R. Barão (photo) was promoted to the status of linear bantamweight champion. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
After announcing the dismissal of the title of Dominick Cruz, and consequent promotion of Renan Barao as linear champion of the bantamweight category, the UFC acted quickly and has already made the change to its official rankings. On Monday night (06), the organization updated the list and included the Brazilian as the belt holder in the 61,2 kg division. Cruz, in turn, no longer appears in the ranking, which resulted in the gain of a position for several athletes from the top-15.
In addition to Barão, two other Brazilians appear among the ten best ranked in the bantamweight category: Raphael Assunção, third place, and Iuri Marajó, which appears in ninth position. Among the heavyweights, despite having fought about a month ago, Antonio Pezão He moved up one place, benefiting from Josh Barnett's defeat to Travis Browne, and is now fifth in the division.
Two athletes who won at UFC Fight Night 34, last Saturday (04), also gained some positions on the list. After beating Hyun Gyu Lim, the former Strikeforce champion Tarec saffiedine rose from tenth to ninth position among welterweights. In addition to him, the Japanese Tatsuya Kawajiri debuted, in fourteenth place, among the lightweights after submitting Sean Soriano in the first round. Finally, in the weight-by-weight ranking, Ronda Rousey surpassed John hendricks and now appears in tenth place.
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