Ryan Bader dominates Rashad Evans for 5th straight win
Ryan Bader's ascent up the light heavyweight ladder continued unabated at UFC 192 on Saturday night.
Facing a ring rust-encrusted Rashad Evans, Bader outworked, outlanded, and occasionally outwrestled Evans for 15 minutes, clipping Evans with jabs, short hooks and a surprisingly effective uppercut that repeatedly stopped "Suga" in his tracks.
Evans, who returned to the Octagon for the first time since 2013, stalked Bader for much of the bout, but could never really pull the trigger. He looked hesitant to throw combinations, and seemed content with trying to uncork a massive overhand right.
Sporting a horrifically swollen right eye and down two rounds, Evans couldn't get anything going in the third stanza, and Bader systematically shut down any and all potential offense.
Bader's arsenal isn't deep but he uses it. Bader's jab, shovel hook, body kick, power double combination killed Evans, all night tonight.
— Jordan Breen (@jordanbreen) October 4, 2015
The 32-year-old Bader has now won five fights in a row, and finds himself in a murky title picture alongside the winner of Alexander Gustafsson-Daniel Cormier, and a potentially returning Jon Jones.