WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Rashad Evans outpointed Dan Henderson in a split decision Saturday night in a heavyweight bout at UFC 161.
The 42-year-old Henderson connected with the first solid punches late in the first round, attacking so eagerly he could hardly keep his feet against the 33-year-old Evans.
“I said, ‘What hit me,’” said Evans, who approached Henderson with a lot more caution after that. “Only fools rush in with Dan Henderson.”
The second round opened with Evans trying to take down Henderson, but the veteran quickly got to his feet. Henderson was noticeably tired in the third.
“I have nobody to blame but myself,” he said. “In the third round I should have got a little more active.”
Evans improved to 13-3-1 in UFC and 23-3-1 overall in MMA. Henderson dropped to 6-4 in UFC and 29-10 overall.
Earlier, Steve Miocic unanimously outpointed Roy Nelson and Steve Miocic in another heavyweight bout,
Nelson’s looping rights found their mark a few times in the third and Miocic backed off a little to avoid getting caught when he already appeared ahead on the judges’ scorecards.
Miocic was asked by UFC President Dana White how he felt after the fight.
“I won right?” he said. “OK, then, I’m happy.”
Shawn Jordan stunned Pat Barry with a flurry of punches to end their heavyweight fight after 59 seconds. It started with an uppercut and the referee stopped it as Barry crouched, taking punch after punch.
In a UFC debut for both fighters, women’s heavyweight Alexis Davis unanimously outpointed Rosi Sexton in the first women’s UFC fight in Canada.
“It’s a whole new ballgame,” Davis said. “I can’t wait to fight again.”
