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Report: Barao to move back down to bantamweight

Jason Silva / USA TODAY

Renan Barao's stint as a UFC featherweight apparently lasted all of 11 months.

The former bantamweight champion is returning to the 135-pound division, the promotion announced Wednesday on "UFC Tonight," citing a report from Raphael Marinho from Combate.

After falling to Jeremy Stephens in his promotional featherweight debut in May, Barao got back in the win column with a unanimous decision over Phillipe Nover at UFC Fight Night 95 in September.

The 30-year-old now returns to a division far more talented than that which he called his home for nearly two years, despite his well-documented struggles to make the bantamweight limit. Barao outpointed Urijah Faber to win the interim divisional title at UFC 149, and defended the strap with stoppages of Michael McDonald, Eddie Wineland, and Faber before seeing a nine-year unbeaten run brutally snapped by TJ Dillashaw at UFC 173.

The Brazilian has since failed to regain his former glory, having faltered to Dillashaw in a rematch before embarking on his lukewarm dalliance at 145 pounds. Barao's UFC record stands at 9-3.

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