UFC 149 - Faber vs. Barão Breakdown

UFC 149 has undoubtedly reiterated the fact unexpected injuries are an inevitable aspect of Mixed Martial Arts. 

 

The upcoming Calgary, Alberta event will be headlined by an interim bantamweight bout between Urijah “The Calfornia Kid” Faber (26-5-0) and Renan Barão (28-1-0, 1NC). Following his submission win over Brian Bowles at UFC 139, Faber was scheduled to fight fellow Ultimate Fighter Coach Dominick Cruz (19-1-0) in a rubber match. Unfortunately the bantamweight champion was bit by the recently active UFC injury bug, and tore his ACL, consequently forcing him to drop out of the scheduled bout. 

 

As always the UFC made efforts to repair the card, this time by introducing Brazilian Renan Barão into the main event mix, and in my opinion, rightfully so. Although Barão is new to the spotlight, there’s no doubt he is dangerous. Riding a 28-fight win streak, including victories over the likes of Cole Escovedo, Brad Pickett, and most recently, Scott Jorgensen, there’s no doubt Barão will look to solidify his spot as a top contender in the UFC’s bantamweight division. With a sole loss coming from his professional debut in 2005, Renan remains a mystery that has long-gone unsolved. As a member of Brazil’s Nova União, Barão has trained alongside fellow teammate UFC featherweight champion José Aldo. Aldo, who earned a unanimous decision victory over Faber at WEC 48, has played a critical role in preparing Barão for this bout as his mentor. 

 

Come July 21st at the Scotiabank Saddledome “The California Kid” will look to solve the mystery and bring Barão’s win streak to a halt. Faber, a former WEC featherweight champion who successfully defended his title five times, is no stranger to main event pressure. Unsuccessful in his last four title bouts, Faber will aim to prove he is still a credible force in the bantamweight division worthy of a trilogy match against current champion Dominick Cruz. 

 

With the match set and the interim title on the line, let’s break it down. 

 

Striking

Faber possesses good boxing skills, lightning-fast strikes, and has displayed progressive improvement in the striking department. In his UFC 132 match against Cruz, Faber consistently put Cruz on his back with counter strikes. 

 

With a Muay Thai kickboxing approach, Barão’s striking is far more unorthodox and versatile. Often incorporating explosive knees and kicks into his stand up game Barão has proven to be a credible striker. As seen in Faber’s fight against José Aldo, Barão’s leg kicks can easily become a deciding factor in this bout. 

 

With a longer reach and well-rounded striking I’d give the advantage to Barão. 

 

Wrestling

I think Faber is one of the best wrestlers in the bantamweight division and in the UFC. Wrestling since the eighth grade, Faber, a collegiate-level wrestler, undoubtedly has the advantage in this aspect of the fight. I wouldn’t be surprised if Faber aims to neutralize Barão’s striking advantage with takedowns followed by ground control. Barão’s takedown defence will be a crucial element in deciding how advantageous Faber’s wrestling skill-set will be for him.

Ground Game

Both fighters have proven to be among the top submission artists in the bantamweight division. Barão holds 13 professional wins via varying submissions, while Faber holds 14 submission victories predominantly via guillotine and rear naked choke.

Despite a close number in submission victories I’d give the advantage to Barão. While Faber holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Barão’s training is extensive in comparison. Barão received his black belt in BJJ from Nova União co-founder and head coach, André Pederneiras. Pederneiras, a black belt in BJJ under the late grandmaster Carlson Gracie, has also trained the likes of José Aldo and BJ Penn. 

 

Although Faber holds a brown belt in BJJ and has experience facing BJJ black belts I’d give the advantage to Barão. Faber should utilize his counter wrestling to avoid giving Barão control on the ground, or it could cost him the fight.

 

My Pick 

 

Tough call... It’s hard to predict whether or not Barão will succumb to main event pressure, a state Urijah Faber is all the more used to. With that said, I still believe Barão possesses a skill-set which can overcome Faber earning him the interim title.

 

Renan Barão 

 

Come this Saturday two very skillful fighters will look to prove they are worthy of a chance to capture the gold. This is a bout you don’t want to miss.