The long career of Edson Barboza came to an end at UFC 330, as he laid his gloves down following his second-round TKO loss to Esteban Ribovics in the main card opener.
“I want to say thank you,” a tearful Barboza said in a post-fight interview. “Every single fight…I really gave my best. I’m so thankful.”
Barboza looked to get things going with his kicks, but Ribovics played a perfect gameplan, pressuring and consistently landing with his punches. His left hand consistently found Barboza’s face, busting him open around one of his eyes. Barboza’s right leg ended up split open during the opening frame as well.
Ribovics got on the inside early into round two, tagging Barboza again, adding in a couple of elbows, before the fight was called.
“He’s my idol,” Ribovics said. “To fight him is an honor.”
Barboza made his UFC debut as a 6-0 fighter in November 2010, defeating Mike Lullo at UFC 123. He gained fame at UFC 142 in January 2012, scoring a highlight spinning wheel kick knockout of Terry Etem.
Finishing his career 24-15, Barboza fought a number of noteworthy Octagon combatants, including wins over Sodiq Yusuff, Shane Burgos, Dan Hooker, Gilbert Melendez, Anthony Pettis, Beneil Dariush, and Paul Felder, among others. He’s also fought the likes of Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and more.
