UFC president Dana White has come forward to clear the air regarding current UFC interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao (31-1-1).
Speaking during the UFC world tour, White said:
“Renan Barao is a champion. If you look at Renan Barao and what he has done, he’s beaten everybody that Dominick Cruz would be fighting if Dominick Cruz was healthy and was the champion. So, [the interim label] takes nothing away from [Barao], other than just that pin, that place holder until Dominick Cruz comes back. But for all intents and purposes, Renan Barao is the real champion. He’s the one that’s beating the guys that need to be beaten.”
When questioned on the subject Barao told MMAFighting.com:
“It doesn’t bother me at all, I consider myself the champion,” he said. “People there are with me every day and my fans consider me the champion, so it doesn’t bother me at all. UFC will make a decision about this and I hope to fight Dominick so we can answer all the questions about this.”
Brazilian Barao, who has won his last 21 fights in a row (6 in the UFC) defeated Eddie Wineland via Spinning Back-Kick/punches TKO at UFC 165, this past Septermber has been inline for a unification fight with Dominick Cruz for sometime now, but due to Cruz long-term injury has been unable to secure the bout.
