UFC 177: DILLASHAW VS. BARAO 2 Date: August 30, 2014 Location: Sacramento, California Venue: Sleep Train Arena Broadcast: PPV UFC Bantamweight Champion TJ Dillashaw (-135) A former NCAA Division I wrestler and current Team Alpha Male member, T.J. Dillashaw (11-2) took the MMA world by storm earlier this year when he defeated UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao via fifth-round TKO to capture the title. It was a breakthrough performance by Dillashaw, who was a massive underdog heading into the fight but who now looks like he could be a superstar for the UFC. With a 6-2 overall record in the UFC since his stint on TUF, Dillashaw is a little stud and has the potential to hold the belt for a long time considering how much he improves fight to fight. For his first title defense, the UFC has asked him to fight Barao once again, but this time he enters the fight as the favorite. UFC Bantamweight Contender Renan Barao (-105) After holding one of the longest winning streaks in MMA history, Renan Barao (32-2-2) finally fell when he was knocked out in brutal fashion by TJ Dillashaw at UFC 173. It was by far the worst the MMA world has ever seen Barao and it was a shocking defeat for someone who was a massive favorite heading into the fight. Barao should have had to work his way back up to title contention, but the UFC decided to give him an immediate rematch with Dillashaw and he will look to make the most of the opportunity. One of the most dangerous fighters in the entire UFC, Barao is a super athlete with wicked striking and submissions, and if he shows up and fights to the best of his abilities, the rematch with Dillashaw should be much more competitive than the first time these two met. Opening UFC 177 Analysis: MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas made Dillashaw a -135 favorite (bet $135 to win $100) while Barao opened as a -105 underdog (bet $105 to win $100) at Several Bookmakers. This is a rematch that some wanted and that some didn’t want because of the way the first fight went, but at the end of the day Barao had a massive win streak heading into the first fight and deserves a chance to win his belt back. The first time these two met, Barao was a huge favorite and not many people gave Dillashaw a chance, but the American absolutely dominated the fight from bell to bell in one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. Some believe that Barao just had an off night and that he will bounce back in the rematch, but there are those who believe Dillashaw is just that damn good and that he’s better than Barao. We’ll find out in late August if the first fight was a fluke or not when these two meet in the main event of UFC 177, with this time Dillashaw entering as the favorite.
