The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada tonight for UFC 161: “Evans vs Henderson.” The injury-plagued card was headlined by a light heavyweight bout between former UFC champion “Suga” Rashad Evans and Dan “Hendo” Henderson.

In the heavyweight co-feature, Roy “Big Country” Nelson faced Stipe Miocic. Ryan “The Big Deal” Jimmo took on Igor “The Duke” Pokrajac at 205 and Alexis “Ally-Gator” Davis battled Rosi “The Surgeon” Sexton in a women’s bantamweight bout. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.

“Suga” Rashad Evans vs Dan “Hendo” Henderson

Round 1:
Evans kept his distance and landed a stiff jab in the opening minute. Henderson pressed forward and the fighters exchanged uppercuts in close. Evans landed a one-two and Henderson answered with a counter hook. A nice combination scored for Evans and he landed a looping right soon after. Henderson stuffed a takedown and landed a knee. He just missed with an uppercut. A left jab dropped Evans and Henderson rushed in with more punches. Evans recovered and ducked under Henderson’s follow-up strikes. 10-9 Henderson.

Round 2:
Evans scored a very brief takedown in round two and Henderson quickly stood. Evans landed three hard right hands, but Henderson countered with an uppercut and a combination. Both fighters landed right hooks in close and Evans clinched. Henderson broke free and he stuffed a takedown. A one-two landed for Evans and Henderson cracked him with a pair of elbows that opened a cut above Evans’s right eye. Close round. 10-9 Henderson.

Round 3:
Henderson landed a hard right hook early in the final round, but Evans walked right through it and landed a flurry of punches that forced Henderson to retreat. Evans jabbed and avoided a right hand from Henderson. He backed Henderson up to the cage and Henderson landed knees to the body. Evans flurried with punches and tried for a takedown. He landed more punches and Henderson responded with a short slashing elbow. Evans landed three stiff jabs in the final ten seconds. 10-9 Evans.

Winner: Rashad Evans by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 18-3-1.

Stipe Miocic vs Roy “Big Country” Nelson

Round 1:
Nelson faked an early takedown and landed a short right hook. Miocic answered with a nice right hand of his own. After an exchange of leg kicks, Nelson landed an overhand right. Miocic replied with a combination and clinched. A hard right cross scored for Miocic and he followed with a one-two. Miocic flurried with punches and landed a knee. He stuffed a takedown and the fighters stood.

Nelson attempted a right hook and Miocic blocked it. He defended against another takedown and Nelson fired off a right hand. Nelson slowed down and missed with his punches. Miocic rocked him with a combination and swarmed with more punches and knees. He landed standing elbows and uppercuts. The fighters battled for position in the clinch in the final seconds. 10-9 Miocic.

Round 2:
Miocic continued to get the better of the striking exchanges in round two. He put together combinations of punches and knees and kept Nelson pressed up against the cage. Nelson tried to take the fight to the ground and Miocic had none of it. He landed crisp punches and stayed out of range of Nelson’s counters. Nelson finally landed a hard uppercut, but Miocic answered back with another combination. Miocic backed Nelson up with a flurry before the end of the round. 10-9 Miocic.

Round 3:
Miocic ducked under Nelson’s punches in the final round and landed a quick one-two. Nelson tried to set up a big right hand, but Miocic kept him at bay with jabs. Nelson connected with a right cross that had little effect and Miocic tripped him to the mat. Nelson stood and the fighters were separated. An exhausted Nelson ate more jabs from Miocic, who followed with a combination. Miocic backed Nelson up to the cage and Nelson circled out. Miocic landed a flurry and a knee before the bell. 10-9 Miocic.

Winner: Stipe Miocic by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 10-1-0.

Ryan “The Big Deal” Jimmo vs Igor “The Duke” Pokrajac

Round 1:
Jimmo backed Pokrajac up to the cage early on and clinched. A stalemate followed and the fighters were separated. Jimmo clinched again and held Pokrajac against the fence. After a break, Pokrajac initiated a clinch, but another stalemate ensued. Pokrajac landed a combination and Jimmo clinched. Both fighters scored with jabs and right hands. Pokrajac landed a hard right hook late in the round. 10-10.

Round 2:
Jimmo badly rocked Pokrajac with a right hand in round two and he landed more punches on the ground. Pokrajac survived and Jimmo dropped down into his guard. He stayed there throughout the round and landed short punches. Pokrajac defended well from his back and he prevented Jimmo from landing anything damaging. Jimmo remained on top until the bell. 10-9 Jimmo.

Round 3:
Jimmo secured a takedown in the final round and he resumed working from Pokrajac’s guard. Jimmo landed short punches and elbows and he pressed Pokrajac up against the cage. Pokrajac attempted a guillotine choke from the bottom and Jimmo escaped. Pokrajac stood up and Jimmo landed a knee. The fighters were briefly separated and Jimmo clinched again. 10-9 Jimmo.

Winner: Ryan Jimmo by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 18-2-0.

Alexis “Ally-Gator” Davis vs Rosi “The Surgeon” Sexton

Round 1:
Both women were aggressive with their punches right away. Davis landed a standing elbow and Sexton replied with right hands. Davis secured a Thai clinch and scored with knees. She took Sexton’s back and tried for a takedown, but Sexton reversed on the way down and wound up on top. Davis quickly framed up a triangle choke from the bottom. Sexton created space and punched with her right hand. Davis adjusted her grip and tightened the choke, but Sexton landed some hard right hands from the top. 10-9 Sexton due to the late-round punches.

Round 2:
Sexton scored a takedown into side control in round two. She landed punches from the top until Davis kicked off of the cage and took over top position. Sexton tried to scramble up and Davis landed knees to the body. Davis tried for a rear-naked choke and nearly got it. Sexton defended, but Davis flattened her out and landed punches all the way until the bell. 10-9 Davis.

Round 3:
The fighters scrambled on the ground in round three and Davis used a heel hook attempt to set up a transition to Sexton’s back. She worked for a rear-naked choke, but Sexton turned into Davis’s guard and struck from the top. Davis worked for submissions from her back, but Sexton avoided danger and briefly took Davis’s back. Davis closed out the round on top. 10-9 Davis.

Winner: Alexis Davis by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 14-5-0.

Shawn “The Savage” Jordan vs Pat “HD” Barry

Round 1:
Both fighters landed right hooks early in the fight and Jordan hurt Barry with two uppercuts. Barry retreated to the cage and Jordan continued to tee off with punches. Barry fell to the ground and turtled as Jordan punched away until referee Jerin Valel stopped the fight.

Winner: Shawn Jordan by TKO (Punches) at 0:59 of round one. He improves to 15-4-0.

(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)