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The UFC returns this Saturday night for one of the most anticipated cards of 2012. Jon "Bones" Jones (15-1) defends his light heavyweight championship against former champion "Suga" Rashad Evans (22-1-1)
The fight by itself promises fireworks as Jones has finished his last seven victories, including three title defenses. Jones is quickly becoming the face of the UFC and is one of the most promising young fighters the UFC has ever seen. Evans has won four fights in a row since being knocked out by Lyoto Machida at UFC 98.
The back story of these two fighters is what makes this fight so interesting. There is general animosity between the two men as they used to train together under head coach Greg Jackson. According to Evans, the two became good friends and both men vowed to never fight the other. Jones broke that pact when he said that if UFC President Dana White forced him to fight Evans, he would oblige.
Evans went through a nasty split from Greg Jackson's camp and started his own camp in Florida, the Blackzillians, Evans has publicly criticized both Jones and Jackson for their actions against him.
See their animosity below.
(Video embedded from Youtube. Courtesy FUEL TV, UFC and ZUFFA)
Two rising young prospects appear at UFC 145. 21-year-old bantamweight Michael McDonald faces veteran Miguel Torres. 22-year-old welterweight Rory MacDonald faces Englishman Che Mills in the co-main event of the evening.
UFC fans are in for a treat as UFC 145 features a six bout main card, airing live on pay-per-view. A four fight preliminary card is scheduled for FX, and two fights will be on the UFC's Facebook page.
Full fight card:
Main Card (Pay-Per-View):
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Jon Jones (C) (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (22-1-1)
Welterweight: Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
Heavyweight: Brendan Schaub (9-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8)
Bantamweight: Michael McDonald (14-1) vs. Miguel Torres (39-4)
Featherweight: Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Lightweight: Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. John Alessio (34-14)
Preliminary Card (FX):
Heavyweight: Travis Browne (12-0-1) vs. Chad Griggs (11-1)
Welterweight: Matt Brown (15-11) vs. Stephen Thompson (6-0)
Lightweight: John Makdessi (9-1) vs. Anthony Njokuani (15-6)
Lightweight: Mac Danzig (21-9-1) vs. Efrain Escudero (19-4)
Preliminary Card (Facebook):
Welterweight: Keith Wisniewski (28-12-1) vs. Chris Clements (10-4)
Featherweight: Marcus Brimage (4-1) vs. Maximo Blanco (8-3)