After an unbeaten journey of over 20 fights in Brazil, Renan Barão finally got the chance to debut on international rings. And it was a success. After a beautiful arm-lock he applied on Anthony Leone on WEC 49, which happened in Canada, the tough guy from Natal talked to TATAME about the decision of fighting with an over weighted opponent, exciding the division’s limit, José Aldo’s inspiration, training partner and champion of WEC, and his expectations for his future on the event. “I hope I can feel more comfortable and use better my boxing techniques, which I train since I was little with my father”, tells, in the below interview.

What did you think of your fight? Did it go like you have planed?

I thought it was a good fight, but what motivates me the most is that I know I can do better performances and that’s what I want, to grow on the event and try to explore my whole potential so I can get on my best… A first time is like that… But my intention is to go for a knockout or a submission, as I always do, but I couldn’t expose myself too much so I could be knocked down or even brought to the ground several times, what could make thinks more complicated for me right on the first fight I do on the event.

He did not beat the weight for the fight, being seven pounds fatter. Did you consider, for a moment, not to confront him with this overweight?

No, my thought and my team’s thought were focused on that fight. On the day of the weight, around nine in the morning, they asked me to check on my weight, because they thought he would be a little over weighted, but when he went there, they found out he had even more extra pounds than what they expected. Some people told me no to fight him like that, told me that on the next day he’d be even heavier, but I was already there and the vibe was so good I decided to accept the challenge, and thanks God everything went right.

His weight advantage changed much things during the fight?

In fact, you could see he had done a good recovery and was heavier. His strategy consisted of using his strength and his Wrestling put me on the grid, trying to make me feel tired and putting me down on the last minutes of the round on the attempt of winning the fight by points, but, thanks God, since I was a little boy I got a good base (laughs). On the only moment he indeed put me down what the one I got the inversion and from then on I guaranteed the win my submission.

Did you feel comfortable on your debut outside Brazil?

Yeah… What I worried the most was the weight thing, due to the hard time I got to beat the weight on Shooto and others events here in Brazil. I got there too light, I had 64kg and due to the fact I had loss so many weight, I got some pounds back, I had approximately 68kg on the time of the fight. For my next fight I’ll try to beat the weight closer from the bout so I can recover it better and fight with 70kg, which is my natural weight.

What did people from WEC said about your win?

They guys from WEC enjoyed my submission, it was esthetic, but I noticed that what they really liked was the fact I agreed to fight with him still with an over weight.

Your behavior before the fight, keeping your head down all the time, reminded of José Aldo’s. Is he an inspiration for you?

For sure, I inspire myself on him and on several other athletes and coaches from Kimura Nova União.

What do you think of your division on WEC? What is your next step?

Well, is like Wagnney (Fabiano) said: in our division there’s a lot of good fighters and a lot of athletes are changing to this division, but I’m feeling fine on this division. I hope I can feel more comfortable and use better my boxing techniques, which I train since I was little with my father, but in practice my trading punches game which I’ve been training with Jhonny Eduardo and people from Nova União.