UFC featherweight veteran Edson Barboza suffered a knee injury and has withdrawn from his Ilia Topuria co-headliner at the upcoming UFC Vegas 63 MMA event on ESPN+, scheduled for Sat., Oct. 29, 2022 at the promotion’s APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.
That’s according to a report from MMA Fighting.
Barboza (22-11), a former contender in the lightweight division, was hoping to snap a two-fight losing streak. The 36 year-old Brazilian was stopped by featherweight “Ninja” Giga Chikadze at UFC Vegas 35, then went down on points against Bryce Mitchell at UFC 272.
A timetable for his Octagon return has yet to be determined.
As for Topuria, 25, he improved his undefeated record to 12-0 by smashing English bruiser Jai Herbert on the UFC London card last March. “El Matador” has made four appearances under the UFC banner and ended three of them by way of violent knockout.
No word yet if Topuria will remain on the card against a new opponent.