Renan Barao’s coach Jair Rodrigues is supportive of his fighter’s decision to train outside of Brazil.
Barao, who is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight title holder, now trains full-time in the United States. “The Baron” has been a guest at Power MMA in Arizona.
Speaking with Flo Combat, Rodrigues said he believes Barao is at his best when he trains in the United States:
“Renan has always been a great fighter, he has always trained a lot in camp and out of camp, but he was not 100% the athlete he is here in the USA. He is set as far as food goes, recovery after training, sleeping and waking at the right times and policing [his days] more in relation to the quantity, intensity and quality of the training, besides having access to a good supplementation and high-level wrestling training. All these factors were crucial in the decision to return to the division in which he already was a champion.”
On July 29, Barao will return to the bantamweight division to face Aljamain Sterling at UFC 214. Rodrigues feels the move back down to 135 pounds is the right one for Barao.
“I think it was the right decision, yes. Renan is very competitive at featherweight, but we are not in this game to be just another [name]. To be champion again, which is what he wants, he has to make the sacrifices now, because for almost everything we have to pay a price in this life. And he is paying that price today and it will make him champion again.”
