SACRAMENTO -- Renan Barao's path to reclaiming the UFC bantamweight title he lost to TJ Dillashaw earlier this year got significantly longer on Friday.
Barao (32-2) was forced to withdraw from his title rematch against Dillashaw this weekend at UFC 177, when he fainted while attempting to cut weight on Friday. UFC newcomer Joe Soto replaced Barao in the pay-per-view main event.
UFC president Dana White said that kind of thing is, "going to happen" occasionally in mixed martial arts, but said Barao would not keep his place in line at 135 pounds.
"He won't get a title fight after this," White told ESPN.com.
Naturally, Dillashaw and his camp agreed with that sentiment. The 28-year-old had already stated he didn't feel like Barao deserved an immediate rematch, considering how dominant of a performance Dillashaw had in the first fight.
An agitated Dillashaw said on Friday he felt the failed weight cut was partially due to the fact he "mentally broke" the Brazilian at UFC 173 in May.
"He hasn't missed weight in any of his fights," Dillashaw said. "I think I mentally broke him and he didn't want to fight me. His coaches wanted the fight more than he did. He should have just done this a couple weeks ago."
Duane Ludwig, Dillashaw's head coach, echoed those statements.
"Renan Barao lost his place in line, for sure," Ludwig said. "I don't know the circumstances about him passing out, but I saw him in the hotel lobby around 11 [a.m. on Friday] and he looked fine.
"I was talking to [Barao coach] Andre Pederneiras and Barao was looking right at us, alert to our conversation, and he looked fine to me. For him to pass out a half hour later is weird."
