The rapid, ever-changing landscape of MMA becomes all too real with the mere mention of former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao.
Around this time last year, the Brazilian world-beater was widely considered one of the best fighters in the world. UFC President Dana White even went out on a limb, calling him the No. 2 ranked pound-for-pound fighter behind then-light heavyweight champ Jon Jones.
The excessive hype behind one of Nova Uniao’s top fighter’s didn’t feel the least bit overblown at the time. With a stoic look on his face, Barao effortlessly eviscerated 22 opponents in a row without showing so much as a chink in his armor—until UFC 173.