The Ultimate Fighting Championship has announced its first‐ever
event in Winnipeg, Manitoba with UFC® 161. The event will take place on
June 15, 2013, at the MTS Centre, a 15,000-seat venue that is home to
the National Hockey League’s Winnipeg Jets. The main event will feature a title fight, the seventh championship bout held in Canada in the last six events there. Coming off of an amazing submission win over Michael McDonald, interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao will put his belt on the line against number-four ranked UFC contender Eddie Wineland. Wineland is coming off of impressive wins over Scott Jorgensen and Brad Pickett and looks forward to facing a man with one of the most impressive unbeaten streaks in MMA.
Two of Brazil's best, top-ten ranked light heavyweights Rogerio "Lil Nog" Nogueira and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, will also fight in a rematch of their legendary 2005 PRIDE matchup.
Also at light heavyweight, former PRIDE champion Dan "Hendo" Henderson will face former UFC champion "Suga" Rashad Evans.Two exciting heavyweight bouts have been booked for Winnipeg: Hard-hitting heavyweights Shawn "The Savage" Jordan and Pat "HD" Barry will fight, as will 9-1 Stipe Miocic, who faces Soa "The Hulk" Palelei. Palelei rides an eight-fight win streak into his UFC return bout.
And finally -- for now -- Tyron "The Chosen One" Woodley will follow up his spectacular KO debut with a bout against former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields, who is returning to welterweight.