UFC interim champ Renan Barao – Image by Anne-Marie Sorvin – US PRESSWIRE
The recently announced UFC 161 event now has it’s headliner as UFC interim bantamweight champ Renan Barão (30-1, 1NC) meets Eddie Wineland (20-8-1) at the upcoming Canadian event this summer.
News of the matchup comes via ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) who confirmed the news with UFC president Dana White and later announced by UFC Canada officials (@UFC_CA).
– It’s official – Bantamweights @RenanBaraoUFC & @EddieWineland will square off for the interim title in Winnipeg at #UFC161
UFC 161: Barao vs. Wineland is expected to take place on June 15, 2013 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The event already features bouts between light heavyweights Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, as well as a welterweight bout between Jake Shields vs. Tyron Woodley.
Barão rides a 31-fight undefeated streak into his title defense versus Wineland this summer. The Brazilian was in action last month in London, England earning a fourth round submission win over Michael McDonald to defend his interim title for the first time. Barão secured the title last summer at another Canadian event at UFC 149 by defeating Urijah Faber by decision.
Wineland, a former WEC bantamweight champ, has won two in a row but is 2-2 in his last four matches. His last bout took place at the end-year show in Vegas at UFC 155 which saw him pick up a split decision over Brad Pickett. The other win went down in June of last year, a “Knockout of the Night” KO of Scott Jorgensen at UFC on FXF 3. The losses were to Joseph Benavidez and to Urijah Faber.