Team Alpha Male Coach Fires Back: Dillashaw Will Run Over Barao

Despite the long history between Team Alpha Male, home to current bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw, and Nova Uniao, home to former champion Renan Barao, there hasn’t been too much tension between Dillashaw and Barao heading into their rematch at this weekend’s (July 25, 2015) UFC on FOX 16.

However, it seems as if the bad blood has ramped up during fight week, as one of Barao’s coaches recently called Dillashaw a “Barbie”, taking a shot at the champion’s punching power. It seems as if Team Alpha Male has gotten wind of these comments, and they are not too happy.

Dillashaw’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach Fabio Pateta recently spoke with Combate firing back at Nova Uniao. Pateta said that Dillashaw’s hands weren’t as powerful the first time, and Barao was still destroyed. The coach also said that the first time Barao was run over by car, but Dillashaw is an animal and “The Baron” will be run over by a truck this weekend:

“I don’t know what fight he watched. Everybody saw what happened to Barao. Can you imagine if T.J. had heavy hands then?” Pateta asked. “Barao would not be walking until today, his face would be disfigured. The last time it was a car crash, this time it a truck will run over him. You saw how Barao walked out of his last fight and how T.J. evolves everyday. He’s an animal and he will run over Barao Saturday.”

Moving on, Pateta said that he believes Dillashaw is just a step ahead of Barao, and that the champion is more prepared than the challenger:

“Barao was always a technical and dedicated guy, but T.J. is just a little bit ahead of him. Barao surely had a good camp because he doesn’t want to lose again. I think he will try to kick Dillashaw’s legs like Jose Aldo did to Urijah Faber, but we are ready to defend anything he comes at us with. We also trained a lot of takedown defense because we know Barao is a complete fighter, but no matter where the fight takes place, T.J. will be comfortable. We are more prepared than Barao is.”

Do you agree with Pateta? Will Dillashaw prove the first matchup wasn’t a fluke this weekend?