Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight strikers Sodiq Yusuff and Edson Barboza will throw down TONIGHT (Sat., Oct. 14, 2023) at UFC Vegas 81 inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
For a moment, Yusuff was the talk of the Featherweight town. He went on a major win streak over recognizable names, and he’d proven his skills and physical gifts on several occasions. Then, he was outfoxed by Arnold Allen — a Top Five Featherweight! — and it felt like “Super” just kind of fell to the wayside in terms of Featherweight contention. This main event slot, however, is a chance for him to step back into the limelight. Barboza is a known quality, a flawed-but-vicious kickboxer who’s plenty capable of turning away non-elite opposition, and he’s always a threat to turn off the lights.
Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:
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Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC
Sodiq Yusuff
Record: 13-2
Key Wins: Alex Caceres (UFC Vegas 50), Andre Fili (UFC 246), Gabriel Benitez (UFC 241), Sheymon Moraes (UFC on ESPN 2). Mike Davis (DWTNCS 2018)
Key Losses: Arnold Allen (UFC Vegas 23)
Keys to Victory: Yusuff is a huge Featherweight, one of the stronger men in the division. He’s also a really tactical kickboxer with some crafty looks, as well as solid wrestler and grappler able to game plan well for his opponents.
I won’t do it, but I could very well copy and paste the game plan sections from the last five men to fight Edson Barboza. Put simply, the blue print for beating the Brazilian is very well established. He does not like pressure, specifically when that pressure comes in the form of both strikes and takedowns. Yusuff has the skills to threaten him in both areas, and that’s a major asset.
One way or another, Yusuff wants to work Barboza towards the fence. Cutting off the cage is a major part of that goal, but Yusuff could even briefly clinch just to muscle his foe closer to the cage. When Barboza nears the sides of the Octagon, that’s the time to fire in combination and force Barboza to circle through powerful shots, or get his guard high then duck low into a takedown.
Another interesting detail to note: Yusuff is quite good at catching kicks and converting them into takedowns. Against a man desperate to kick even while pressed, that could be a very viable path to top position.
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Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Edson Barboza
Record: 23-11
Key Wins: Anthony Pettis (UFC 197), Gilbert Melendez (UFC on FOX 20), Dan Hooker (UFC on FOX 31), Beneil Dariush (UFC Fight Night 106), Paul Felder (UFC on FOX 16), Shane Burgos (UFC 262)
Key Losses: Bryce Mitchell (UFC 272), Giga Chikadze (UFC Vegas 35), Justin Gaethje (UFC on ESPN 2), Kevin Lee (UFC Fight Night 128), Khabib Nurmagomedov (UFC 219), Tony Ferguson (TUF 22 Finale)
Keys to Victory: Barboza is one of the best kickers in UFC history. The only man to stop opponents via low kick, body kick, and high kick (of the spinning variety at that!), Barboza is a dangerous striker capable of incredible highlights when at his best. He’s also performed surprisingly well at 145 lbs., showing no signs of diminishment from the cut.
Maintaining space is quite obviously the key here. Well, it usually is. Kick for kick, Barboza can hang with just about any Light/Featherweight on the roster, so everyone and their mother knows to pressure him and make it ugly. Per usual, Barboza’s footwork will be tested, and he absolutely has to stay off the cage.
Barboza’s boxing feels particularly important here. If he can start to establish the jab, possibly to the body, that would go a long way in keeping Yusuff off him without giving up easy wrestling opportunities. Plus, if he can poke Yusuff in the nose first, his low kick follow up would be much more likely to land rather than get wrapped up.
In general, there’s no such thing as too much attrition work for Barboza. He should be ripping at Yusuff’s body often, trying to slow the prospect and force him to accept a kickboxing bout. If he can wear Yusuff down a bit and stall out the wrestling, this could turn into a very winnable fight for the Brazilian veteran.
Bottom Line
It’s a major opportunity for Sodiq Yusuff.
Barboza’s position as gatekeeper to the Featherweight Top 10 is pretty clearly established. Yusuff wants back in the cage with the big names that will get him into title contention, and Barboza is a path to those kinds of match ups. If he shines in this main event slot, a high-profile fight should be expected next for “Super.”
As for Barboza, it’s going to be quite a challenge for him to change his position in a positive manner. He’s getting older, so the odds of going up the ladder rather than sliding down are not the best. Turning away Yusuff is definite proof that Barboza has plenty left in the tank, but I’m not so sure it means he’ll be allowed to fight up the ladder next — he’ll need a serious win streak for that.
At UFC Vegas 81, Sodiq Yusuff and Edson Barboza will go to war in the main event. Which man remains standing when the dust settles?