By Geno McGahee

Rashad Evans, 16-1-1, did what he needed to do as he faced off against veteran Tito Ortiz, 16-9-1, stopping him at the end of the second round. After a 14th month absence from the sport, Evans didn’t seem to miss a beat, as he used his boxing ability to beat up Ortiz in the first round and dictate the pace.

Ortiz didn’t go quietly, getting Evans in a guillotine choke, but he was able to escape and landed a knee to the solar plexus of Ortiz, which really was the end to the fight. Some follow up punches when he was on the ground was just icing on the cake for Rashad Evans, who can now look on to bigger and better things.

Evans’ victory guarantees him a shot at Jon “Bones” Jones if he can get beyond Rampage Jackson and keep that title at UFC 135 on September 24th in Denver.