Confidence
You don’t build an insane unbeaten streak like Barao had without an extreme amount of confidence in one’s self. But the fashion in which he lost to Dillashaw the first time around has to have damaged his mindset a little bit.
He’s never fought a UFC bout coming off of a loss. He’d never even gotten rocked or been in serious trouble in the Octagon prior to UFC 173. Going from a run of dominance where he was finishing top-ranked opponents with ease to getting knocked in the fifth round of a one-sided beating is tough to overcome mentally, especially in three months’ time.
If Barao can come back and overcome adversity to reclaim the belt in Dillashaw’s backyard, we’ll know the first fight was an off night for him and he didn’t fight to his full potential.
To do that, he’s going to have to believe that he can truly beat the enigmatic champion and his improving striking skills. There was just nothing in the initial bout to suggest that he can accomplish that goal.
