UFC 165 has developed into a solid mixed martial arts card from top to bottom. Two important fights within the lightweight and middleweight divisions, along with a heavyweight bout that should end with a finish, were dropped into a main card that features two title fights. But while Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson are getting their shine, the bantamweight champion, Renan Barao, has traveled under the radar. Unfortunately, the UFC is truly missing an opportunity to promote a fighter who may be its most dominant champion.
Renan Barao has not been defeated in nearly ten years of consistent MMA competition. Many experts and fighters, such as Urijah Faber, have tried to downplay that stat and suggest that Barao was fighting lesser competition and may be overrated. But Faber, along with six others, have fallen to the Brazilian athlete since he has come under Zuffa employ. Looking at Barao’s performances in the past, it’s clear that the UFC should be taking more time in pushing the bantamweight champion to the forefront, instead of shuffling him away as the promotion’s least known titleholder.
Barao is a proven finisher, which is always praised in the world of combat sports. Of his 30 victories, he has 20 finishes — 14 by submission and 6 by some form of knockout. Since stepping into WEC, and eventually the UFC, that trend has continued, as he’s finished three of six opponents by forcing a tap out. His victory over Michael McDonald at UFC on Fuel TV 7 was perhaps the most impressive, as he finished off a young fighter that many expect to become a dominant force in the UFC. Except they forget the fact that Renan is only 26, with all of the potential of being a long term champion himself.
One factor that may prevent Barao from being pushed to the forefront is the lack of competitors within the bantamweight division. When looking at the top ten of the weight class, a win over Eddie Wineland on Saturday will give him a victory over the top three contenders in his division. Beyond that, he’s also defeated two other individuals in the top ten. That leaves Raphael Assuncao, who, if he can get past T.J. Dillashaw at UFC Fight Night 29 next month would be the next contender to the title, assuming that the “official” bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz (who has not defended the title since October 2011) does not return for a unification bout with the interim champion.
And generally speaking, the UFC has done a good job of getting their Brazilian stars over in their home country, so one must question why Barao hasn’t been given a share of the spotlight there. Looking at all of the fights and cards that have been staged in Brazil during 2013, it’s odd that Barao has not been featured in any of them. He could easily be in the main event of the UFC Fight Night 32 event in November, but that opportunity was given to Vitor Belfort. The examples go beyond this event, as it is clear that the opportunities to build Barao up to a recognizable name have been missed. Perhaps it is the fact that he doesn’t speak English, which has also stifled Jose Aldo and Anderson Silva in a sense, but he has fallen well behind the UFC’s other champions in the popularity race.
Renan Barao vs. Eddie Wineland is a dynamic matchup that features two very active and very exciting bantamweights. While the UFC hasn’t given the bout much of a push leading up to the event, it could very well be the contest that has everyone talking when the night is over.
• Renan Barao vs. Eddie Wineland (Interim Bantamweight Championship)
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UFC 165: Jones vs. Gustafsson is due to take place on September 21, 2013 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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