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Edson Barboza and Makwan Amirkhani faced off in a Featherweight bout tonight (Sat., Oct. 10, 2020) at UFC Fight Island 5 from inside Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. In a strong performance, Barboza won a clear-cut decision victory.
Barboza opened with an inside low kick. Another landed soon afterward. Patient start from both men. Barboza dug a snap kick into the mid-section. He does it again. Barboza ripped a hook into the body, Amirkhani answered with a jab. Barboza attacked the body again, landed a jab of his own. Amirkhani took a deep shot, but it’s stuffed, and Barboza scored with a body shot on the way out. Amirkhani used an uppercut to enter the clinch, but Barboza denied his takedown attempt. The Brazilian kicked into the body and inner thigh again. Crisp right hand scored for Barboza. Amirkhani landed a good right hook, ate a body kick, and then scored a takedown just before the bell.
Barboza fired an early right hand, but Amirkhani answered with a good jab. Barboza kept kicking the inner thigh and body, and his right hook to the mid-section landed too. Barboza again ripped the body with a right hook. Barboza fired a quick right hand that sat his opponent to the mat! As Amirkhani recovered, Barboza briefly threatened a front choke. Back on their feet, Barboza scored another right hand and nearly landed a high kick too. Amirkhani dove for the takedown again, but Barboza’s sprawl shut him down. Barboza dropped him AGAIN with the same right hand! He jumped on the anaconda choke for real this time, but Amirkhani escaped and finished the round with a takedown in the final 10 seconds.
Barboza returned to the inside low kick in the final round. Barboza ripped the body again with his right hand then sprawled on a takedown attempt. Amirkhani crashed forward with a jump knee and used the ensuing clinch to trip his foe to the mat! For the first time, Amirkhani gained top position with some time left on the clock. Barboza briefly threatened a triangle from full guard. Amirkhani landed a few punches from within the guard, but he needed something bigger to turn the fight around fully. The referee stood them up with a minute remaining. Barboza immediately landed a heavy left hook and body kick. Barboza briefly dropped his foe with yet another quick cross. Barboza’s body-head combination landed hard, and he followed up with a mean body kick.
Though Amirkhani did some tricky stuff, Barboza won the vast majority of the fight. He landed a ton of big shots, and though Amirkhani survived, there was no doubt as to which man would have his hand raised.
Result: Edson Barboza defeats Makwan Amirkhani via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-28)
For complete UFC Fight Island 5: “Moraes vs. Sandhagen” results and play-by-play, click HERE!