As one of just three fighters in MMA to have shared the octagon with both Renan Barao and Urijah Faber , UFC bantamweight contender Eddie Wineland has a good feel of what both men have to offer. Wineland was the victim of a highlight-reel knockout from Barao at UFC 165 this past September, while he lost a narrow decision to “The California Kid” in his UFC debut at UFC 128 in March 2011. With the experience of being bested by both men’s skill sets, Wineland can gauge how his former foes match up against one another. Even though Barao is favored to win tonight’s UFC 169 main event against Faber, which takes place at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Wineland says he smells an upset in the air. It is a significant matchup for the future of the UFC bantamweight division, which means Wineland has a vested interest in the outcome as he believes a few more strong performances against the division’s “top guys” will get him back in the conversation for another championship fight. With the UFC 169 headliner featuring Barao (31-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and Faber (30-6 MMA, 6-2 UFC) just hours away, Wineland breaks down all the major aspects of the matchup and shares who he believes will leave “The Garden State” with UFC gold.
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Common opponent Eddie Wineland breaks down Barao-Faber at UFC 169 – MMA Junkie