Why does no one talk about barao in the goat conversations? His career was ruined by a known cheat.

[Jonesisnatural]

That wineland stoppage was trash
Yves Lavigne is an underrated candidate for the terrible ref crew

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

You’re right that he doesn’t get mentioned enough. There are a lot of goat contenders at that weight though. But yeah, he deserves more credit I’d say.

Maybe this will help: “Renan Barão is a former UFC bantamweight champion. He held one of the longest unbeaten streaks in MMA history - following a loss in his professional debut, he recorded 32 straight fights without a loss over a span of 9 years. During his championship reign, he was ranked as a top 3 pound for pound fighter and regarded as one of the best mixed martial artists in the world.”

There are not a lot of GOAT contenders at 135

There is only Dom, you have to be really biased or really reach to make an argument for anyone other than him

People say this because he didn’t have a GSP, Aldo, or Jones type of career, but he is still well beyond anyone else at BW

 

[Jonesisnatural]

There are not a lot of GOAT contenders at 135

There is only Dom, you have to be really biased or really reach to make an argument for anyone other than him

People say this because he didn’t have a GSP, Aldo, or Jones type of career, but he is still well beyond anyone else at BW

Plus Dom is still looking good, all these years later
He was beating a top contender until round 4 of their fight
For an old man in the division that's extremely impressive

 

[chiefwiggum]

Because he lost a lot at the end of his prime. People pretend they don't care about these things but they do. Past-prime defeats carry significant weight in terms of how people view fighters' legacy. Barao and Khabib had similar careers but Barao didn't retire at the top.

In mma yes. Mma fans would rate berbick and spinks over Ali as ali was never really that good at boxing.

 

[mister piscadinha]

he was phenomenal, but a paper champion while cruz rested

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

Not entirely sure barao was natty himself tbh.

He looked WAY different phsyically,just a few fights after losing to tj. Kinda like hendricks.

Almost nobody from that era was

It’s so dumb to completely trash everything TJ ever did because he popped for PEDs later in his career:

Plus Dom is still looking good, all these years later
He was beating a top contender until round 4 of their fight
For an old man in the division that's extremely impressive

He is unbelievable man, he just can’t sustain that pace anymore, he starts slowing down and dudes catch him. In his prime he would’ve just continued outpointing guys like Cejudo and Chito.

His win against prime TJ after a four year layoff clearly out of his own prime is one of the best in MMA history.

He is honestly underrated because people don’t like him, and his prime was a long time ago, and cut pretty short. Even with that being the case I don’t see anyone beating his resume at BW for a whiiile.

 

[Bearknuckle]

If only he retired after beating uriah faber. He’d be 32-1 and on a 31 fight win streak. He couldve sat out and called for money fights. Too bad his era was before the “superfight money” era.

 

[Jonesisnatural]

Almost nobody from that era was

It’s so dumb to completely trash everything TJ ever did because he popped for PEDs later in his career:

He is unbelievable man, he just can’t sustain that pace anymore, he starts slowing down and dudes catch him. In his prime he would’ve just continued outpointing guys like Cejudo and Chito.

His win against prime TJ after a four year layoff clearly out of his own prime is one of the best in MMA history.

He is honestly underrated because people don’t like him, and his prime was a long time ago, and cut pretty short. Even with that being the case I don’t see anyone beating his resume at BW for a whiiile.

God I was so stoked for that dillashaw fight
The fact he continued to fight after that, defended once, then takes years off after he loses to CG, then comes right back into a title fight, loses, then almost makes his way back up the ladder AGAIN all these years later is legendary
There is nobody even close at BW to me and anyone if they use logic.
Dude still only has 4 losses ever.

 

[kingghidrah]

Most overrated fighter ever. He beat so many nobodies he makes Khabib's early resume look like a killer's row.

 

[drbolony]

Not entirely sure barao was natty himself tbh.

He looked WAY different phsyically,just a few fights after losing to tj. Kinda like hendricks.

Dana crowned him P4P while Aldo was his champ just because he was finishing Eddie Wineland and McDonald, lol. The disrespect.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Dana crowned him P4P while Aldo was his champ just because he was finishing Eddie Wineland and McDonald, lol. The disrespect.

no he beat faber aswell twice.

Aldo was a guy who was pulling out of fights a lot. he wasn't nearly as active as barao.

 

[drbolony]

no he beat faber aswell twice.

Aldo was a guy who was pulling out of fights a lot. he wasn't nearly as active as barao.

Yes he did, but I'm pretty sure he made the P4P declaration after one of the fights I mentioned. That was 2013, Aldo defended twice in 2013.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Yes he did, but I'm pretty sure he made the P4P declaration after one of the fights I mentioned. That was 2013, Aldo defended twice in 2013.

I believe it was after the second faber fight.

It was during the build up for the TJ fight he said all that, If i remember correctly.

 

[EricSpider]

I dont buy into that "lost to a cheater" crap, however I do think he should be remembered a lot more than he is.

 

[Bushpig]

Slipped in the bathtub.

 

[Ozze]

Maybe it's because his downfall was like no other. From champion to undercard in a blink of an eye. Don't think a former champion was ever sent to undercards.

 

[Gamer2k4]

he was phenomenal, but a paper champion while cruz rested

Still, the fact that he held an interim title and actually defended it twice is remarkable. No one defends interim titles.

 

[Mike]

That slump he went on pretty much eliminated him.

 

[xhaydenx]

One of the most overrated, overhyped dudes in the history of the UFC before he lost to TJ.

Not that he wasn’t good, but they were acting like he was the 135 Aldo. Not even close.

Bro, up until the TJ loss, he was looking exactly like a 135 Aldo. Super dominant like Aldo and even used to tear up the legs like Aldo.

 

[Rationality]

His career is a mirror image of Fedor's. Barao should def get more respect.