Heading into UFC 173, Renan Barao was on one of the hottest streaks not losing once in 33 professional fights... until now. TJ Dillashaw has become the latest UFC fighter to pull off perhaps the biggest upset of the year and joins the many ranks of the UFCs elite as champion.
Right from the opening bell, the Alpha Male prospect got right in the champion's face and stayed there, nearly finishing him in the first round with an overhand right and than attempting to follow up with a rear naked choke. The bell may have very well saved Barao, but heading back to each's respective corner you could tell Barao was not expecting this.
From that opening stanza, Dillashaw continued to keep the fight standing and forced Barao into exchanges that frustrated the champion, consistantly keeping the champion off balance with stiffling combinations and effective boxing. The challenger even managed to take Barao down and land some damaging ground and pound as well.
But it was ultimately the fifth round that would be the complete game changer and what put Barao away for good. A straight left from Dillashaw preceeded by a step jab, head kick combination put the champion down, leaving Dillashaw to swarm for the finish and forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the fight at 2:26 of the final round.
TJ Dillashaw not only became the Bantamweight champion on this night, but he dominated the champion in a way that nobody had ever thought he would and made it look effortlessly. With this win Dillashaw now climbs to 7-2 in his career and turned out the most impressive performance of his career.
He also became the very first fighter to defeat a Nova Uniao fighter, with Urijah Faber losing to Barao twice and Jose Aldo once and Mendes losing to Aldo respectively. Dillashaw also broke another Alpha Male curse when he became the very first Alpha Male fighter to win a title in their last 10 title fights. Faber had lost his last 5 title fights, where as team mate Joseph Benavidez lost to Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson twice, and Mendes' lone loss against Aldo back in January 2012.
As for Barao, he falls to 6-1 and suffers his first career defeat since April 2005 and his first ever stoppage loss in his 35 fight career.
Congratulations TJ Dillashaw... you are officially the man at 135.
Right from the opening bell, the Alpha Male prospect got right in the champion's face and stayed there, nearly finishing him in the first round with an overhand right and than attempting to follow up with a rear naked choke. The bell may have very well saved Barao, but heading back to each's respective corner you could tell Barao was not expecting this.
From that opening stanza, Dillashaw continued to keep the fight standing and forced Barao into exchanges that frustrated the champion, consistantly keeping the champion off balance with stiffling combinations and effective boxing. The challenger even managed to take Barao down and land some damaging ground and pound as well.
But it was ultimately the fifth round that would be the complete game changer and what put Barao away for good. A straight left from Dillashaw preceeded by a step jab, head kick combination put the champion down, leaving Dillashaw to swarm for the finish and forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the fight at 2:26 of the final round.
TJ Dillashaw not only became the Bantamweight champion on this night, but he dominated the champion in a way that nobody had ever thought he would and made it look effortlessly. With this win Dillashaw now climbs to 7-2 in his career and turned out the most impressive performance of his career.
He also became the very first fighter to defeat a Nova Uniao fighter, with Urijah Faber losing to Barao twice and Jose Aldo once and Mendes losing to Aldo respectively. Dillashaw also broke another Alpha Male curse when he became the very first Alpha Male fighter to win a title in their last 10 title fights. Faber had lost his last 5 title fights, where as team mate Joseph Benavidez lost to Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson twice, and Mendes' lone loss against Aldo back in January 2012.
As for Barao, he falls to 6-1 and suffers his first career defeat since April 2005 and his first ever stoppage loss in his 35 fight career.
Congratulations TJ Dillashaw... you are officially the man at 135.