Renan Barao Outpaces Phillipe Nover In Decision Win

There was a time when Renan Barao (34-4) was considered one of the best fighters in the world. The former bantamweight kingpin had a stellar record of 32-1 and was thought to be untouchable. Even Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White put Barao high up on his pound-for-pound list.

Things have changed.

Two devastating losses to TJ Dillashaw and a decision defeat at the hands of Jeremy Stephens has put Barao in a tough spot. He had a chance to earn his first win since late 2014 when he competed against Phillipe Nover (11-7-1) at UFC Fight Night 95.

While he didn’t look like the same man that put fear in the 135-pound division, Barao did walk away with a win.

The two exchanged jabs to get the first round underway. “The Baron” blocked a couple of high kicks. Barao landed an inside leg kick and moved forward with punches. Nover countered with a left hook and got his opponent off balance momentarily. A jab found the mark for “Super.” Barao consistently kicked the lead leg of Nover. A spinning heel kick attempt from Barao was off. The horn sounded shortly after.

A right hand scored for “The Baron” early in the second round. A combination found the mark for Barao and he landed a jumping kick. Barao had a burst after over a minute of toning down with a body punch. With about 13 seconds left in the round, Barao secured a takedown and held top control until the round was over.

The final round started and Nover landed a counter left hook. A hard straight right landed for Barao. “The Baron” got in a body lock and tripped “Super.” Nover got to his feet quickly. Barao ducked under a punch and landed an uppercut to the body. An inside elbow connected for Nover. A knee to the body found the mark for Barao. He took Nover down as the final horn sounded.

Barao was named the winner after the score totals were in favor of the former champion.

Final Result: Renan Barao def. Phillipe Nover via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)