Renan Barao Returning To Bantamweight Division
After a two fight stint at featherweight, former UFC Bantamweight Champion Renan Barao is returning to the division he once dominated.
According to a report from Combate, the former bantamweight kingpin will be taking his next bout at 135 pounds. A date and opponent have yet to be set.
During his two fight run at featherweight, the Brazilian defeated Philippe Nover by decision and also dropped a decision to Jeremy Stephens.
Barao initially moved up to the featherweight division after some issues with his weight cut, which cost him a bantamweight title shot against then-bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw at UFC 177.
In his first run at bantamweight, the former champion earned notable victories over the likes of Brad Pickett, Urijah Faber, Michael McDonald and Eddie Wineland. Bara captured the UFC Bantamweight Title when he defeated Urijah Faber by decision at UFC 149 and he would defend it three times before losing it to TJ Dillashaw at UFC 173.
The Brazilian star hasn’t found much success since dropping the title, only winning two of five fights under the UFC banner. Those two wins came over the aforementioned Philippe Nover and Mitch Gagnon, the Nover fight was his final as a featherweight.
When Barao does return to the bantamweight division, it will be the first time he has competed in the division since losing a rematch with TJ Dillashaw at UFC On Fox 16 in July 2015.
