Edson Barboza wants another crack at Tony Ferguson.
The No. 5-ranked UFC lightweight is currently on a three-fight win streak over names such as Beneil Dariush, Gilbert Melendez, and former lightweight champ Anthony Pettis. His last loss was against Tony Ferguson who submitted him via D’Arce choke in the second round.
Ferguson has since emerged as a premiere contender at lightweight, as he is now the No. 2-ranked 155-pounder in the world. ‘El Cucuy’ was recently scheduled to challenge Khabib Nurmagomedov for the interim lightweight title last month, but the bout was called off after the Russian was hospitalized in the midst of his weight cut.
During an interview with FOX Sports, Barboza said that he’d be glad to give Ferguson another crack at becoming interim champ, not to mention the match-up makes sense:
“I think that’s the fight,” Barboza said. “I don’t know what the UFC is going to do with Khabib [Nurmagomedov] but I’m ready to fight. Of course, I want to fight somebody in front of me [in the rankings] and I think only Ferguson is available.
“My last three fights I won, I’m sure I’m close to the title shot. That’s the fight that makes sense for me. That’s the fight that makes sense for him.”
Barboza came up short against Ferguson the first time around, but a lot of that had to do with the fact that the Brazilian took the bout on such short notice:
“It was short notice, I only had four weeks to train. He has skills, of course, but I only had four weeks, I was on vacation in Brazil and my manager called me for the fight with Ferguson. I said let’s go,” Barboza said. “You guys saw it was a big war, I think I won the first round. I think the second round, he caught me with a good choke.
“I know if I had a full camp like nine weeks, ten weeks of training, this is not going to happen again.”
The initial meeting between Barboza and Ferguson provided an exciting first round in which Barboza was able showcase his ability. If given three more rounds, the Brazilian he can hardly contain his excitement given the possibility of what kind of show he and Ferguson can put on inside of the Octagon:
“One thing that make me very excited, you guys saw what I did in a round and a half [against Tony Ferguson] — imagine if this was going to be five rounds,” Barboza stated. “That makes me very excited. I hope the UFC gives me the opportunity again for five rounds. That’s going to be a crazy fight. Maybe one of the best fights of the year.”
Barboza wants to fight somebody ranked higher than him in the lightweight standings. With former champ Rafael dos Anjos jumping up to welterweight, Khabib Nurmagomedov recovering from his March hospitalization, and Eddie Alvarez being his training partner – only a fight with Ferguson remains:
“My last two fights, I fought somebody behind me in the rankings. I hope the UFC gives me the opportunity to fight somebody in front of me and the only guy available is Tony,” Barboza said. “I hope the UFC gives me the opportunity to fight him. Rafael [dos Anjos] is out, he’s going to 170. Eddie [Alvarez] is my training partner and my friend. Khabib is out. Only Tony is left.”
If given the added motivation of having an interim title on the line, Barboza promised the best version of himself when he steps into the Octagon in attempt to become a UFC champion:
“If it’s a fight for the interim title, five rounds, I’m going to train like crazy. That’s a big difference. A full camp, I’d be 100-percent, I keep training to get better and better. They give me a full camp for the fight, I’m going to win the fight,” Barboza said.
“It will be the best Edson Barboza to step inside the Octagon.”
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