5 Main Card Predictions For UFC 177

1. T.J. Dillashaw (C) vs. Renan Barao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuAvUzfnzQ0 Weight Class: Bantamweight This is the fight that either sells this event to you, or doesn't. A lot is riding on Dillashaw vs. Barao 2, and here's why: Barao had been a dominant interim, then undisputed, champion for the bantamweight division for almost two years. Prior to meeting T.J. Dillashaw in May, he hadn't lost since April of 2005 - his very first fight. There was one no contest during that time, but otherwise it was all wins, and once he joined the WEC (later acquired by the UFC) he began knocking off name after name: current UFC flyweight title challenger Chris Cariaso, Cole Escovado, Brad Pickett, Scott Jorgensen, Urijah Faber (for the interim title, when Domick Cruz wound up injured, which turned out to be an almost three year span in total), Michael McDonald, Eddie Wineland, and Urijah Faber a second time. In other words, he basically cleaned out the bantamweight division. Then he went up against Dillashaw, who no one thought had a chance - and was dominated. That's fantastic news for the UFC because it opens up the division and puts the belt on an American, English speaking champ rather than the unpopular Brazilian Barao, who international fans didn't really connect with in part due to the language barrier - right? Well, what seems like great news often isn't. Dillashaw lacked credible opponents because team mate Faber dominated the rest of the division. Faber is so good against everyone but Barao that no one really gets close to a title shot, and Faber won't fight Dillashaw. So despite having a new champion, you have the exact same log jam. There is Raphael Assuncao, but he lacks marketability, and lost to Faber back in the WEC, though he did beat Dillashaw in the UFC less than a year ago - which is likely the promotion's fear, that the belt goes right back to a less marketable fighter. Believe it or not, Barao vs. Dillashaw 2 is the safe fight here, at least from a marketing standpoint. The original fight got a lot of people talking, so this bout does have a buzz. The wild card in the divisional picture is Cruz. Despite having been injured almost three years he's finally due to come back (supposedly) in September, against Takeya Mizugaki. Mizugaki is ranked fifth in the division, and would be a shoe-in for a title shot if he had a more exciting style. As it stands, he gives Cruz a short path back to the title, if Cruz can return with a win (no easy feat). Of course for Cruz there's always a lucrative third fight with Urijah Faber if he doesn't go on a title run right off the bat. What all of this comes down to is that Dillashaw vs. Barao 2 is the only fight the UFC thought it could make. Were they right? Well, that depends on whether you feel that Assuncao was a legit option (he was) or that Mizugaki should have got a shot (realistically, another win for him was probably necessary). The other highest ranked options, Wineland and McDonald, are both coming off losses, so they're out. What happens in this fight? Well that's a good question. A lot of credit was given to Duane Ludwig for really upping the game at the Alpha Male camp that Dillashaw and Faber belong to, but he left the camp recently, though word is he'll still be working with Dillashaw. Expect Barao to be at his best - he certainly won't let his guard down, not that he seemed to the first time. The real question is, was May the best fight of Dillashaw's career, simply a really good night, or can he consistently preform at that level? The prospect of Dillashaw being a long term champion in the UFC is questionable. He could prove us wrong, but to date, he's had one great fight. Expect an extremely focused, intense Barao to come out strong and bring the fight to Dillashaw; in this case Barao takes the title back, setting up a rubber match somewhere down the line. TKO in the third.