Dana White: ‘I’m Not Paying Barao, There’s No Excuse For Not Making Weight’

Former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao cost his employers dearly this weekend when he was forced to pull out of his rematch with T.J. Dillashaw and it looks like it’s going to cost him more than just a chance to reclaim his belt.

Barao dropped out of UFC 177’s main event against Dillashaw less than 24-hours before the fight was set to go down after he blacked out due to dehydration just prior to the weigh-ins. Luckily, the card was saved when Octagon newcomer Joe Soto stepped up from his preliminary bout against Anthony Birchak to challenge for the bantamweight strap.

However, the Brazilian’s withdrawal did not go down well with the UFC and it is going to cost him big time:

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“”Barao’s not making any money,” UFC president Dana White told reporters at UFC 177’s post-fight press conference. “I’m not paying Barao. Barao showed up and didn’t fight, (and) the other kid that didn’t make weight. The other kids will get paid.

There’s no excuse for not making weight. But (Barao) paid for it. He hurt us, he messed with the show, but that kid didn’t make a paycheck, he’s going home with no money. He’s going home without a dime. He just paid for a camp, and who knows when he’s going to fight again.”

Speaking for the first time since he blacked out, Barao said his weight cut was going as normal and he’s never had this happen to him before. In a FOX Sports interview, he Nova Uniao fighter blamed it all on him simply just getting up to quickly:

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“I was dehydrating in the bathtub,” Barao said. “I feinted, I hit my head, I was taken to the hospital.

I was fine,” Barao added. “My weight was around regular what I come in for fight week. Everything was fine, everything was going great the whole week. The whole thing was I hit my head in the bathtub and that’s where it all went down.

I’ve had 35 fights cutting weight this method. It’s always fine for me. I think the whole problem is I got up too fast and I blacked out and I fell, so that was the whole issue.”

Whatever the problem was it’s hurt Barao badly and he will now have to work his way back up to a title shot. White also suggested that the former champion should think about moving up to the featherweight division or fork out for a nutritionist.

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But, it sounds like Barao is intent on working his way back up to fight Dillashaw once again.

 “I’m very sad to not be fighting here tonight. This is something I do, it’s a dream come true every time I go in there and fight, and I’m very disappointed not to be fighting. I want to come back and I want to face T.J. He’s been saying a lot of things and I want to come in here and tear his head off.”