Rashad Evans (pictured) will face Dan Henderson as the new main event at UFC 161. Photo by Al Bello/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images.
With UFC interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao injured, a match-up between Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson will now headline UFC 161, UFC officials confirmed to GRACIEMAG.com on Tuesday.
UFC officials later announced via Twitter that Barao was injured in preparing for his UFC 161 interim title defense against Eddie Wineland, which opened the way for the Evans-Henderson tilt as the featured bout.
The new main event will be three rounds due to the short-notice nature stemming from the Barao, according to sources close to the match-up. UFC main events are typically five rounds.
UFC officials were still determining what to do with Wineland at the time of this publication, and no information has been shared in terms of where the bantamweight will land on the card, if at all, with his original opponent sidelined.
“Waiting to hear what will happen,” Wineland posted on Twitter following confirmation of Barao’s injury, adding, “Hope (Renan Barao’s) injury isn’t (too) severe! Get well soon bud, hope all is well!”
UFC 161 takes place on June 15 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and also features a light heavyweight rematch between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
