Andre Pederneiras: We Want An Immediate Rematch In Brazil
Renan Barão had his nine-year unbeaten streak snapped this weekend in dramatic fashion, getting knocked out by Team Alpha Males T.J. Dillashaw to lose his UFC bantamweight title.
The Brazilian’s loss to Dillashaw was one of the biggest upsets in UFC history and, as you might except, the former champion wants a chance to win back his title:
“We’re asking for an immediate rematch. It’s fair, and we’re looking a way to do it,” Barão’s manager Andre Pederneiras told radio show No Mundo da Luta. “It can’t happen in less than five or six months, but I think that’s how long T.J. is going to be out. Everybody wants to see another fight between them, since it was the fight of the night.”
The bout was highly entertaining and it would be hard to deny Barão an immediate rematch given his championship run. Despite Saturday’s main event being totally one-sided, I don’t think too many people would be opposed to seeing the two go at it again.
The second time the bantamweights meet, however, Pederneiras has a challenge for the new champion. The Nova Uniao founder wants their rematch to go down in Brazil.
“The ideal would be bringing this fight to Brazil,” he said. “There’s going to be a big event here in Brazil, apparently in October in Rio de Janeiro. Let’s see if these guys are man enough to fight Barao in his house.”
Pederneiras will be no doubt looking to give his standout pupil every advantage he can if they were to get the rematch. Barão was a huge favorite coming in on Saturday night but that didn’t show in the fight as he was battered for four rounds straight rounds ahead of getting stopped in the fifth.
According to the 27-year old’s manager, this was all down to when he got dropped with a huge right hand from Dillashaw in the first round. Pederneiras said the champion never recovered from that first big shot:
“After the first knockdown, Renan couldn’t get into the fight anymore and he went dizzy with every blow,” he said. “Even between the rounds, when we were talking to him, he wasn’t even looking at us.
After the first round, we told him not to trade with (Dillashaw) so he could recover, but it was like we had told him ‘go there and trade punches with him’ because that’s exactly what he did. He kept fighting and asked us who was winning the fight before the fifth. When the fight was over, he asked us what happened, if he won or if he lost.”
It’s not yet known who Dillashaw will take on next, but with Raphael Assuncao in the mix and Dominick Cruz possibly returning, there are plenty of options for the new champ. Who would you like to see him take on in his first title defense?
