Arch Rivals: For Team Alpha Male and Nova União, Dillashaw vs. Barão 2 Could Settle the Score

By Raphael Garcia

Mixed martial arts may be an individual sport, but the majority of the athletes who compete in it consider themselves part of a “team.” These fighters train together on a daily basis, and in some cases spend nearly all of their free time together as well. UFC on Fox 16 is headlined by the bantamweight title rematch between T.J. Dillashaw and Renan Barão, two men who represent two of the best-known teams in the sport. And as they carry the backing of their teammates at Team Alpha Male and Nova União with them into the cage, Dillashaw vs. Barão could end up being the final chapter of a storied rivalry.

Team Alpha Male and Nova União boast a laundry list of well-known fighters within their rosters. Alpha Male includes Dillashaw, Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes, Joseph Benavidez, Danny Castillo, Lance Palmer, and others. Nova União counts Barão, Jose Aldo, Thales Leites, Hacran Dias, and Eduardo Dantas among its biggest names. And even beyond these names that many fans would know, both teams have a wealth of additional talent that could step in and compete on the grandest stage of MMA.

Before this fight, these two teams had a multitude of opportunities to lock horns for the most important prizes in MMA. Mendes challenged Aldo twice for his featherweight title — at UFC 142 and UFC 179 — and fell short both times. Faber has been dominated by Aldo once and Barão twice — during WEC 48, UFC 149, and UFC 169. Dillashaw’s victory over Barão at UFC 173 is the only bright spot that Alpha Male can point to when it comes to matchups against their Brazilian rivals. That makes this weekend’s bout more important. If Dillashaw can pull off another victory, Barão will find himself well outside of the bantamweight title picture for some time, which is exactly where Team Alpha Male fighters Faber, Mendes, and Benavidez are in their respective weight classes. One can be sure that the team wants to see Nova União beneath them for a change.

Barão is a 2-to-1 underdog heading into the fight, even though he has a fantastic won-loss record. Dillashaw’s knockout victory last May was deemed one of the biggest upsets of MMA history when it occurred. However, that impressive performance convinced many people that he has too much to offer the Brazilian should they meet in the cage again. Dillashaw’s lateral movement and accurate combinations confused Barão for the majority of the fight, but the former champion was able to land some shots of his own. To win a rematch, he will have to find a way to increase his movement and speed instead of staying in a flat-footed stance.

If Barão can find a way to prevail in this weekend’s fight, that could set up the opportunity for a great trilogy within the sport. Beyond that, the outcome of the fight could set up an interesting scenario that could carry itself into a season of The Ultimate Fighter. The show is coming off of a season that featured two rival teams based in Florida, American Top Team and the Blackzilians. The UFC could pursue a similar dynamic with another season featuring teams that have a well-chronicled hatred for each other, this time, one based in the US, and the other based in Brazil. It could even be an intriguing possibility for the next season of TUF Brazil. Logistics aside, a season featuring these two teams could be beneficial in a number of ways.

Both Dillashaw and Barão could use the exposure of being featured on a season of TUF. Neither fighter has proven himself a champion worthy of building a PPV card around yet. Furthermore, both camps have rosters with such depth that the UFC could find a few gems worth promoting. In addition, the storylines surrounding the relationships between such outspoken personalities as Faber and Duane “Bang” Ludwig would be another point of interest that could be exploited during their time on television.

This Saturday night at UFC on FOX 16, Dillashaw and Barão will finally meeting in a rematch that is long overdue. The right to hoist a UFC title is on the line, but that goes hand in hand with bragging rights for two of the best teams in mixed martial arts today. For some of the members of Team Alpha Male and Nova União that is just as important.