Tag: UFC 161

Absurd Quote of the Day: Rashad Evans Is Aiming for 50 Takedowns Against Dan Henderson at UFC 161

(Props: YouTube.com/UFC)

“I know what I want to do to get the results that I want to get: Trust in myself and get it done. Takedown, ground and pound, roll up our sleeves and get dirty and go to work. I’m gonna try to get 50 takedowns this fight. 50…Let’s not confuse this whole situation. I’m not going to go in there and stand in front of him and try to bang it out and hope to God I don’t get hit with that big right hand. I’m going to be smart. He’s gonna want to knock me out. It’s not gonna happen. He’s not knocking me out.” — Rashad Evans

Let’s put this into context for those of you who weren’t paying attention last weekend. At UFC 160, Khabib Nurmagomedov set a UFC record for takedowns — in a three- or five-round fight — when he dragged Abel Trujillo to the mat 21 times. Evans plans to more than double that mark when he faces Dan Henderson in the three-round main event of UFC 161.

This would be like A-Rod guaranteeing 150 home-runs this season. The difference is, home-runs are exciting. Evans’s vow to shoot, shoot, and keep shooting rather than mess around with a slugfest may be wise from a strategic standpoint, but it suggests the kind of gameplan that might not be so much fun to see in action.

Our prediction: Rashad tries for 50 takedowns, converts about three or four of them, and spends at least two-thirds of the fight struggling with Hendo against the fence. Apologies in advance, Winnipeg.


(Props: YouTube.com/UFC)

“I know what I want to do to get the results that I want to get: Trust in myself and get it done. Takedown, ground and pound, roll up our sleeves and get dirty and go to work. I’m gonna try to get 50 takedowns this fight. 50…Let’s not confuse this whole situation. I’m not going to go in there and stand in front of him and try to bang it out and hope to God I don’t get hit with that big right hand. I’m going to be smart. He’s gonna want to knock me out. It’s not gonna happen. He’s not knocking me out.” — Rashad Evans

Let’s put this into context for those of you who weren’t paying attention last weekend. At UFC 160, Khabib Nurmagomedov set a UFC record for takedowns — in a three- or five-round fight — when he dragged Abel Trujillo to the mat 21 times. Evans plans to more than double that mark when he faces Dan Henderson in the three-round main event of UFC 161.

This would be like A-Rod guaranteeing 150 home-runs this season. The difference is, home-runs are exciting. Evans’s vow to shoot, shoot, and keep shooting rather than mess around with a slugfest may be wise from a strategic standpoint, but it suggests the kind of gameplan that might not be so much fun to see in action.

Our prediction: Rashad tries for 50 takedowns, converts about three or four of them, and spends at least two-thirds of the fight struggling with Hendo against the fence. Apologies in advance, Winnipeg.

Eddie Wineland Also out of UFC 161 Following Barao Injury

The UFC’s search for a suitable opponent for Eddie Wineland has yielded no one, leading to the bantamweight getting pulled from the UFC 161 main event alongside the injured interim champ Renan Barao. Wineland, who is coming off two straight wins …

The UFC’s search for a suitable opponent for Eddie Wineland has yielded no one, leading to the bantamweight getting pulled from the UFC 161 main event alongside the injured interim champ Renan Barao.

Wineland, who is coming off two straight wins against Scott Jorgensen and Brad Pickett, was supposed to fight Barao for the interim title on June 15. But with both the Brazilian and reigning 135-pound kingpin Dominick Cruz on the sidelines, it seems there are no suitable options for the 28-year-old.

Instead, light heavyweights Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson will clash in the main event in Winnipeg, Canada, with no guarantee that Wineland will be re-booked to face Barao.

UFC officials confirmed with MMA Junkie that, with Barao‘s recovery timetable unknown, “Wineland isn’t necessarily guaranteed a rebooking with the titleholder.”

Wineland, a former WEC champ, had a rocky start to his UFC career, losing his first two matches in the promotion against Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez. However, he currently sits fifth in the UFC’s 135-pound rankings behind Cruz, Barao, Faber and Michael McDonald.

Both Faber and McDonald have no scheduled fights at the moment and neither fighter has fought since February and April, respectively. A No. 1 contender fight against McDonald would have made sense – neither Wineland nor McDonald have yet faced the Brazilian or each other – but it seems that that prospect is not on the table.

Perhaps the UFC is eyeing Cruz’s return for a possible title-reunification bout with Barao. There is no indication when the champ would return to the cage, but in April, UFC president Dana White sounded a note of optimism that he would be back in 2013.

For now, the UFC 161 main card has Evans v Henderson at the top of the bill, preceded by Antonio Rogerio Nogueira against Mauricio Rua, heavyweight Stipe Miocic against Roy Nelson, women’s bantamweight Alexis Davis against Rosie Sexton and heavyweight Pat Barry against Shawn Jordan.

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Tyron Woodley Talks UFC 161 Fight Against Jake Shields

Former Strikeforce welterweight contender Tyron Woodley made quite the splash in his UFC debut at UFC 156.Facing veteran opponent Jay Hieron, Woodley knew he needed a dominant result to impress the Zuffa brass and let them know that he was ready to fac…

Former Strikeforce welterweight contender Tyron Woodley made quite the splash in his UFC debut at UFC 156.

Facing veteran opponent Jay Hieron, Woodley knew he needed a dominant result to impress the Zuffa brass and let them know that he was ready to face top-tier contenders. Thirty-six seconds into the fight, Woodley got the result he wanted when he flattened Hieron and scored the TKO win.

For his next trick, Woodley will face off against Jake Shields at UFC 161. Bleacher Report recently had the opportunity to sit down with Woodley and discuss how he matches up with Shields, his thrilling Strikeforce fight against Nate Marquardt and more.

Check out the interview above.

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Roy Nelson vs. Stipe Miocic Added to UFC 161; Soa Palelei Gets the Boot


(Hey, it could have been worse, right? / Photo via Getty Images)

In an effort to beef up a card that recently lost a title fight due to injury, the UFC has just added a heavyweight bout between Roy Nelson and Stipe Miocic to the main card of UFC 161 (June 15th, Winnipeg). It’s an unexpected booking, to say the least — and not just because it gives Nelson a speedy seven-week turnaround between fights.

“Big Country” is currently on the hottest streak of his UFC career, picking up his third-straight first-round knockout against Cheick Kongo at UFC 159 last month. Meanwhile, Miocic is a much lower-profile prospect, whose hype as an undefeated wrecking machine fell apart when he was TKO’d by Stefan Struve last September. In other words, the matchup is a bit of a step down for Nelson, who doesn’t have much to gain here other than the possibility of earning his fifth UFC Knockout of the Night bonus.

In addition, Miocic was already booked on the card against returning Australian banger Soa Palelei, who has knocked out his last eight opponents while competing in Australia. (See, now that matchup made sense.) But with UFC 161 in need of extra star power, Roy Nelson replaces Palelei, who will be sitting this event out unless he’s needed as an injury replacement. But don’t cry for Soa — he once stood up Danga for an interview, so he’s pretty much dead to us. What, you thought Dana White was only guy who could hold grudges?

In a related story, MMAJunkie reports that UFC officials are currently seeking a replacement opponent for Eddie Wineland, and if they can lock one down, UFC 161 will feature six fights on the pay-per-view card instead of the usual five. The current lineup is after the jump…


(Hey, it could have been worse, right? / Photo via Getty Images)

In an effort to beef up a card that recently lost a title fight due to injury, the UFC has just added a heavyweight bout between Roy Nelson and Stipe Miocic to the main card of UFC 161 (June 15th, Winnipeg). It’s an unexpected booking, to say the least — and not just because it gives Nelson a speedy seven-week turnaround between fights.

“Big Country” is currently on the hottest streak of his UFC career, picking up his third-straight first-round knockout against Cheick Kongo at UFC 159 last month. Meanwhile, Miocic is a much lower-profile prospect, whose hype as an undefeated wrecking machine fell apart when he was TKO’d by Stefan Struve last September. In other words, the matchup is a bit of a step down for Nelson, who doesn’t have much to gain here other than the possibility of earning his fifth UFC Knockout of the Night bonus.

In addition, Miocic was already booked on the card against returning Australian banger Soa Palelei, who has knocked out his last eight opponents while competing in Australia. (See, now that matchup made sense.) But with UFC 161 in need of extra star power, Roy Nelson replaces Palelei, who will be sitting this event out unless he’s needed as an injury replacement. But don’t cry for Soa — he once stood up Danga for an interview, so he’s pretty much dead to us. What, you thought Dana White was only guy who could hold grudges?

In a related story, MMAJunkie reports that UFC officials are currently seeking a replacement opponent for Eddie Wineland, and if they can lock one down, UFC 161 will feature six fights on the pay-per-view card instead of the usual five. The current lineup is after the jump…

PPV MAIN CARD (10 p.m. ET)
Dan Henderson vs. Rashad Evans (LHW)
Mauricio Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (LHW)
Roy Nelson vs. Stipe Miocic (HW)
Pat Barry vs. Shawn Jordan (HW)
Alexis Davis vs. Rosi Sexton (women’s BW)

FX PRELIMS (8 p.m. ET)
Jake Shields vs. Tyron Woodley (WW)
Sam Stout vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg (LW)
Ryan Jimmo vs. Igor Pokrajac (LHW)

FACEBOOK PRELIMS (6 p.m. ET)
Yves Jabouin vs. Dustin Pague (BW)
Sean Pierson vs. Kenny Robertson (WW)
Mitch Clarke vs. John Maguire (LW)
Roland Delorme vs. Edwin Figueroa (BW)

Roy Nelson Faces Stipe Miocic at UFC 161 After Main Event Scrapped This Week

UFC 161 took a hit this week when interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao was forced out of his fight against Eddie Wineland, which scrapped the main event for the upcoming card in Winnipeg on June 15. The UFC moved quickly to shift the light heavywe…

UFC 161 took a hit this week when interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao was forced out of his fight against Eddie Wineland, which scrapped the main event for the upcoming card in Winnipeg on June 15.

The UFC moved quickly to shift the light heavyweight fight between Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans to the headline slot, but it left a bit of an open hole on the card with one less marquee featured bout.

With time running out and less than a month to go until the show takes place, the UFC appears ready to call on heavyweight Roy Nelson to potentially step in and fill the vacancy on the card.

According to a report from UFC Tonight on Tuesday, the UFC has contacted Nelson about possibly stepping into a featured bout on the UFC 161 card.

Nelson was on call already for UFC 160 when heavyweight co-main event fighter Mark Hunt had visa issues and was unsure if he’d be able to gain entry into the United States by the necessary time to fight this weekend.  Luckily for Hunt, he got cleared for travel on Monday and arrived in Las Vegas for his scheduled fight against Junior Dos Santos.

Now, with a spot to fill on the UFC 161 card, the promotion is again calling on Nelson to potentially step in and help save the show.

Nelson’s manager Mike Kogan spoke to Bleacher Report on Tuesday night and stated that it was “realistic” that the former Ultimate Fighter winner could end up on the UFC 161 card, although no opponent has been confirmed at this time. 

Nelson is coming off of his third straight knockout victory—the latest coming at UFC 159 in April when he finished off Cheick Kongo in the first round.

Finding the right opponent and compensation could ultimately decide Nelson, or any fighter’s involvement, with a new fight being put together on less than a month’s notice.

It’s likely the UFC will try to make a decision in the next few days to give Nelson and any potential opponent as much time as possible to prepare for a June 15 bout.

UPDATE: Nelson will in fact compete on the card and it will be against Ohio native Stipe Miocic, as the two heavyweights have agreed to meet on the card according to UFC President Dana White who confirmed the news with MMAJunkie.com on Tuesday night.  Miocic was already scheduled for the card against Soa Palelei, but now he will get pulled to face Nelson instead.

There’s been no word on a replacement to step in and face Palelei yet.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Update: Dan Henderson vs. Rashad Evans Now Headlines UFC 161, MMA Fans Trapped in 2011 Rejoice


(Oh yeah, Rashad, we just went there.)

It has recently been announced that, following Renan Barao’s withdrawal from his scheduled interim title fight with Eddie Wineland — the battle between light heavyweight wrestlers Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson will now serve as the headliner for UFC 161. While this change would at first seem like a huge downgrade (hence the kneejerk reaction title) given both fighter’s underwhelming performances against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Lyoto Machida, respectively, it actually has all the makings for one hell of a fight. Perhaps even because of that fact.

The news was passed along by the UFC’s official twitter account earlier today. The fight is still scheduled for three rounds.

Evans has dropped two of his past three fights and is in need of a big win if he is to ever delay any more discussion of a potential (and likely dreadful) drop to middleweight. Henderson also finds his back somewhat against a wall, as the 42-year old’s stock has been decreasing ever since he was forced to pull out from his UFC 151 title fight with Jon Jones. Again, these may sound like criticisms, but in all reality, they only heighten the chance that these two veterans put on a show for the ages come June 15th.

As for the Jake Shields/Tyron Woodley fight that will likely be bumped up to the main card in light of this…

–J. Jones


(Oh yeah, Rashad, we just went there.)

It has recently been announced that, following Renan Barao’s withdrawal from his scheduled interim title fight with Eddie Wineland — the battle between light heavyweight wrestlers Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson will now serve as the headliner for UFC 161. While this change would at first seem like a huge downgrade (hence the kneejerk reaction title) given both fighter’s underwhelming performances against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Lyoto Machida, respectively, it actually has all the makings for one hell of a fight. Perhaps even because of that fact.

The news was passed along by the UFC’s official twitter account earlier today. The fight is still scheduled for three rounds.

Evans has dropped two of his past three fights and is in need of a big win if he is to ever delay any more discussion of a potential (and likely dreadful) drop to middleweight. Henderson also finds his back somewhat against a wall, as the 42-year old’s stock has been decreasing ever since he was forced to pull out from his UFC 151 title fight with Jon Jones. Again, these may sound like criticisms, but in all reality, they only heighten the chance that these two veterans put on a show for the ages come June 15th.

As for the Jake Shields/Tyron Woodley fight that will likely be bumped up to the main card in light of this…

–J. Jones