UFC on FOX 16 preview: Five burning questions for 'Dillashaw vs. Barao 2' in Chicago

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is back on U.S. soil this Saturday (July 25, 2015) for the UFC on FOX 16 event, live from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, featuring a bantamweight title rematch pitting the undisputed champion TJ Dillashaw against the former kingpin Renan Barao.

But that's not all.

In the co-main event of the evening, top ranked women's bantamweights will slug it out for a title shot when Miesha Tate takes on Jessica Eye in what many consider to be a No. 1 contender's bout.

With a major FOX show on the horizon, MMAmania.com pondered "Five Burning Questions" heading into Saturday night.

5. What strange way will Ben Saunders win this weekend?

Nothing against Kenny Robertson, but Ben Saunders is going to leave the Octagon in Chicago with a win.

The question is, how does "Killa B" pull it off this time?

Since re-joining UFC's roster last August, Saunders has pulled off two victories in incredibly strange fashion.

First was his omoplata victory over Chris Heatherly -- the first ever finish of its kind inside the Octagon -- and then came his 57 second win against Joe Riggs last December.

The method?

Injury. As Riggs shot in for an early takedown, he hurt his neck, leading the referee to stop the bout before it truly even began.

With the fan favorite set to throw down in the "Windy City" this weekend, you just have to believe Saunders will find some odd route to victory.

Gogoplata anyone?

4. Why is Jessamyn Duke still on the UFC roster?

"Well, she boasts a 3-2-1 record!"

Seriously Maniacs, why is Jessamyn Duke fighting inside the Octagon this weekend?

Duke's crowning achievements thus far during her UFC tenure was an incredible war with Raquel Pennington on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) -- a fight that she lost -- and her place among Ronda Rousey's clan of "Four Horsewomen."

That's about it.

Since earning a mediocre decision victory over Peggy Morgan at TUF finale, Duke has dropped two straight, including a vicious knockout loss to Leslie Smith her last time out.

Her UFC bouts proved "The Gun" has some talent, but she needs tons of polish before being Octagon ready, and yet she is being thrown back into the cage this weekend.

Considering UFC essentially has a women's minor league with Invicta FC, why not stash the 29-year old away for a year and see if she can pick up a few wins on Fight Pass?

3. Paul Felder: A future title contender at 155 pounds?

Don't look now, but Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) could very well be the next Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) for UFC.

Among the fighters imported from CFFC in the recent months include Paul Felder, Lyman Good, Jonavin Webb, Jimmie Rivera, Levan Makashvili, Misha Cirkunov, and more.

Felder may be the highest touted prospect to come from CFFC, and considering "The Irish Dragon" is 2-0 inside the Octagon -- including a vicious spinning backfist knockout over Danny Castillo -- and undefeated overall, it is not hard to see why.

Currently unranked in the stacked 155 pound division (see them here), Felder has a massive opportunity to skyrocket up the rankings by defeating No. 7 ranked Edson Barboza on FOX.

Stepping up on short notice to replace Myles Jury, Felder basically has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

If the Renzo Gracie product pulls out a victory in Chicago, he could be facing a top five opponent his next time out, and that means a UFC title shot is not far off in the distance.

2. Is Miesha Tate the only fighter on the UFC roster with any chance to defeat Ronda Rousey?

I think it is safe to assume Jessica Eye would be nothing more than another victim on "Rowdy's" mantle if "Evil" is able to get through Miesha Tate this weekend.

With that being said, is "Cupcake" the only challenge left at 135 pounds for Rousey?

Obviously, that seems ludicrous when the UFC champ has finished her bitter rival twice before, but when you have such a dominant champ in Rousey, you have to give credit to Tate for being the only person to ever bring the Olympic judoka past the first round.

In my estimation, no one on the UFC roster can currently defeat Rousey, but I sure wouldn't mind watching "Cupcake" get a third attempt if she defeats Eye this weekend, particularly with a finish.

Fans like to rag on Miesha for putting in lackadaisical performances against fighters she should beat relatively easily, and while that criticism is fair, no one can deny Tate is as game as they come when the spotlight shines bright.

If Tate isn't the one to defeat Rousey, I would like to see Cat Zingano get one more shot before Cris Cyborg inevitably gets her chance.

1. Does Renan Barao stand a chance against TJ Dillashaw?

On May 24th 2014, TJ Dillashaw stole Renan Barao's soul.

In one of the all-time greatest upsets in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA), "Viper" completely outclassed the former champion, beating him to the punch from the opening bell en route to a fifth round (technical) knockout.

It was stunning as it was spectacular, and proved once more that truly anything can happen inside the Octagon.

If you recall, Barao hadn't lost in nearly 10 years before Dillashaw finished him at UFC 173; It was a cataclysmic upset that left experts dumbfounded.

About 14 months later, the two men will step into the Octagon once again to battle for the title, but this time, "The Baron" is the one who is the underdog.

If you have not watched Barao fight since his title loss to Dillashaw, you may be under the impression the Brazilian got his groove back with a third round submission victory over Mitch Gagnon last December, but you would be sorely mistaken.

In a gimme fight that was tailor made for Barao to dominate, the former champ struggled to find the championship form that saw him obliterate the likes of Eddie Wineland, Urijah Faber, Michael McDonald, and many more.

While the final result was indeed a success, I guarantee you the 14 minutes of action prior to the finish didn't leave the current UFC champ shaking in his boots at the thought of a rematch.

Barao will step back into the cage after a seven month layoff this Saturday night, and if he hasn't figured out "Viper's" gameplan in that time span, he will be facing defeat again this weekend.

Can Barao turn back the clock and resurrect his career with a highlight-reel finish on FOX, or will he find himself playing second fiddle to the Team Alpha Male champion?

We'll find out in just a few days.

For more information on UFC on FOX 16, including the full fight card, results, news, and more, click here.