For the first time in his UFC career, which dates back to November 2011, Renan Barao will fight at featherweight. A change that was long coming since the former bantamweight champion has struggled with weight cutting in the past, to the point of passing out on the day of the weigh-ins for UFC 177.
As Barao himself told Globo Esporte, his body just could not take it anymore.
"The weight cutting was too wearing. I was not able to recover 100%. My body felt that a lot."
As for taking on heavier opponents from here on out, Barao says it's not something to be worried about, since he already trains with bigger and stronger men at his gym.