Edson Barboza is saying goodbye to the lightweight division and has decided to move down to the UFC’s featherweight division for his next fight.
Commendably, Edson Barboza had at least one fight in every single year in the 2010s decade, and there is now a possibility for the 33-year-old to do the same thing in the 2020s but now in a new division, as Combate has reported that Barboza has made the decision to move down to the featherweight division beginning first quarter 2020.
Edson Barboza went 14-8 in the UFC’s lightweight division, contributing to his 20-8 career total. He has taken home a staggering eight fight bonuses during his UFC run and has earned victories over names like Paul Felder, Gilbert Melendez, and Anthony Pettis. In his most recent big-name victory, Barboza brutalized Dan Hooker in December of 2018 before the fight was eventually stopped following a body punch. But following this dominant victory, Barboza would go on to lose two consecutive bouts, signaling to the UFC vet that it is time to move on to a new domain.
What also may be a contributing factor to Barboza’s decision to exit the lightweight division is the fact that Barboza has already fought and lost to reigning champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. All things considered, the featherweight division will bring fresh matchups and new opportunities for Barboza, who may potentially fill the void Jose Aldo left behind and become the new kicking master and perhaps future champion of the featherweight division.
Edson Barboza most recently competed against Paul Felder at UFC 242, a bout in which Felder won via split decision and Barboza strongly felt he won to the point of expressing a desire to appeal of the decision.
How do you think Edson Barboza will fare in the UFC’s featherweight division?
