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Renan Barao jumps to featherweight, fights Jeremy Stephens on May 29 in Brazil

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight champion Renan Barao is putting an end to his drastic weight cuts -- which at one point led to this -- for a shot at featherweight superstardom.

That starts with a fight against veteran face puncher Jeremy Stephens at the upcoming UFC Fight Night 88 mixed martial arts (MMA) event on May 29 in Brazil, according to a report from Combate.

Barao (33-3, 1 NC), once considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, hasn't competed since TJ Dillashaw turned him inside out at UFC on FOX 15.