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UFC 177: Dillashaw vs. Barao
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Published: 8/29/2014  at  2:51:00 AM
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UFC 177: Dillashaw vs. Barao

Saturday, August 30 – 11:30 p.m. ET
Sacramento, CA

T.J. Dillashaw (11-2) vs. Renan Barao (34-2)

Bantamweight title bout
Line: Dillashaw -145, Barao +125

T.J. Dillashaw will defend his title against Renan Barao in a rematch from UFC 173 on Saturday night in Sacramento.

Dillashaw pulled off one of the more surprising victories at UFC 173 when he knocked out Barao in the fifth round. That ended Barao's 22-fight winning streak, as many experts had considered him unbeatable. However, on that May 24 night, Dillashaw showed that he has the ability to strike with anybody in the class. Even though the fight made it to the final round, Dillashaw really established himself early, and controlled the match from the beginning. He is an explosive athlete with the quickness that makes him nearly impossible to hit. However, that power in his striking is what got to Barao in the first fight. Barao entered that fight as a heavy favorite, but now he is the underdog for the rematch. He has said that the striking ability of Dillashaw was something he was not expecting, and vows to be ready this time around. When Barao is at his best, he is using his strength and cardio to dominate his opponents. However, against Dillashaw, he doesn’t have those advantages. The rematch so quickly is not a great thing for Dillashaw, but what he showed in that first fight is that he has the ability to match up with Barao. It will not be easy to get the win, but the smart money is on DILLASHAW to retain his belt.

Dillashaw has 11 wins on his resume, with four coming by both knockout and decision, with the other three coming by submission. The 28-year-old from Angels Camps, CA will be able to fight near home, as Sacramento is only 90 minutes away. Dillashaw will also have a big advantage when it comes to landing significant strikes, as he averaged 5.23 strikes per minute compared to 3.55 for Barao. While he lands more strikes, he also lands a much higher percentage (48 percent, compared to 34 percent for Barao). If the match goes to the ground, Dillashaw will also have an advantage, averaging 2.2 takedowns, compared to 1.3 for Barao. That atmosphere on Saturday will be electric, as Dillashaw will have the home crowd behind him. However, it will not be easy as the former champion will be more prepared for this fight.

"The Baron" Barao has 34 victories in his career, with 14 of them coming by way of submission. He also has 12 wins by decision and eight by knockout. While he doesn't have as many takedowns as Dillashaw, he has a higher percentage in his takedown attempts (55 percent, compared to 42 percent for Dillashaw). While some fighters use the takedown to get points and to wear down their opponents, Barao is doing it to end the match. He is terrific on the ground, and capitalizes any time his opponent makes a mistake. If he is able to take this fight to the ground, he will be in great position to get the victory. This has a chance to be one of the best fights of the year, but both fighters will need to control their emotions and stick to their game plan.


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