UFC Brasilia preview: Do or die for Renan Barao

These are the words of UFC president Dana White, from a May 2014 interview:

"Look at the efficiency of the kid, and how he has not been anywhere near being beaten in all those years. This is a sport where there's always a guy who may have better wrestling, or better striking, or better something. I've been debating if he is No 1 pound-for-pound and, for me, he is."

The "kid" in question was then bantamweight champion Renan Barao. And the "efficiency" that White spoke of was the 32-1 record that Barao boasted heading into a title fight with TJ Dillashaw at UFC 173.

What nobody could have predicted was how swiftly Barao's fortunes would turn. He'd lose to Dillashaw, badly, then fall to him again in a rematch 14 months later. Those humbling beatdowns prompted Barao to move up a division this past May, only to lose to Jeremy Stephens.

Once unbeatable, Barao has now had his hand raised in only one of his past four contests.

It's difficult to pinpoint the reasons for Barao's decline. Maybe the cut down to 135 eventually became too harsh. Maybe he can beat anyone at bantamweight not named TJ Dillashaw. Maybe the loss to Stephens could be attributed to the growing pains of a new division.

Regardless, Barao's back is against the wall and with all due respect to his UFC Fight Night 95 co-main event dancer partner Phillipe Nover, anything less than a dominating win for Barao will be a disappointment. In MMA, you're only as good as your last fight, and if Barao doesn't bounce back soon he won't be on Dana White's Christmas card list, much less his pound-for-pound list.

Here are three other stories to watch during Saturday's event in Brasilia, Brazil.

Cyborg vs. the scale

For reasons that are a mystery to pretty much everyone, Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg has been forced to cut down to 140 pounds for both of her UFC contests. True, the UFC does not have a women's featherweight division, but they also don't have a 140-pound division and anyone thinking that she can cut another five pounds to join the bantamweight division is either a dreamer or a sadist.

Earlier this week, Cyborg revealed that part of the weight-cutting procedure for her bout against Lina Lansberg involved taking birth control pills on the recommendation of nutritionist George Lockhart. It's doubtful that any male fighters have ever resorted to this method.

Then there was the ongoing drama of whether or not Cyborg had to hit 140 pounds on the dot (she didn't have to) and whether Lansberg would have accepted the fight if it had been proposed at 145 pounds (she would have).

By hook or by crook, Cyborg made the weight on Friday, and now she can get back to doing what she does best: Demolishing anyone who dares step into the cage with her.

Let's hope that the UFC realizes how pointless it is to keep forcing one of their best fighters to cut weight for a non-existent class and that we never have to speak of this again.

This town isn't 'Big' enough for the both of them

Barao isn't the only fighter who's UFC career could be in jeopardy with a loss.

Heavyweight veterans Roy "Big Country" Nelson and Antonio "Big Foot" Silva collide in a match with serious consequences for both men. They each only have one win in their last five bouts, with Silva's record looking particularly gruesome. His past four losses have all come by way of first-round KO.

Don't be surprised if the loser of this one is unceremoniously released into the wild.

Defending the homeland

Brazil is well-known for its unwelcoming crowds, and Brasilia shouldn't be any different. Recent trips to the country have been a mixed bag for visiting fighters.

At UFC 198 in May, Brazilians went 8-2 against the invaders, but the night was capped off by Stipe Miocic's title-winning first-round knockout of Fabricio Werdum that left the audience in silence.

Last November at UFC Fight Night 77 in Sao Paulo, local talent only went 6-6, though they won the biggest fights of the night when Vitor Belfort, Glover Teixeira, and Thomas Almeida all triumphed over foreign competition.

Eleven of the 13 bouts on Saturday feature a Brazilian against a non-Brazilian, including all six main card bouts, so there will be plenty of opportunity to analyze whether the South American country still provides the most hostile home-field advantage in MMA.

For more UFC Fight Night 95 coverage, check out theScore's predictions for the evening's main card fights.