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Mitch Gagnon knew it was only a matter of time before the UFC paired him with a top-ranked fighter. Following an initial setback against Bryan Caraway during his promotional debut in 2012, the Sudbury, Ont. bantamweight has been on an absolute tear. Over the past two-plus years, Gagnons aggressive grappling has led him to consecutive victories over Walel Watson, Dustin Kimura, Tim Gorman and Roman Salazar. His first-round destruction of Kimura also earned him Submission of the Night honours at UFC 165 in Toronto last year. Though Gagnon is confident he can hang with the 135-pound divisions elite, he admitted to being surprised when UFC officials offered him a crack at Renan Barao. Obviously I think its the perfect time, but did I think (Barao) would be offered to me? No, Gagnon told UFC.ca during a phone interview. I was just ranked (in the top 15) after the fight (with Salazar). I really thought I would have had to fight a top-10 or top-five guy to get near the top. Do I think its the perfect time for me? Yeah, I believe Im putting everything together well and feel its my time. Gagnon gets the opportunity to stake his claim for a title shot when he meets Barao in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Dollaway in Barueri, Brazil Dec. 20. It goes without saying a victory over the former UFC bantamweight champion would be a career changer for Gagnon. Not only would it etch his name as a serious contender by taking out one of the most dangerous fighters in the division, a win would also open doors to both bigger fights and paydays. Gagnon knows whats at stake, but said he cant afford to obsess over the perks of beating Barao. Ive been really focusing on the training camp and the game plan, Gagnon stated. Im not really focusing on the future all that much. I have a job to do and Im concentrating on that. I dont want to look past anything. I really want to focus on one thing — and thats beating Renan Barao. I feel like everything will then open up afterwards. (A victory) would bring me to the upper echelon and get me those big fights. Im fighting a former champion whos still ranked No. 1 in the world. I dont know where it puts me. I have no idea, but Id definitely be up there. Thats where I feel like I belong. Though theres a lot riding on the bout for Gagnon, its also pivotal for Barao, as it marks his first outing since dropping the bantamweight title against T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 175 in May. In many ways, Dillashaw laid out the blueprint for beating the Nova Uniao fighter. A hard-hitting power striker, Barao has found success catching opponents who have stood directly in front of him. Using sharp angles and footwork, Dillashaw picked him apart en route to a late TKO victory. Though the Team Alpha Male fighter exposed holes in Baraos game, Gagnon said his own style is too different from Dillashaws to duplicate the same strategy. An aggressive pressure fighter, Gagnon said he plans to break Barao both mentally and physically. Thats not my style, Gagnon said of Dillashaws performance. Do I feel like getting on the line is where Im going to catch Barao? Yeah, I think so. Thats where Barao likes to stay. Hes a very stationary fighter. He plants his feet and throws with 100 per cent power every time. Definitely, one of the things youve got to do with Barao is you always have to make him think, always make him react and make him move around. (Im going to) put the pressure on him. Baraos good at dictating the pace and fighting his fight. If you put the pressure on him and make him exert more energy, thats when he gets in trouble and gets frustrated. For Barao, theres more than a potential title shot on the line when he faces Gagnon. Its also an opportunity for him to earn a measure of redemption following an ill-fated weight-cut attempt ahead of UFC 177 in August. The Brazilian was set to face Dillashaw in a rematch on the card, but was hospitalized after fainting and hitting his head on a bathtub. He was then pulled from the event and replaced by UFC newcomer Joe Soto, who went on to lose via fifth-round TKO in a gutsy performance. As a result of the incident, Barao will no doubt look to take his frustrations out on Gagnon. For some fighters, the prospect of stepping into the octagon with a fired-up Barao would be enough for them to reconsider their entire approach to training. But Gagnon is confident in both his methods and coaching staff. The Canadian submission artist said hes sticking to the routine that has brought him success throughout his career. As far as a whole camp, I havent really changed anything, Gagnon said. Obviously Ive had my coaches training me specifically for Barao. I feel like my team, we have a winning strategy at my camp. I dont want to start doing more or over-thinking things. Ive been successful at what Ive been doing. Im going to keep doing it and improving as a mixed martial artist. With his training tapering off, Gagnon said he is ready to make a statement against Barao. If you look at Baraos past 10 fights, you can see he tends to do (the same) stuff even as he progresses as a fighter, Gagnon said. He sticks to stuff that he does and thats what Im going to capitalize on. Thats why I think Im going to win the fight. I plan on stopping Barao and making it an interesting fight. I plan on shocking the world. Nike Vapormax Nz Cheap . -- Dee Ford prefers to keep things simple: Play hard and fast, and let others worry about his NFL draft stock. Discount Nike Vapormax Nz . -- The court fight over NFL concussions should heat up soon as a judge in Philadelphia weighs the fairness of the proposed $765 million settlement. http://www.vapormaxnz.com/ . The New York Rangers centre had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators ending a 13-game goal-scoring drought. Nike Vapormax Nz . They actually finished with a better record in ‘07 than they did in ‘06 but only marginally, going from 61 victories to 66. Nike Vapormax Nz Online . Ortiz hit a pair of two-run homers, including his 400th shot in a Red Sox uniform, and drove in a career high-tying six runs to power Boston past the Houston Astros 10-7 on Saturday night.Nashville, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Filip Forsberg scored with 1:05 remaining in overtime to lift the Nashville Predators to a 1-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Thanksgiving. The Oilers began overtime on a power play, then were awarded a penalty shot 13 seconds into the extra session when Nashville defenseman Shea Weber closed his hand on the puck while in the crease. Pekka Rinne stretched with his left pad to deny Jordan Eberle at the right post. Moments later, Forsberg spun to shield the puck from an Edmonton player and fired a wrist shhot from the left circle past Viktor Fasth.ddddddddddddRinne made 37 saves to earn his second shutout of the season and 34th of his career. The Predators won their third straight game, all beyond regulation, and welcomed back forward Mike Fisher to the lineup. Fisher missed the first 21 games of the season after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during the summer. Fasth finished with 24 saves for the Oilers, who lost their eighth consecutive game. They are now 0-11-2 against Western Conference teams this season. ' ' '