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Dana White: Dillashaw-Barao rematch postponed again

When T.J. Dillashaw took the UFC bantamweight championship from Renan Barao in May 2014, most thought that Barao – who was undefeated for nearly 10 years prior to that loss – would receive an immediate rematch.

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Dillashaw's quickness gave Barao trouble in their first bout. (Getty)
Dillashaw's quickness gave Barao trouble in their first bout. (Getty)

A rematch was set for later in the summer at UFC 177. However, Barao suffered a medical issue related to his weight cut 24 hours before the fight and was subsequently removed from the card. Dillashaw instead faced journeyman Joe Soto in what was a showcase fight for the newly minted champ.

Most recently the rematch with Barao was booked for the main event of UFC 186 on April 25 in Montreal. Unfortunately, the Barao-Dillashaw 2 showdown has seen another setback. This time, it's the champion being forced to pull out, as Dillashaw fractured a rib during practice and will no longer be available to compete.

UFC President Dana White broke the unfortunate news during an interview with Los Angeles radio station KRRL-FM 92.3. earlier Tuesday. He also said no timetable has been set for the champion's return.

With Standard and Poor downgrading the UFC's credit rating last year – in large part due to their sub-par PPV performance (numbers that the UFC blamed on the slew of main event injuries over the past 24 months) – 2015 seemed to be on the upswing. Both UFC 183 and 184 were estimated to eclipse the coveted 500,000 buy rate.

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The rematch between Barao and Dillashaw may not have been Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier or Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano, but it is a fight that many fans and pundits have been looking forward to; both in terms of surefire, action-packed competition, and also for divisional clarity.

Before Dillashaw or Barao can move on in the bantamweight division, they first need to settle their blossoming rivalry, and that is becoming increasingly difficult to manage.