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#1 Worst: Barao slips to new lows again
5 years is admittedly a long time in MMA, but the downfall of former UFC Bantamweight champion Renan Barao over that time period is still stunning. 5 years ago Barao turned Eddie Wineland’s lights out with a spinning kick to retain his title – last night he was well beaten by a promotional newcomer – and not really a blue-chip prospect either – in Andre Ewell.
Credit obviously has to be given to Ewell – he struggled in the first round due to the ground game of Barao and was almost submitted – but in the second and third he clearly outpointed the Brazilian on the feet, and by midway through the fight it was pretty clear that ‘The Baron’ was running on empty in terms of his gas tank.
In all honesty, this should be the end for Barao. Ewell looked like a beatable opponent on paper and yet once the fight left the first round it never really looked like the former champion would pull out the win. The likelihood is he’ll continue to fight – whether that’s in the UFC or not is anyone’s guess – but at 31 it’s clear that his time at the top of the sport is over.
He’s beginning to remind me of another once-great champion who fell hard – Jens Pulver circa 2010 at the end of his WEC run. It’s just sad to see such a fighter of his calibre fall so hard.
