Dana White explains Rampage-Jardine-Evans

Wonder why Rampage Jackson is fighting Keith Jardine instead of jumping straight into a title match against Rashad Evans as many had expected? Dana White explains the whole situation in an interview with FanHouse:

When do you think we'll see Lyoto Machida again and who might his opponent be? That's a good question. That's going to depend on how the light heavyweight fights shake out in the next couple of fights. Obviously, Keith Jardine and Rampage Jackson are fighting (at UFC 96). Rampage is next in line for a title shot.

Assuming he beats Jarinde?
Yeah, Rampage was supposed to fight Rashad Evans, and Rashad wasn't ready to fight. Rashad was just coming off the Forrest Griffin fight, he was all beat up, he wanted to take some time off, so Rampage said f**k it, I want to fight anyway. Give me another fight.

Rampage wants to keep fighting and stay active, which I love. I love guys like that. That's the way Chuck Liddell was, too. Chuck didn't want to wait for anything, he just wanted to keep fighting. People respect that. I think that's why Chuck became so big.

So Lyoto is in that top tier but we'll have to see how the other fights shake out before we'll know who he's going to fight next?
Yes.

I don't see why Rampage Jackson or Keith Jardine should get a shot at Rashad Evans before Lyoto Machida. At this rate I suspect he'll finally get a shot at the light heavyweight title when he's somewhere in his 80's.