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One of the biggest free cards of the year is taking place Saturday Night on Fox as the world’s biggest MMA organization presents UFC On Fox 16. The event will be headlined by a UFC Bantamweight Title rematch as TJ Dillshaw again faces Renan Barao. Also, Miesha Tate faces Jessica Eye in a title eliminator and Japanese MMA legend Takanori Gomi returns.
Main Card
Main Event
UFC Bantamweight Title Fight
TJ Dillashaw (11-2-0) (Champion) vs. Renan “The Baron†Barao (33-2-0-1NC)
Dillashaw will be making the second defense of his championship, as he last defended it against Joe Soto at UFC 177. Prior to losing the belt in his first fight against Dillashaw at UFC 177, Barao had been on a thirty two fight winning streak that had lasted nearly a decade. Dillashaw will be returning to action after being away for nearly a year after dealing with a host of injuries. Barao did win one fight since losing the title to Dillashaw last year, which was a win over Mitch Gagnon at UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Dollaway. Dillashaw’s speed and movement froze a usually dangerous Barao for five rounds in their first encounter, Dillashaw does the same again to get a decision win.
Co-Main Event
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Division Fight
Jessica “Evil†Eye (11-2-0-1NC) vs. Miesha “Cupcake†Tate (16-5-0)
Eye has won just one of three fights under the UFC banner, with that lone win coming over Leslie Smith at UFC 180. Tate will enter the fight on a three fight winning streak, with two of the three wins coming over previous UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title challengers. Eye competed for a brief time in Bellator MMA, where she defeated former Bellator MMA Women’s Flyweight Champion Zoila Frausto. If Tate were to win the fight, she would get a third shot at UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey, Tate is the only woman to get out of the first round with Rousey. Eye is the far better striker when compared to Tate, but Tate is an amazing wrestler and she grounds Eye for a decision win.
UFC Lightweight Division Fight
Edson Barboza (15-3-0) vs. Paul “The Irish Dragon†Felder (10-0-0)
Barboza has won two of his last three under the UFC banner, most notably defeating Bobby Green at UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Swanson. Felder has already fought twice in the UFC and he is only one of three fighters in the UFC to win a fight via spinning back fist knockout. This one is going to be a slugfest from bell to bell, but Barboza slows down Felder with his viscous leg kicks before scoring a knockout win.
UFC Lightweight Division Fight
“The Fireball Kid†Takanori Gomi (35-10-0-1NC) vs. Joe “J-Lau†Lauzon (24-10-0)
Gomi has only won just one of his last three under the UFC banner, with that lone win coming over Isaac Vallie-Flagg at UFC 172. Lauzon will be fighting for the second time in 2015, which is the first time since 2013 he has fought more than one time in a calendar year. Gomi’s strength has always been his striking, but Lauzon will get him to the ground to lock in a submission on the MMA legend.
Preliminary Card
Gian Villante over Tom Lawlor
Danny Castillo over Jim Miller
Ben Saunders over Kenny Robertson
Eddie Wineland over Bryan Caraway
Daron Cruickshank over James Krause
Ramsey Nijem over Andrew Holbrook
Elizabeth Phillips over Jessamyn Duke
Zak Cummings over Dominque Steele
