Evans Steps into Fire against Liddell

Call it the acid test. Gut check. Trial by fire.

Whatever best defines the concept -- that irrevocable moment when a fighter makes a stand and either shows he belongs among the elite or gets swept away by the pressures of the task at hand -- Rashad Evans (Pictures) is almost certain to get a dose of it Saturday night in the UFC 88 main event. For the emerging star of the UFC’s light heavyweight division, taking on Chuck Liddell (Pictures) in Atlanta is the ideal springboard to proving he belongs with the best of the 205-pounders.

For all his accolades -- unbeaten record, season two winner of “The Ultimate Fighter,” good-guy image and blue-collar work ethic -- Evans will face unique challenges against the former champion, whose numbing blend of takedown defense and thunderous strikes have rendered many a foe senseless.

Still, Evans sees it as another day at the office, another chance to showcase the incremental progression in his game that helped him hang the first defeat on Michael Bisping (Pictures) and battle to a hard-fought draw with Tito Ortiz (Pictures).

“My wrestling is something I know I’ll be able to use in all my fights. I know Chuck’s good at what he does, and I’ve been working on that problem,” Evans says. “What it comes down to is me imposing my will, no matter what it takes. I can’t go into the fight worrying about what he’s going to do. If I’m worrying about what he’s going to do, then I’m not doing what I’m supposed to do.”

Coming off his triumph on the reality show, where he beat heavyweights on technique and conditioning, Evans has slowly added wrinkles to his game. Since besting Brad Imes (Pictures) by decision in the series finale, “Sugar” has shown steady improvement in each outing, solving various styles and showing a cerebral head for tactics.

His highlight-reel KO of Sean Salmon (Pictures) came thanks to a thundering kick to the head, while he used a ground-and-pound blitz to stop Jason Lambert (Pictures). He also decisioned Stephan Bonnar (Pictures) and Sam Hoger (Pictures), using his wrestling to control both bouts. A former Michigan State wrestler, Evans was rarely in trouble and always seemed to dictate instead of having to react to adversity. But there was always the underlying critical refrain -- how would he do in a battle?

Against Ortiz, Evans gutted out a draw in a back-and-forth scrap that raised almost as many questions as it answered. It was made even more controversial by the point deduction on Ortiz for grabbing the fence. After the Bisping bout -- which landed him another victory in albeit unexciting fashion -- it might be the best of both worlds for Evans to face Liddell. For all his technical prowess, he would pretty much be in the catbird seat and could wipe the slate clean with a win over the hard-hitting “Iceman.”

“I’d be foolish to go in there and think that I’m going to take him down every time,” Evans said. “My stand-up is something I’m always working on.”

Training at Albuquerque, N.M.-based Jackson’s Submission fighting, Evans is part of a team that includes UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (Pictures), Keith Jardine (Pictures) (who upset Liddell by split decision last year), Nate Marquardt, Roger Huerta (Pictures) and a host of other notables.

Jackson believes Evans’ attitude is a big part of why he has progressed since joining the team.

“He’s always been a very intelligent fighter. He’s a real smart guy,” Jackson says. “He had a lot of wrestling and kickboxing ability when I met him. He’s just trying to constantly improve. It makes it easy. He’s always positive. You see him, he smiles, and he’s just fun to be around. He’s fun to coach, and that brings out the best in a coach. When you’ve got an athlete that listens, thanks you and is just a good guy, it makes your job a lot of fun.”

As trainers are wont to do, Jackson demurred from answering specific questions on the tactics involved in taking on Liddell, but there are few mysteries here. You don’t throw fastballs to a homerun hitter, at least not until you’ve got him respecting -- and looking for -- something else. While Evans’ stand-up has progressed from nearly non-existent to serviceable, it’s hard to remember the last time anybody was remotely effective against Liddell without landing good shots.

A former college wrestler, Liddell’s ability to stuff takedowns and pop up from the floor like a jack-in-the-box is legendary. Throw in the wicked penchant for one-shot knockouts, and it can make for a long night, forever missing angles as Liddell circles adroitly, right hand cocked like Wyatt Earp’s six-shooter. Make a mistake, and it’s usually a short one.

While Jardine scored a win over Liddell with a herky-jerky style, mixing in unorthodox strikes and keeping him off-balance, Evans figures there’s only so much he can take from his teammate’s victory. It’s not really a blueprint, he explains, just an affirmation of the possible. He’ll do it his own way, riding the horse that brought him this far.

“I’ve got a pretty good chin. I’m not the type of person who worries about getting hit. I respect his power. If he catches me with a good shot, I’ll hear about it in the locker room,” Evans says. “Our styles are so different. [Jardine] has given me some pointers, but it’s all about execution. I have to go in there and find my own rhythm with Chuck.”

Jackson points to Evans’ last outing -- the three-round decision over Bisping -- as evidence his charge is ready.

“That was a real good fight. Rashad hit a fatigue wall and was able to push through it and fight through stuff,” Jackson says. “Chuck Liddell (Pictures)’s a legend. I have tons of respect for him, and he comes from a great trainer, too. Hopefully, we can do what we want to do.”

Ironically, both men are coming off long layoffs, thanks to a July bout that was nixed by a series of injuries. Originally slated to face Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Liddell saw that match evaporate when the Brazilian dropped out due to injury. Evans was brought in, only to be left without an opponent when Liddell tore his hamstring. James Irvin (Pictures) replaced Liddell and promptly broke his foot jogging. It’s been one of the more twisty paths two fighters have taken en route to throwing down.

Though Liddell looked lackluster in his loss to Jardine at UFC 76, he seemed to recapture the old fire in his high-octane throwdown against Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) in December, taking a unanimous decision in a brutal fight that was one for the ages.

At 38, he still punches with wicked effect and has the conditioning to carry him through a fast-paced battle. Couple that with Evans’ steady improvement with each outing, and you might have the makings of a memorable battle. There’s a special poetry to an up-and-comer trying to make his name on an aged ex-champion, a grizzled veteran unwilling to pass the torch unless it is taken and the price paid in full. Liddell has shown no inclination of leaving the game, and given his hard-nosed showing against Silva, he’s still one of the best -- and most dangerous -- fighters around.

“I love watching Chuck fight. I know how difficult it is to go in there and do something people are expecting you to do, and he was just automatic,” Evans said. “I’d be lying if I said I felt no pressure. You feel pressure every time you fight. I’m going to go out there and enjoy it. This is one of the legends of the sport. I respect Chuck, and I love what he does for the sport. At the same time, I still want to go out there and kick his ass.”