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Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson: Breaking Down Light Heavyweight Match

UFC 161 is around the corner, but the matchup of Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson is shaping up to be a bit of dud.Originally slated to be a co-main event, it has now been moved to the main event, due to injury. The bout will still be three rounds.Evans …

UFC 161 is around the corner, but the matchup of Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson is shaping up to be a bit of dud.

Originally slated to be a co-main event, it has now been moved to the main event, due to injury. The bout will still be three rounds.

Evans and Henderson are coming off of disappointing matches, as Evans lost in unanimous fashion to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 156, and Henderson lost to Lyoto Machida at UFC 157

The two fighters are pretty evenly matched, with Evans just two pounds heavier. While Henderson is known for his heavy right hand, Evans puts up a pretty strong defense, avoiding 65 percent of punches thrown his way.

Evans is much better on the mat, as he has the most career takedowns in UFC light heavyweight history. Henderson is simply average at takedown defense.

The only way for Henderson to win is to avoid the mat. Ideally, he would knock out Evans early on with a wicked right, before Evans even gets a chance to use his ground and pound. If he can get a clean shot with his right, the match could be over very quickly.

If Evans can get Henderson on the mat, then it’s game over. The question is whether he will be able to before Henderson’s punches connect.

Another thing to look out for is Henderson’s age. Will Henderson, at age 42, see his skills diminish? Does he still have a little left in the tank, or will Evans be able to beat Henderson with superior athleticism? The longer this fight drags on, the more of a chance Evans has to win?

Still, it’s not like Evans is lighting it up right now. He admitted to not performing his best in UFC 156, telling Bleacher Report’s Trent Reinsmith that:

You definitely want to get the monkey off your back when you stink up the joint. As a fighter it sucks because you wear the hat of the last fight that you just fought until you fight another one.

There’s a reason this was supposed to be the co-main event. These two fighters are on the downside of their careers, and their two contrasting styles could lead to a long, dragged-out match without much action, as both fighters prefer to pick their spots to make their patented moves.

Because Evans has the clear advantage on the mat, look for him to quickly get Henderson on the ground and finish him that way.

However it does end up, it won’t be the best UFC matchup. Unless one of these fighters finds their own glory, it will be a bit of snooze-fest.

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UFC 161: A Casual Fan’s Guide to the Event

Believe it or not, there’s actually a UFC show this weekend. Not even just a free TV card, but a pay-per-view card! I know it’s hard to believe given that only the true keyboard warriors have been getting hyped up for the card, but just Google UFC 161 …

As with any pay-per-view nowadays, drawing the casual fan continues to be one of the primary objectives for the UFC. The hardcores and guys who’ve “been fans since UFC 1” will drop a pretty penny to watch some fights regardless.

Unfortunately for the UFC, this card isn’t exactly must-see TV for the casual fan. Well, at least when you first look at it. But after breaking it down a bit, fans will see that there’s actually plenty to be excited about on Saturday.

Forget the X’s and O’s, the footwork and the inside slip. It’s time to get back to the basics when looking at UFC 161.

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Evans vs. Henderson: Round-by-Round Recap and Analysis

The main event of UFC 161 goes down this Saturday night (or early Sunday morning) when Rashad Evans tangles with Dan Henderson. Most fans and pundits seem to be leaning toward Evans to get back in the win column over Henderson, a fighter who is a …

The main event of UFC 161 goes down this Saturday night (or early Sunday morning) when Rashad Evans tangles with Dan Henderson.

Most fans and pundits seem to be leaning toward Evans to get back in the win column over Henderson, a fighter who is a decade Evans’ senior.

Both men have wrestling bases and strong punching power. Should be interesting.

Here’s a round-by-round recap of the action, updated as the fight unfolds.

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#Mazzagattineedstogo Trending on Twitter

UFC president Dana White has always had a love-hate relationship with referee Steve Mazzagatti. Actually that’s not true—it’s always been hate.Time and time again, we’ve heard White pan the veteran referee on his skills, or lack…

UFC president Dana White has always had a love-hate relationship with referee Steve Mazzagatti. Actually that’s not true—it’s always been hate.

Time and time again, we’ve heard White pan the veteran referee on his skills, or lack thereof, when it comes to holding down the action in the cage.

While a lot of White’s criticism toward Mazzagatti stems from the controversial disqualification of Jon Jones for the use of illegal elbows—giving the current light heavyweight champ the only blemish on his record—the most recent criticism of the referee was for his disregard for fighter safety, particularly in regards to Jon Fitch.

Fitch, recently departed from the UFC, was beaten soundly in 41 seconds at the hands of Josh Burkman via guillotine choke, late on Friday evening at WSOF 3.

Lost in the commotion of the raucous crowd and the fight-ending call from the commentary team of Todd Harris and Bas Rutten was the improper referee procedure executed by Mazzagatti.

White immediately lashed out on Twitter:

So did MFC president Mark Pavelich:

He also started a trend on Twitter: #Mazzagattineedstogo

Mazzagatti did not stop the action until Burkman himself released the fight-ending guillotine choke, rolled the unconscious Fitch onto his back and stood up over him. This was an egregious error in judgment of the highest degree.

It is the referee’s responsibility to recognize the severity of the submission attempt, put himself into position to get the best visual of the action unfolding, check the fighters’ body language and, if needed, give verbal warnings to see if the fighter is OK and is still defending the choke—which in this fight was a deeply applied guillotine choke.

If there is no response, the referee is then required to be proactive, physically check a fighter and, if necessary, call a stop to the fight and either tell the fighter applying the submission to release the choke or break the hold himself.

Mazzagatti took none of the aforementioned steps. He didn’t put himself into proper position, follow necessary protocol or look after the safety of Fitch. Credit must be given to Burkman for having the class and professionalism to release the choke and not do further damage to Fitch. However, no fighter should ever have to stop a fight before a referee does; Burkman did Mazzagatti’s job for him.

No referee should ever make this kind of mistake, especially a seasoned official with the experience level of Mazzagatti. He needs to be held accountable, and some type of disciplinary measure needs to take place before something serious occurs. What if Burkman never let go?

White and Pavelich are scared to have him referee on their fight cards, and for good reason. After seeing what happened at WSOF 3, you cannot argue with them.

Does Mazzagatti need to go? Let Bleacher Report know in the comments below.

Michael Stets is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 161 Start Time: When to Catch Must-See Matches

With a mix of well-known names as well as up-and-coming fighters, UFC 161 is an event that you do not want to miss.The pay-per-view will take place at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Canada as the league continues to display its influence in many countries…

With a mix of well-known names as well as up-and-coming fighters, UFC 161 is an event that you do not want to miss.

The pay-per-view will take place at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Canada as the league continues to display its influence in many countries around the world. The fans in attendance will be in for a treat with plenty of stars worth watching.

For those at home, make sure you do not miss a second of the action by following along with this guide.

When: Saturday, June 15, 2013

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Start Time: PPV at 10 p.m. ET; FX Prelims at 8 p.m. ET; Facebook Prelims at 6:35 p.m. ET

Live Stream Info: UFC.com

Top Bouts to Watch

Roy Nelson vs. Stipe Miocic

For a while, it appeared as though Roy Nelson was approaching the end of his career. From October 2008 until February 2012, the big man only put together a 3-5 record.

However, he seems to have turned things around in his last three matches. Nelson has dominated opponents with three-straight first-round knockouts, including an impressive win over Cheick Kongo.

Meanwhile, Stipe Miocic was cruising to start his MMA career before suffering his first loss at the hands of Stefan Struve.

Miocic has the obvious speed advantage in this matchup, although this might come down to the confidence of each fighter. Nelson is riding high at the moment and looking to earn a title fight in the near future. He will try to once again earn a quick knockout.

Adding in the big experience difference in favor of Nelson, and the heavyweight should come away with another victory.

Alexis Davis vs. Rosi Sexton

The women’s bantamweight division will not survive for too long if Ronda Rousey is the only elite competitor. It needs more females to become household names and possibly challenge the champion for the title.

Alexis Davis and Rosi Sexton are both making their UFC debut during the PPV, and the winner will have a good chance to advance her career in a hurry.

Davis has certainly been more impressive lately, as the 28-year-old fighter has won five of her last six matches. Three of those wins were by submission, and the only loss was against the talented Sarah Kaufman.

Although Sexton has more experience in the cage, she has lost a step over the years and is likely to struggle on the biggest stage of her career.

Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson

This battle between two veteran fighters will show the UFC at its best with a great amount of technique from each side.

At 42 years old, you would struggle to believe Dan Henderson could still get it done. However, he fought hard in his split decision loss against Lyoto Machida earlier in the year.

While he might not be as quick as he was five years ago, he still knows how to always be in the right position, especially on the mat.

On the other hand, Rashad Evans has the experience to go with the skill to give his opponent trouble. He has run into some tough competition lately to lose two matches in a row, but both fights went the distance.

Evans has beaten some of the best ever in his career, and Henderson could be next on the list.

Full Fight Card

Main Card2

Light Heavyweight	Rashad Evans	vs.	Dan Henderson
Heavyweight	Roy Nelson	vs.	Stipe Miocic
Light Heavyweight	Ryan Jimmo	vs.	Igor Pokrajac
Women’s Bantamweight	Alexis Davis	vs.	Rosi Sexton
Heavyweight	Pat Barry	vs.	Shawn Jordan

FX Prelims

Welterweight	Jake Shields	vs.	Tyron Woodley
Lightweight	Sam Stout	vs.	James Krause
Welterweight	Sean Pierson	vs.	Kenny Robertson
Bantamweight	Roland Delorme	vs.	Edwin Figueroa

Facebook Prelims

Lightweight	Mitch Clarke	vs.	John Maguire
Bantamweight	Yves Jabouin	vs.	Dustin Pague

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Evans vs. Henderson Fight Card: Three Fights You Don’t Want to Miss

With the card’s original main and co-main events scrapped because of injuries, the company’s brass had to improvise significantly to avoid cancelling UFC 161 tonight at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.Renan Barao and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira …

Renan Barao and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira each suffered injuries and were forced to pull out of their previously scheduled main and co-main events bouts against Eddie Wineland and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, respectively.

However, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, along with company president Dana White, refused to allow another UFC 151-like debacle to sabotage UFC 161. Instead, Silva and White restructured the card at the last second, putting together several enthralling fights that will make the event pay-per-view worthy.

Here are three can’t-miss scraps to will take place at UFC 161.

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