UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw proved his first win over Renan Barao was no fluke.
In the rematch, Dillashaw scored a dominant fourth-round TKO victory over the Brazilian on Saturday night at UFC on Fox 16 in Chicago. The UFC was the first to congratulate the champion on his dominant showing:
Dillashaw’s win highlighted a handful of impressive performances on the night. Here are the results:
Dillashaw Leaves No Doubt
From the outset, it was clear Barao still had no answer for Dillashaw’s movement and superior speed. As he did in the first fight, the champ employed advanced footwork and fast hands that befuddled Barao.
Dillashaw’s speed and striking superiority were apparent in the fight stats, per the MMA Report’s Jason Floyd:
By the third round, Barao had been tagged several times, and his stamina looked to be failing him. The only adjustment he appeared to make from the first fight was the decision to throw more leg kicks.
It didn’t work.
He caught Dillashaw a few times, but it proved to be a pebble in the road to the champion’s successful title defense. In the fourth round, Dillashaw caught an exhausted Barao with a vicious left hand that sent him flailing into the cage.
Dillashaw then unleashed this barrage of strikes, per ABS-CBN Sports:
Referee Herb Dean seemed to be waiting for a sign from the heavens to stop the fight. The bout could have been halted about 10 seconds earlier than it was, but the outcome wasn’t altered.
Dillashaw’s reign can no longer be reasonably questioned. UFC heavyweight Ruslan Magomedov gave the champion his props:
At this point, few legitimate fighters are ready to seriously challenge Dillashaw at 135 pounds. Up-and-comer Thomas Almeida is a real talent, but he needs more experience. The injured Dominick Cruz is the only one who appears to have the skill and experience.
He’s had a hard time staying healthy, but the former champion is a beast when he’s in the Octagon. He’ll probably need one or two fights before he can challenge Dillashaw for the title. Per the Fox broadcast, Cruz isn’t expected to return to the Octagon until early 2016.
As for Barao, it may be time for him to think about moving up to 145 pounds. He made the 135-pound weight limit but looked drained early in the fight. At age 28, perhaps he’s gotten too old to continue to try to make 135 pounds. He has a large frame for the bantamweight division and could be at his best at 145 or bigger.
Tate Tames Eye
Miesha Tate did her part to set up a third meeting with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. In the co-main event, Tate dominated all three rounds of her bout with Jessica Eye and secured the unanimous-decision win. The UFC has the official scorecards:
Tate showed just about every facet of her game in this one. After taking some hard shots early, she landed a hard right hand that dropped Eye and changed the identity of the fight. Here’s a look at the punch:
Floyd has the fight stats from the co-main event:
The numbers are a bit deceiving. The strike totals are similar, but the impact and damage from the punches are what tell the story in this one. Tate did far more damage with her strikes than Eye did, and that’s why she won every round on all three judges’ cards.
In the third round, she showed off her takedown skills and planted Eye on the canvas to close the show. If Rousey wins on Saturday in Brazil at UFC 190 against Bethe Correia, she and Tate will meet for a third time.
Rousey has won the first two meetings by submission, but Tate is the only opponent to last more than a round against her rival. Damon Martin of Fox Sports doesn’t think Tate has much of a chance to beat Rousey in a third bout, but you have to respect her grind:
Eye was gracious and congratulatory in defeat:
It’s hard to imagine what’s next for Eye at this point. Perhaps a meeting with Cat Zingano when she decides to return could be a way to earn a second opportunity to challenge for the title.
Fight Night Bonuses
TJ Dillashaw
To properly appreciate Dillashaw’s performance, one must remember how good Barao had been in his career before he first fought Dillashaw. We’re talking about a guy who hadn’t lost a fight in 10 years.
On top of that, Barao isn’t even 30 years old yet. Dillashaw again dismantled a truly elite fighter and, as Magomedov said, made him look like a novice.
Tom Lawlor
No one was talking about “Filthy” Tom Lawlor before the event, but plenty were discussing his titanic right hand after the show. Gian Villante was having some success against Lawlor early, but the counter right hook that Lawlor landed knocked Villante out almost instantly.
Villante protested afterward, but he was wobbling into the cage door at the same time. It was a good stoppage and a heck of a punch from Lawlor.
Edson Barboza vs. Paul Felder
The Edson Barboza vs. Paul Felder didn’t feature a bunch of blood and guts or high-level ground work, but there was a plethora of spinning and dynamic attacks. Most of them missed the mark.
At some points, it looked like the two men were filming a fight scene in a martial arts movie. It was admittedly entertaining but weak by Fight of the Night standards.
Still, it was the best fight of the event. Here’s a look at the top highlights from the Fight of the Night and the other notable moments from UFC on Fox 16:
Biggest Losers
Takanori Gomi
You have to know when to hang up the gloves. The time has surely come for Japanese legend Takanori Gomi to call it a career. He’s an unorthodox, one-dimensional fighter who is bound to take beating after defeating guys who have progressed in the sport while he has stayed stagnant.
Gomi will be 37 years old in September. Hopefully, he’ll celebrate his birthday with no future plans to step back into the Octagon.
Gian Villante
Just when it looked as if Gian Villante was moving into position to be a serious contender in the light heavyweight division, Lawlor happened. The crushing counter right hand that knocked Villante out also made it impossible to see him as a legit threat to the elite 205-pounders in the UFC.
Lawlor made Villante pay for his faulty defense, and now his strike defense and chin may be question marks moving forward. He’s not the most gifted athlete, so you have to wonder just how much he can improve.
Barao
It’s humbling when a fighter finds the guy he simply can’t beat. The manner in which Barao has lost to Dillashaw twice creates the thought that we’d see the same result no matter how many times the two fought.
No fighter wants to be beaten out of a division, but it appears that is what Barao could be facing.
What’s Next
UFC 190
Any Rousey fight is a major event, but after Saturday’s co-main event, her bout with Correia is especially intriguing. We know who Rousey will be facing next, no matter who wins. If she successfully defends her title as everyone expects, Rousey will take on Tate.
If Rousey were to lose to Correia, there will almost certainly be a rematch.
With UFC 190 taking place in Brazil, it’s only right that the co-main event features two Brazilian legends. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will engage in a fan-friendly scrap against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Neither man has a chance to ever seriously challenge for a championship again, but they are warriors who will give it all they have.
See you Saturday.
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