Opponents Named for Barao and Faber
UFC President Dana White has stuck to his guns and will make former bantamweight champion Renan Barao compete against other competition before getting his crack back at the title.
After a weight cutting debacle that forced Barao out of the rematch at UFC 177 just one day prior to the fight White stated that in order for Barao to get back to the number one contender spot he would have to earn it.
“I was dehydrating in the bathtub,” Barao explained. “I fainted, I hit my head, I was taken to the hospital. I don’t remember anything that happened before or after, just being woken up in the hospital already.”
As a result Joe Soto stepped up and fought champion T.J. Dillashaw as a last minute replacement saving the pay-per-view. Barao also did not earn a paycheck further demonstrating the boss’ displeasure with what had happened.
Despite the controversy Barao is back and will fight Mitch Gagnon in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 58 on Dec 20 in Barueri, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Gagnon (12-2) is on a four-fight win-streak inside the UFC octagon.
Urijah Faber will return to action real soon as well as he will fight Francisco Rivera on an already stacked UFC 181 card on Dec. 6.
UFC 181 has two title fights with Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler and Anthony Pettis vs. Gilbert Melendez.
‘The California Kid’ submitted Alex Caceres back in July. Rivera lost his last fight via a unanimous decision to Takeya Mizugaki.
