If Edson Barboza decided to take the rest of the year off, I don’t think anyone in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community — or the Barboza household — would complain. Especially when you consider the Brazilian is coming off back-to-back drubbings to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kevin Lee.
Combined, Barboza absorbed 387 strikes, 231 of which were “significant.”
“My plan is to fight again as soon as possible,” Barboza told MMA Fighting. “I love what I do and I’m still motivated and hungry to keep training and getting better. I want to fight at least two times more this year. I still am one of the best of the division. I’m upset with this loss and every other loss I had because I know I could have defeated then all.”
Barboza holds on to the No. 6 spot in the official rankings (see them here).
The lightweight division is a little backed up at the moment, now that newly-crowned champion Nurmagomedov is out of action until November. In addition, interim champion Tony Ferguson is injured and ex-titleholder Conor McGregor is still waiting to be punished by the courts.
I hear this guy needs a fight.