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Renan Barao hasn't lost a fight since his MMA debut in 2005, but because most of his fights have come against an unknown quality of opponent in Brazil, there have been questions about just how good he might be. Against Brad Pickett at UFC 138 on Saturday night, he left no doubt that he's an elite talent at 135 lbs.
Barao and Pickett both came out swinging wildly and with reckless abandon, hitting each other with combinations and absorbing the blows. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Barao connected on a flying knee that rocked Pickett, and he dropped him to the mat with pinpoint precision on his follow up strikes.
Pickett somehow survived that assault, but Barao then pounced on his back when Pickett rolled to his knees, and it was just a matter of time before he forced Pickett to submit to a rear naked choke.
It was just Pickett's second loss in his last 12 fights, and after a breakout performance, Barao is now unbeaten in 28 fights, running on a 17-fight winning streak.
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