Dana White Compares Renan Barao To Floyd Mayweather

UFC interim boss Renan Barao further cemented his place as one of the best fighters on the planet at UFC 165, knocking out Eddie Wineland in the second round of their scrap in Toronto. Barao rocked Wineland with a spinning back kick and finished the job with punches.

Beating Urijah Faber, Michael MacDonald and Eddie Wineland on the bounce is no small task, neither is his impressive 31-1 record which has seen Barao unbeaten since his debut in 2005.

UFC president Dana White is very aware of the talent that Barao possesses and spoke at the UFC 165 post fight presser regarding ‘Baron’:

“The closest thing to [Mayweather] is this kid right here. He’s gone undefeated for eight years, Floyd has gone undefeated for 17 years. Do you know how hard it is to go eight years undefeated? Seriously, think about that. He doesn’t get enough credit for the record he has and what this guy is capable of doing, and it’s not just like he’s undefeated and he goes to decision and outpoints you. This dude [expletive] destroys you.”

I agree with White here (*pukes in mouth a little), Barao is a legitimate force at 135 and I’m on the fence regarding a fight between Baron and Dominick Cruz. The BW champion has been sidelined for nearly two years with injuries, and ring rust would likely play a factor upon his return.

 Barao has looked like a real beast lately, but Cruz has long been one of the best fighters at 135. The Dominator has bested Urijah faber, Joseph Benavidez twice, Ian McCall, Brian Bowles and Scott Jorgensen among others; his awkward style proving too much for every fighter but Faber in 2007.

I think its only fair that Cruz gets the chance to fight Barao on his return, especially seeing who he beat to get to the top. That being said, Baron is on fire, healthy and smashing top-level competition for fun. I just don’t know whether Cruz would get out of the gates against him.

As far as the Mayweather-Barao comparison; probably an accurate description. Having such a long unbeaten streak requires a high level of training and determination, which both guys clearly possess in abundance.

In the MMA world fighter streaks don’t go on forever, points for anybody that can name a pro MMA fighter who has retired unbeaten after top flight fights, but Barao certainly seems to have the tools needed to challenge that statement.