• UFC 145

Jackson mulls U-turn over coaching Jones v Rashad

Greg Jackson has hinted that he may coach Jon Jones against Rashad Evans in their UFC light-heavyweight title fight at UFC 145 in April.

Jackson, widely regarded as the best tactician in MMA, has been a significant part of both fighters' development. Jones and Evans both trained at the same gym until a bad-tempered split led Evans to set up the Blackzilians.

Since then Jackson has always maintained that it would be wrong to coach against Evans, even though Jones is arguably his star pupil. This despite Rashad making claims against Jackson, insisting Mike Winkeljohn was the key factor behind his rise to the 205 title.

However, in his latest interview with Sherdog Radio Network's Savage Dog Show, Jackson revealed he was considering coaching Jones. His reasoning for the U-turn is that it would be ego-centric of him to think that he could be enough of a deciding factor in the fight to force him to withdraw his services.

"I've got to sit down and make my decision and see what I feel is best for the team," Jackson explained. "Not for me, because I have my own personal feelings where I never want to ever do that.

"I'm going back and forth now because I have to think about what it means to be on a team. Are we just a collection of friends that train together? For me, it's much more than that. It means something to be on this team, and it means something to have team-mates.

"Rashad kind of left that.

"I don't know, I'm leaning toward cornering Jon right now. Just because, am I selfish? Am I going to make this about me, or am I going to make this about the team? I can't be self-centered. Even though it's something that I don't want to do, it might end up that way."

© ESPN EMEA Ltd

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