and stuck with the game plan."
Evans admitted to being in trouble near the end.
"I did not realize how hard (the punch) was until I tried to take a step back and was like, Where are my legs at?” he said.
Now Evans can focus on fighting Quinton "Rampage: Jackson, his opposing coach and bitter rival from The Ultimate Fighter 10.
“I hear there’s and actor that came back into the UFC," Evans said. "Rampage, I know you’re watching, so let’s get it on.”
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