The Fight Horizon
In today’s Mixed Martial Arts, new fights are announced so often it’s difficult to keep track of all of them, let alone understand how they came about and what the implications are. So twice a week here at The Fight Horizon on Inside Fights, writer Daniel Sohn takes a quick, but in-depth look at newly announced match-ups to mark on your calendar.
The Matchup:
TJ Dillashaw (9-2 overall, 5-2 in the UFC)
Strengths: KO power, tough grinder, wrestling
Weaknesses: Relatively untested
Renan Barao (32-1 overall, 7-0 in the UFC)
Strengths: Dynamic striking, fearless, quick and accurate
Weaknesses: Takes a lot of risks
The Date: May 24, 2014 at UFC 173
Weight Class: Bantamweight
What led to it: Barao needed another opponent and Raphael Assuncao, who is arguably more deserving of a title shot, was unable to take the fight due to a rib injury. Assuncao actually holds a split decision win over Dillashaw, and they have both beaten a lot of the same guys during their current win streaks. But Assuncao is hurt, so Dillashaw gets the nod.
Why it matters: Renan Barao is in the midst of creating his legacy. The hype for this guy, who is still only 27, was huge and he is delivering on it in every single aspect. KO finishes, submissions, dominant wins over the best in the world, there’s nothing he can’t do. When you think “best bantamweight of all time”, Renan Barao has to be mentioned. He is well on his way to joining that stratosphere of fighters like Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, Jon Jones and Georges St. Pierre. These are fighters in modern MMA who have proven time and again to be in a different class. Juggernauts who steamroll through competition, no matter how close the media and UFC primetime try to make it look. Barao is right up there with them and another win over Dillashaw, who is an excellent fighter, would catapult Barao higher.
There’s also that monumental clash with Dominick Cruz that is still waiting in the shadows. That fight could still happen, but there is no way Barao gets that fight if he loses to Dillashaw. Barao needs that fight, and so does Cruz really, and it gives the division, the fighters and the fans at least a little closure on who really is the best bantamweight. It’s a superfight and we’re all anxious to see it, but a lot has to go right still in order for that to happen. Barao beating Dillashaw is one of them.
There is also a bit of a one-sided rivalry between Team Alpha Male and Nova Uniao. Jose Aldo and Renan Barao are two of the P4P best, and they have owned Alpha Male fighters like Urijah Faber and Chad Mendes. You can bet TAM will be pulling for Dillashaw and giving him every pointer and trick in the book that they can, but it just seems like the Nova Uniao guys are a step above. Can anyone question that Urijah Faber would be a champion in a division if it weren’t for Jose Aldo and Renan Barao? Dillashaw is the next guy to get a shot, deservedly so, but we haven’t seen anyone, whether TAM or not, able to put Barao in serious trouble. The baton passes to Dillashaw now, who has a golden opportunity to avenge his teammates and win one for the California boys.
Oh, and by the way, it’s for the UFC Bantamweight Championship.
