Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: How does likely next challenger Raphael Assuncao match up against UFC Champ Renan Barao?
Feb 28, 2014 - 1:30:56 PM ROUNDTABLE: How does likely next challenger Raphael Assuncao match up against UFC Champ Renan Barao?

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Raphael Assuncao is likely the next Bantamweight Title challenger after his UFC 170 win. How does he match up with Renan Barao? Can he dethrone the Champ?


RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Apologies for the brevity, but in order: 1.) Very poorly; 2.) No.

Anything else I would say, such as this sentence, is just filler.

But, since I'm not above filler. Assuncao doesn't have the power to get inside on Barao in an effort to either get Barao down or to make the fight ugly. And even if he does get the fight to either of those two places, it's highly unlikely he's got anything for Barao on the fence or on the canvas. Assuncao is rugged and skilled, but he doesn't have anything for Barao. No one in the world at 135 does, with the possible exceptions of Bibiano Fernandes (I'm reaching) and a healthy Dominick Cruz.


KALE HAVERVOLD, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

It is an okay matchup, but like Jose Aldo a division above, I don't see Renan Barao losing to anyone at that weight class except maybe a healthy Dominick Cruz. So no, I don't think Assuncao stands much of a chance against Barao.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I don't think he matches up well with Barao at all. Of course, I think that's true with most other fighters, though, so it's not just Assuncao. Sure, he can beat Barao, but it's not at all likely. Barao is just too good in too many areas. It's going to take a supreme effort from a challenger to beat him at this point. I don't think Assuncao is capable of beating him, outside of a flash knockout or something.


DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK COLUMNIST

If you win six consecutive fights in the UFC, you deserve a title shot. It doesn’t always happen, but he definitely deserves one. It also helps that Renan Barao has virtually beaten everyone else who was worthy of contention. Dominick Cruz is made of glass now, so he shouldn’t be in consideration until he’s had at least one warm up fight.

It’s all rather irrelevant and he should just be named the next victim rather than be known as a challenger. Assuncao is talented but Barao is going to make light work of him as a stop-gap before someone more challenging comes along.