RIO DE JANEIRO -- Dominick Cruz dethroned T.J. Dillashaw to reclaim the UFC bantamweight title at UFC Fight Night 81, and his win might affect the future of a former champion.
Renan Barao considered moving to the featherweight division after losing to Dillashaw in July, his second TKO loss to the California-native in 14 months. However, watching Cruz defeat his ex-rival via decision last Sunday gives him hope to one day fight for the 135-pound title again.
"I can’t say the result wasn’t good for us. It was," Barao’s coach and manager Andre Pederneiras said in a media scrum.