Renan Barao On T.J. Dillashaw: He Isn’t A Striker, I’m The Better Fighter

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UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao will put his title on the line this Saturday at UFC 173, for the first time since unifying the interim belt against Urijah Faber at UFC 169. The Brazilian ‘Baron’ goes up against hungry contender T.J. Dillashaw, who replaced Raphael Assuncao following an injury to the number one contender.

Quite unusually for a UFC champion, Barao is quiet and reserved. Not often talking to reporters or trashing his upcoming opponents, and his recent interview with Bleacher Report proves that even when he does choose to talk smack, it’s actually quite respectful:

“I believe T.J. [Dillashaw] thinks he is a striker now, and he isn’t,” Barao told Bleacher Report through the assistance of a translator. “I think he will mess up and make mistakes in this fight, and this will present the chance for me to finish him. I’m very calm and ready for this fight, and I believe I will win this fight because I’m the better fighter.”

I think it’s a case of two very different styles when you compare Barao with Dillashaw; the champion has a brutal power striking arsenal, whereas T.J. is a well rounded and very technical striker. Having finished three of his nine victories with strikes, it’s clear that T.J. is no pure power puncher, but his striking was vastly improved against Mike Easton in his last outing.

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In comparison to Barao’s 8 T/KOs from 32, Dillashaw actually has the same finishing by strikes ratio of 0.33, although the difference in styles is quite apparent. Barao then commented on Nova Uniao, where he trains with featherweight champion Jose Aldo:

“We have an amazing team at Nova Uniao,” Barao said. “We have great fighters that all push one another to be better. ‘Dede’ is an amazing guy. He has fought in the past and is very strategic, and that helps us very much. Aldo is like a brother to me, and I feel like I learn something new from him every day. It is a great team and an amazing thing to be a part of.” 

So will it be the technical, Dominick Cruz-esque striking of T.J. Dillashaw, or the brutal Muay Thai of Renan Barao that win the day this Saturday?