Rashad Evans 'embarrassed and disappointed' after quick loss to Teixeira at UFC on FOX 19

TAMPA, Fla. – Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans repeatedly called his performance against Glover Teixeira “embarrassing” and “disappointing” and said changes are ahead in his career.

“When you’re at this point right now, you’ve just got to reevaluate everything,” Evans (19-5-1 MMA, 14-5-1 UFC) told MMAjunkie after a knockout loss to Teixeira (25-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) in the headliner of Saturday’s UFC on FOX 19. “I don’t want to lose hope – I don’t want to lose heart in fighting, because it’s what I like to do. But at the end of the day, something’s got to change.

“I’ve got to do something better, and it’s embarrassing, it’s sad, but welcome to being a fighter.”

Evans dropped his second consecutive UFC fight at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla., after nearly two years on the bench due to a knee injury. Against Teixeira, a onetime title challenger, he initially fared well fending off the Brazilian’s advance. But less than two minutes into the opening round, a left hook caught him flush, and a followup right face-planted him to the mat.

The former champ conceded a mistake after initially surviving Teixeira’s power and said by the time he realized what had happened, it was already too late.

“One thing I shouldn’t have done – I shouldn’t have switched stances in a defensive position,” Evans said. “When you switch stances, it’s usually to fire off something or give a look right away. I switched stances against the fence and threw a punch that really was just a touch, but not to land any damages. I didn’t come back defensively good enough, and I paid the price for it. Teixeira hits hard.

“I felt like I could handle it. But when he sat down on that left hook, I didn’t know the fight was over until Herb Dean was in my face.”

Evans didn’t mention retirement despite moving further away than ever from another shot at the belt he lost to now-former champ Lyoto Machida in 2009. Any decision about his future will come after some deep reflection on what happened and the lessons to take from the fight.

“It’s hard to make a decision on what needs to change, fresh after an embarrassing and disappointing loss,” Evans said. “I sit here and I’m embarrassed; I’m disappointed. It’s sad. But you have to go on, because this is what it’s about. It’s easy to fight and to go through it when you’re always on top and doing everything well, but the hardest thing is working through the disappointment, working through doubt in yourself, and it’s not easy.

“But I think that given some time and me sitting back and deciding on where I feel good at and what’s best for me, then I think I’ll be able to make the right decision as to what needs to change. But as of right now, that’s not a clear decision I can say.”

Teixeira was moved enough by Evans’ statements to try and bolster the ex-champ’s mood with a show of support.

“Rashad, it’s nothing to feel embarrassed about,” he said. “You’re an incredible warrior, and you’re a champion for a reason. Keep your head up, and I know you’ll come back from this.”

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