Rashad Evans: Lyoto Machida Fight at UFC 98 'Could Be Boring'

UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans said on this week's installment of ESPN's MMA Live that his fight with Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 could be boring -- an admission that isn't exactly the textbook example of the way to hype a fight. But Evans quickly added that he thinks the fight is going to have an exciting ending.

"I think it could be boring at times because we're both very calculating," Evans said. "But at the same time I think it's going to end very explosively. We're both not going to put ourselves in bad positions, but hopefully I'll be able to take advantage of some of the holes I've seen in his game, draw him out a little bit and make him fight."

Styles make fights, and I've heard from a lot of fans who are worried that the clash of styles between Evans and Machida is going to make for a dull fight when they step into the Octagon together, and I think it's refreshing that Evans is willing to acknowledge that concern. But I actually think this is going to be a very good fight, and one with much more action than most people expect.

Note: Evans also mentioned that he's been sparring with James McSweeney, a kickboxer "who mimics Machida very well." I've talked to a few different fighters who train out of the Greg Jackson camp and have mentioned McSweeney as a great training partner. McSweeney is only 3-4 in his MMA career, but the folks at Jackson Mixed Martial Arts think highly of him.