The Californa State Athletic Commission will not allow former UFC Bantamweight Champion Renan Barao to fight in the bantamweight division.
After a short stint as a featherweight, Barao was scheduled to return to 135 pounds at UFC 214 in Anaheim, California. He is scheduled to fight bantamweight contender Aljamain Sterling.
The CSAC is forcing Barao to fight at 140 pounds or higher, which is also forcing Sterling to move up in weight in order to fight the former champion.
“The last time Mr. Barao was over here in California, he didn’t make it to the fight,” Andy Foster, CSAC executive officer, told MMA Fighting. “I think out of an abundance of safety, we’ve focused on weight cutting, focused on addressing severe dehydration to make weight. And the last time Mr. Barao was here he didn’t make it to the fight. I talked to my doctors and we feel like this is the appropriate and safe thing to do.”
The CSAC has made new rules regarding how much weight at fighter can cut prior to fighting. The first UFC event to be impacted by these new rules is UFC 214 on July 29. Barao is the first UFC fighter who has been told he can’t compete in a weight class by the commission.
On Wednesday, Sterling responded to the weight change in a post on his Instagram account.
“Looks like the commission is making the weight cut easier for Barão,” Sterling wrote. “Bantamweight, featherweight, or catchweight, it doesn’t matter to me! Either way the commission isn’t gonna stop me from putting this guy on his back and dropping some hellbows on his face! Lets see who wants this (expletive) more!!”
Barao later responded to Sterling’s post.
“You’re just a coward and liar. I’m ready to fight at 135 pounds division. It’s not my fault if California State Athletic Commission wants me to fight at 140!” Barao wrote on his Instagram.
“I’m ready to kick your (expletive). I asked Sean Shelby to schedule this bout on July 22th, in New York, so we could fight at 135. You know you even asked more money to fight at 140… If you really have balls, sign this contract to fight in California at 140 and stop lying to the fans, you coward. I’m gonna finish you!
