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Barao removed, Soto to fight Dillashaw at UFC 177

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL WAGAMAN
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — T.J. Dillashaw was looking forward to beating the man he won the UFC bantamweight title from in May and cementing his status as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the business.

Instead, Dillashaw will have to settle for a last-minute replacement.

Renan Barao was removed from the rematch against Dillashaw (11-2) after reportedly feeling ill during his weight cut Friday. He was replaced by Joe Soto (15-2), who was scheduled to fight the undercard against Anthony Birchak.

Dillashaw and Soto are set for a five-round bout headlining UFC 177 on Saturday night in Sacramento, a little more than 80 miles from where the current champ grew up in Angels Camp. Birchak’s new opponent was not immediately announced.

The change of plans shouldn’t derail Dillashaw’s determination.

By nearly taking Barao the distance before scoring one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, Dillashaw proved to be more than a fly-by-night power puncher and established himself as a force in the division and all of UFC. Now he’s out to prove it was no fluke against Soto, who has won six consecutive fights.

A 10-to-1 underdog for the first fight, Dillashaw became an instant celebrity following his dominant performance that began with a first-round knockdown of Barao after a hard overhand right to the head.

Barao went down again in the fifth round shortly before the fight was stopped at the 2:26 mark, ending Barao’s 22-fight win streak. Along the way, Dillashaw landed 140 significant strikes, fourth-most ever by any fighter in a UFC championship bout.

“It went a lot smoother than I expected but (I was) not shocked at all,” Dillashaw said. “I was confident going into the fight, I broke the guy down many times in my head and I visualized myself winning.”

Since winning the title from Barao at UFC 173, the 28-year-old Dillashaw’s life has changed dramatically.

He got married to his longtime girlfriend not long after the fight then went back into the gym and had been busy promoting the rematch.

Dillashaw certainly looks the part, too.

During a press conference this week, the Sacramento area native wore a tan sports jacket and matching shirt that has his initials sewn into the cuffs. He sported sunglasses and smiled for pictures while alternately talking about his win over Barao in May and Saturday’s rematch.

“It’s definitely an adjustment but I’m excited to do it,” Dillashaw said. “The whole goal is to have all the eyes on you and become champion of the world and have all these problems of the media bugging you too much.”

Soto is a relative unknown who was scheduled to make his UFC debut on the undercard. Now he’s got an unexpected shot at the bantamweight title with a chance at pulling off an upset that would make Dillashaw’s win over Barao seem minor in comparison.

The 27-year-old Northern California native, who has won six consecutive fights, was mildly surprised when he received a telephone call Friday afternoon informing him of the change.

“Dillashaw’s tough but I’m going to go out there and give it my all,” Soto said in a statement on the UFC website. “I actually trained with him not too long ago, and he’s good. He’s a champion and it’s going to be a tough fight.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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