Dana White comments on R. Barão's situation in the UFC. Photo: YouTube/Reproduction
The UFC bantamweight division has had two belts since July 2012, when the champion Dominick Cruz injured his knee and the Brazilian Renan Barao won the interim division title. Since then, almost 25 months have passed and the situation has not changed. Although the UFC has set a deadline for Cruz to return to fight – until the beginning of 2014 – franchise president Dana White cannot escape being asked about the matter.
During a visit to Brazil to promote UFC 168, the director was asked why he took away the heavyweight belt from Frank mir, in 2005, 14 months after he suffered a serious motorcycle accident, but still holds Cruz's title after a two-year layoff.
For White, Mir's case would initially be the end of his career, while Dominick is still diagnosed with competing again. Despite this, the president revealed that he already considers Barão the true champion of the category.
"When Frank mir If he was injured, the doctors thought it was the end of his career, unlike Dominick Cruz", he said. “But in a real way, he (Barão) is the champion now. He will have the chance to return to unify the titles, it is Renan who faces the best athletes”, stated White, during his visit to the ‘Esporte Espetacular’ program.
This Monday, Dana was asked about the subject again during the UFC 168 press conference in São Paulo. A fan who was following the event asked about the ‘situation of Renan Barao’, but the leader got angry. “What situation? There is no situation,” he snapped.
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