Renan Barao set to return to MMA against fellow UFC veteran Bobby Moffett

By Adam Martin - August 28, 2020

Former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao is set to take on Bobby Moffett in his first fight since being cut from the UFC roster.

Renan Barao, UFC Sao Paulo

According to a report from Combate, Barao will take on Moffett in a featherweight contest at a Taura MMA event scheduled for November 22 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Taura MMA is an emerging promotion that has recently signed fighters such as Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva and Rousimar Palhares to fight for its promotion. Barao was another one of its big signings, having recently inked a deal with the company, as was Moffett, another ex-UFC fighter.

Barao (34-9, 1 NC) is still only 33 years old, but he has run into serious struggles in the last few years. The Brazilian is currently riding a five-fight losing skid, and after suffering a decision loss to Douglas Silva de Andrade in his last fight, the UFC decided to cut him. Barao got a much longer leash than most other fighters due to him being a former UFC champion, but after losing seven of his last eight fights, the UFC was forced to cut him.

Overall, Barao went 9-8 in the UFC. He was the promotion’s bantamweight champion between 2012, when he defeated Urijah Faber to win the interim belt, to 2014, when he was knocked out by TJ Dillashaw in a massive upset to lose his belt. During this time as champion, many considered Barao to be one of the top P4P fighters in MMA.

Moffett (13-5, 1 NC) is also a former UFC fighter, having been signed after a win on the second season of the Contender Series. Moffett struggled in the Octagon, going 0-2, 1 NC with losses to Enrique Barzola and Bryce Mitchell, with a No Contest against Chas Skelly in a fight that had a controversial submission finish. Although he technically didn’t earn a win in the UFC, he did earn two bonuses in three fights, so his cut was a bit of a surprise.

Who do you think wins, Renan Barao or Bobby Moffett?


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Renan Barao UFC