CHICAGO — Eddie Wineland treated his UFC on FOX 16 bout with Bryan Caraway like a grudge fight.
He was unhappy that Caraway called him out on television last year, right after Wineland suffered a broken jaw; he talked trash all week long, and he glared at his opponent throughout the introduction to their bantamweight fight at United Center on Saturday.
But Caraway treated it like just another bout, and perhaps the difference in approach was the reason why Caraway coasted to victory. With girlfriend Miesha Tate cornering him just hours before her own fight, Caraway won a unanimous decision, taking a pair of 29-28s and a 30-27 from the judges.
Wineland charged right out at Caraway at the outset, but, in his first fight in more than a year, he seemed a bit gun shy. In a bout which was primarily fought at range, Caraway never quite seemed to get his striking untracked, while Caraway smartly picked his spots, caused damage when he landed, scored with solid countersm and got the better of things in the clinch, as well.
Wineland showed urgency in the third round, picking up the pace and landing more often, but it wasn’t enough. The former WEC bantamweight champ dropped to 21-11-1, with losses in three of his last four. Caraway (20-7), conversely, has won three of four.