Former bantamweight champion will look for his first win since September 2016.
After multiple reports and bookings that ended up falling through over the last few years, it seems that former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao has an actual date to return, again.
According to French promotion ARES Fighting Championship’s official Instagram page, the Brazilian has been picked up to take on William Gomis in a feathwerweight bout at AFC 7, on June 25, in Paris, France.
If the fight comes to fruition, it will mark the first time Barao steps into a cage since November 2019, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Douglas Andrade, back at UFC Fight Night 164.
In fact, should Barao score a win against Gomis, it will be his first one in almost six years. The 35-year-old’s most recent victory happened in September 2016, when he bested Phillipe Nover by unanimous decision. Since then, the Brazilian has dropped five straight fights, with losses to Aljamain Sterling, Brian Kelleher, Andre Ewell and the aformentioned Andrade.
On the other side, 24-year-old Gomis (9-2) will look for his eighth straight win. So far, the Frenchman has amassed a record of five knockout wins, one submission and one decision. His most recent defeat happened in November 2016, when he got submitted by Morgan Charriere.