IT’S THIRD TIME lucky for TJ Dillashaw and Renan Barao as their 14-month wait for a rematch comes to an end tonight.
Dillashaw, the UFC bantamweight champion, will defend his belt against Barao — a Nova Uniao team-mate of Jose Aldo’s — in the main event at UFC on FOX 16 at the United Centre in Chicago.
The rivalry between the pair extends back to May of last year when the unfancied Dillashaw caused one of the biggest upsets in UFC title bout history.
The Team Alpha Male product dominated Barao for four rounds before stopping him in the final frame via TKO at UFC 173 in Las Vegas. It was Barao’s first defeat in over nine years and it took the MMA world by surprise.
A rematch was immediately set for UFC 177 in Dillashaw’s native Sacramento for 30 August, but the day before the bout was due to take place Barao was taken to hospital due to difficulties with his weight cut.
The Brazilian was subsequently withdrawn from the fight and Joe Soto stepped in as a late replacement. It was Dillashaw’s only title defence to date and it ended in another fifth-round victory.
Barao returned to defeat Mitch Gagnon in December, after which the UFC made another attempt to schedule the rematch with Dillashaw. The fight was set for UFC 186 in Montreal on 25 April but again it fell through, with Dillashaw sustaining a rib injury in training.
However, there have been no complications on this occasion so Dillashaw and Barao will finally collide in tonight’s headliner. For the champ it’s about showing that his UFC 173 win was no fluke, while Barao is determined to prove that it was.
Given the dominant nature of his win over Barao last year, Dillashaw is a deserving 4/9 favourite with the bookmakers. However, considering how unbeatable he looked prior to falling to the current champion, 19/10 is a very attractive price for Barao.
The good news for Irish fans is that — for once — you won’t have to stay awake until 5am to watch a UFC title bout live. The main card starts at 1am Irish time and it’s a belter too, with Eye vs. Tate, Barboza vs. Felder and Lauzon vs. Gomi also on the bill.
The action — including four prelims — will be live on BT Sport 2 from 11pm, while the early prelims start on UFC Fight Pass at 9.15pm.
Main card (BT Sport 2, 1am)
TJ Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao
Jessica Eye vs. Miesha Tate
Edson Barboza vs. Paul Felder
Joe Lauzon vs. Takanori Gomi
TV prelims (BT Sport 2, 11pm)
Gian Villante vs. Tom Lawlor
Jim Miller vs. Danny Castillo
Kenny Robertson vs. Ben Saunders
Eddie Wineland vs. Bryan Caraway
Early prelims (UFCFightPass.com, 9.15pm)
Daron Cruickshank vs. James Krause
Ramsey Nijem vs. Andrew Holbrook
Jessamyn Duke vs. Elizabeth Phillips
Zak Cummings vs. Dominique Steele
Good article Paul. I had a whinge yesterday about all the mcgregor articles but as you said he is one off the biggest names at the moment…
Dillashaw is possible the most successful tuf athlete so far. (Along with Forrest Griffen of course.) His first fight v Barao was excellent and I was delighted with his win. It’s a pity Uriah Faber is a team mate of Dillashaw. As Dominic Cruz calls them “team alpha fail.”
I wonder will the bandwagon fans from a few weeks ago even know this fight is on
Why do you worry so much about other people
In fairness Alan, I’ve made a few remarks myself about the bandwagon supporters but I think it’s great that as a nation we always support our own, whether it be a team event or an individual sport…
This band wagon thing is bull !! 90% of Irish mma fans didn’t know anything about the sport 3 years ago !! but because of conor and coach kavanagh and the other Irish guys , people who like me tuned in to see the one fight then moved on to highlight reels and looking at other fighters . its how the sport grows !! Suppose you were at ufc 1 were ya ??
Not all as selfish as you mark.
Alan, I sure do! Got the seven day free trial on fight pass along with the ppv. Fcuk me Netflix subscription, I’m keeping the fight pass!
Not 90% bit of a stretch more like 60%.
Great odds on Barao! Might have to check that out.
Jim Miller on the prelims as well, one of my favourite fighters, usually in very entertaining fights, can’t believe he’s not on the main card
I think Miller needs a little winning streak to get his confidence up again after the cerrone fight. Smashing danny in a less high pressure fight will be good for him.
Yeah true coming off two losses now I think but I’ve every faith in him sinking in a nice sub tnte!
Anybody who walks out to creedence is badass in my book!
Coach kavanagh… I hate when people use americanisms, unless your American?. “His coach, John kavanagh”.
I assume your replying to me ?? He uses coach kavanagh as his twitter handle !! its how he is known also it helps other so called band wagoners who might not know who plain old John kavanagh is
I’ve hated them since the getgo!
hated who ??
Americanisms, I remember I heard Mary harney on about someone/thing who needed to “step up to the plate” I wanted to punch my own face
suppose it’s the Internet age , I get what your saying tho
Got barao, Tate, barboza, miller €5 acc gets €62 not too shabby at all.
WAR Barao. Dillashaw has improved greatly under Ludwig but Barao looked back on point at the weigh-ins.
Any of those four main card fights could be fight of the night, fan of Lauzon but Felder is just really enjoyable to watch, great card!
Gomi is 36…Jaysus. Getting old…
Wait…Did lauzon just stroll away?
Sorry everyone else went to sleep
Wow….Dillashaw is keeping that title for a while when you look at the rankings. Not a fan in general and thought Barao was of the last fight but T.J is a beast.
Congrats.