Barao got caught in the first round. It took his game.

[linvillegorge]

Surprised it took this long for this thread to appear.

Barao wasn't even close to being prepared to deal with Dillashaw's speed and movement. He was getting painted up pretty good before the bomb landed. But, once that bomb landed, he completely changed. He went into a shell and became a counter striker. All of his aggression was gone. That punch didn't end the fight, but it may as well have. I'm glad it didn't. A big punch in the 1st round can be chalked up to a fluke, but you can't chalk up a 23 minute ass beating to be a fluke.

 

[forrestcries]

Well TJ was winning before the punch also, so it really makes no difference.

Dillashaw was by far the better man tonight

 

[Keakecasacooway]

People are forgetting even though Barao was hurt bad after the first round, he was trading big shots and still looking good up till the end of the 4 and 5, then TJ pulled away. Not taking anything from TJ, he was the better fighter by far, but I think Barao is taking too much hate right now.

 

[Riki Newton]

I think he was just unprepared as a whole. That punch didn't fall from the sky.

This!

I think they took TJ seriously but were preparing for a TJ Dillashaw that no longer exists... dude is on another level. The movement was CLEARLY giving Barao problems in the first few minutes of the fight. TJ looked phenomenal and was giving Barao some very confusing angles. That helped set up the dynamite punch that, as OP said, absolutely turned the tides for the rest of the bout.

 

[linvillegorge]

We'll see what happens in the rematch. I too think that the knock down in the first round screwed up Barao's game. He was off his game for rest of the fight and looked slow and sluggish.

Dillashaw looked a lot faster from the moment the fight began. I don't think that changed after the punch. Dillashaw was still a lot faster, Barao was just less aggressive making him look even slower.

 

[linvillegorge]

People are forgetting even though Barao was hurt bad after the first round, he was trading big shots and still looking good up till the end of the 4 and 5, then TJ pulled away.

He wasn't trading shit. He was eating big shots while fanning air with his own.

 

[countswagula]

So anyone that gets hit with a punch is unprepared? Is no one just better than their opponent these days?

I think preparation plays a huge role in who is better. If you remove that from the equation, you might as well remove speed, strength, cardio, strategy, and the only measuring stick left is luck.

 

[JT RIPPER]

Curious to see who is the first title defense for TJ

Instant rematch or Rafael?

 

[flanellograf]

No. He couldn't do anything to TJ regardless. As several analysts already pointed out, Barao had some (more or less glaring) holes in his game, which was pretty meat and potatoes when it came to striking anyway, and TJ was the perfect guy in the division to exploit it, save for Cruz.

 

[MDoza]

rematch!

 

[Post Crisis]

Barao seemed mystified by the switch. TJ was drawing Barao to pivot right and then he'd step over and blast him with the left. Text book.

 

[Thaijitsu612]

Maybe he shouldn't have been tagged with that hand. Don't discredit TJ because he landed the bomb that almost slept Barao.

It's not being discredited. It's being credited in fact....that huge shot jacked baroa up for the whole night. Big shots do that. I was head kicked and rocked based once. I could barely focus and my vision was messed up. I only pulled it off because when I clinched I didn't have to able aim and finished with knees but if he's had any idea how messed up I was he coulda blitz me and I wouldn't have been able to defend.

The only way I can think to describe it was it was like I was the sun was in my eyes the whole time. Twas weird mang

 

[wookie brawl]

TJ outclassed him from the get go. That punch was prepared & well timed.
All props to TJ!

 

[Estudante]

barao could've worked more on the ground, if the rematch happens he gotta do this or it's gonna be a long night for him

 

[knock_you_out]

This is very different from the Sera loss for GSP. Baroa lost every second of every round and was totally dominated.

 

[Keakecasacooway]

He wasn't trading shit. He was eating big shots while fanning air with his own.

I'll watch the fight again, and advise you to do the same.

 

[IceAndFire**]

Barao never had anything for TJ since the fight began.

He was so much slower and less mobile.

Irregardless of that big punch, TJ was well on his way to a one sided kickboxing clinic win against him.