How would Barao do in the FW division?

rl4090526

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Which top ten would he beat assuming Aldo moves up after his fight against Conor win or lose.
 
If he brings the same tdd, then he will be very successful. I think he beats charles oliviera, cub swanson, ricardo lamas. I don't think he beats mcgregor or mendes.
 
He'd be a beast. I don't think he would be champion, but hell, maybe.
 
Of the wrestlers, I think Edgar beats him for sure, using his footwork. I think I'd pick Mendes by KO. I think he'd beat Lamas, but it could go either way. Bermudez has better standup and the wrestling and therefore a good chance, but unfortunately I think he would get caught and KTFO. I think he beats Lentz and Guida because I don't think they can get takedowns or win on the feet. Elkins has a height advantage but I'd pick against him for the same reasons as I did Lentz and Guida but I don't think he's as good as Lentz and Guida.

Of the non-wrestlers, Jose Aldo and Hacran Dias are his teammates. Conor KO's him. I'd pick Holloway to get the finish too, but there's a danger Barao can get him down and outgrapple him. Swanson is in the same boat as Holloway, but he seems to not be as motivated any more, and he doesn't have Holloway's height advantage. I think Charles Oliveira is a better fighter than Barao, but his chin/defense is an issue. I'd hesitantly pick Oliveira to win. I think Jeremy Stephens would brawl with him and it could go either way, but Barao could get takedowns too so I'd pick him. Barao starches Dennis Siver.

Edit: I'd expect him to be ranked about 5-8 I guess.
 
It's very hard to wipe his last two horrible performances from memory. I'm going to have to see him fight at least once at FW to make up my mind.
 
I'd probably favor him over everybody but Aldo, Edgar, Mendes, McGregor and Holloway. So, just outside the top 5 IMO.
 
So why bother moving? He is Top3 @ BW

2 reasons:

1. He gets to cut less weight and have a similar ranking in a bigger money division
2. He doesn't know for sure that'd he'd only have a similar ranking in the division; his aim would obviously be to be the best.
 
Of the wrestlers, I think Edgar beats him for sure, using his footwork. I think I'd pick Mendes by KO. I think he'd beat Lamas, but it could go either way. Bermudez has better standup and the wrestling and therefore a good chance, but unfortunately I think he would get caught and KTFO. I think he beats Lentz and Guida because I don't think they can get takedowns or win on the feet. Elkins has a height advantage but I'd pick against him for the same reasons as I did Lentz and Guida but I don't think he's as good as Lentz and Guida.

Of the non-wrestlers, Jose Aldo and Hacran Dias are his teammates. Conor KO's him. I'd pick Holloway to get the finish too, but there's a danger Barao can get him down and outgrapple him. Swanson is in the same boat as Holloway, but he seems to not be as motivated any more, and he doesn't have Holloway's height advantage. I think Charles Oliveira is a better fighter than Barao, but his chin/defense is an issue. I'd hesitantly pick Oliveira to win. I think Jeremy Stephens would brawl with him and it could go either way, but Barao could get takedowns too so I'd pick him. Barao starches Dennis Siver.

Edit: I'd expect him to be ranked about 5-8 I guess.

I agree. Stephens vs Barao would be fun as fuck according to my imagination lol
 
I honestly think he'd do better than he does now. He seems imho to be the perfect example of cutting too much weight and suffering because of it.
 
I think from this point forward he would do better at FW than he is going to do at BW. His style doesn't rely on being bigger and stronger and wearing guys out so I think the move to FW would be beneficial to him as the guys would be a little slower on average and he would not be a small FW.
 
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