Renan do Nascimento Mota Pegado, better known as Renan Barão, (Portuguese pronunciation: ; born January 31, 1987) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and the former UFC Bantamweight Champion. He held one of the longest unbeaten streaks in MMA history - following a loss in his professional debut, he recorded 32 straight fights without a loss (32 victories and 1 no contest) over a span of 9 years. During his championship reign, he was ranked as a top 3 pound for pound fighter and regarded as one of the best mixed martial artists in the world. His nickname Barão (baron), which predates his athletic career, was given to him by his grandmother after a character in the 1986 Brazilian soap opera Sinhá Moça.
He started his career in Kimura Nova União, a sports school in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Since turning professional in 2005, Barão has competed for Shooto Brazil and other smaller organizations in his native country of Brazil, having fought Rony Mariano Bezerra and Anistavio "Gasparzinho" Medeiros both former The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil contestants. He is a teammate and training partner of former WEC Featherweight Champion and former UFC Featherweight Champion José Aldo at Nova União. He received his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt from André Pederneiras in September 2011 becoming the 100th black belt under Pederneiras in the process.