No. 6-ranked UFC lightweight contender Edson “Junior” Barboza picked up arguably the biggest victory of his career this past weekend (Sat., July 23, 2016), scoring a decisive decision win over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez. With back-to-back victories over former champions under his belt, Barboza has made it clear that he’d next like to take
No. 6-ranked UFC lightweight contender Edson “Junior” Barboza picked up arguably the biggest victory of his career this past weekend (Sat., July 23, 2016), scoring a decisive decision win over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez. With back-to-back victories over former champions under his belt, Barboza has made it clear that he’d next like to take on one of the division’s top contenders next. He was, however, also called out by No. 12-ranked former Bellator champion “Ill” Will Brooks.
Check out Barboza’s response to brooks below:
“If the UFC says you have to fight this guy to get close to the title shot, why not? But like I said, I prefer to fight somebody above me in the rankings,” Barboza said according to MMAjunkie. “If I have a choice, I’d prefer to fight somebody ahead of me. There are five guys ahead of me, and I hope the UFC gives me these guys. If you see the rankings, it’s better for my career. I have to fight the best.”
Brooks, who has been considered to be amongst the best 155 pounders in the world for a few years now, recently made his Octagon debut earlier this month, scoring a decision victory over Ross Pearson. “Ill” Will does possess solid name value, but Barboza may have a point, as a higher ranked fighter could be more suitable at this point in his career.
As far as who he would like to fight next, the Brazilian has previously expressed interest in facing off with former champion Rafael dos Anjos, top contender Khabib Nurmagomedov, or the surging Tony Ferguson. “Junior”, however, feels as if Ferguson should receive the next shot at gold so perhaps a bout with RDA or “The Eagle” would make sense:
“In my opinion, the guy who deserves it the most is Tony Ferguson. He’s busy all the time fighting everybody. Khabib stayed out for a long time, and I think he has to fight a couple more guys to get the chance.”
Who would you like to see Barboza meet next time out?
Former Bellator champion and No. 12-ranked UFC lightweight “Ill” Will Brooks recently made his successful Octagon debut, scoring a hard fought unanimous decision victory over battle tested veteran Ross Pearson at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 23 Finale earlier this month (July 8, 2016). After getting his first UFC victory under his belt, Brooks is now
Former Bellator champion and No. 12-ranked UFC lightweight “Ill” Will Brooks recently made his successful Octagon debut, scoring a hard fought unanimous decision victory over battle tested veteran Ross Pearson at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 23 Finale earlier this month (July 8, 2016). After getting his first UFC victory under his belt, Brooks is now looking on to greater challengers.
Taking to his official Twitter account recently, the former 155-pound titleholder expressed interest in a potential bout with No. 6-ranked Edson Barboza. “Ill” Will also had a date and venue in mind:
The UFC recently announced that they will be returning to Portland, Oregon on October 1, 2016 with the event going down at the Moda Center.
Barboza just competed this past weekend, scoring a somewhat decisive decision victory over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 20 (July 23, 2016) from Chicago, Illinois. Prior to that, Barboza had also toppled another former champion in Anthony “Showtime” Pettis. With his recent win streak, “Junior” may have his eyes set on higher ranked fighters, but a bout with Brooks could make sense.
In the aftermath of his bout with Melendez, Barboza expressed interest in landing a main event bout next time out. Barboza vs. Brooks could potentially provide a suitable headliner for a FOX Sports 1 card, and from a stylistic standpoint, these two explosive strikers match up quite well.
No. 6-ranked UFC lightweight Edson “Junior” Barboza scored a convincing decision victory over returning former Strikeforce champion Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 20 last night (July 23, 2016) from Chicago, Illinois. Barboza battered Melendez over the course of three rounds with his arsenal of devastating leg kicks, and
No. 6-ranked UFC lightweight Edson “Junior” Barboza scored a convincing decision victory over returning former Strikeforce champion Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 20 last night (July 23, 2016) from Chicago, Illinois. Barboza battered Melendez over the course of three rounds with his arsenal of devastating leg kicks, and he should be in line for a marquee matchup after the victory.
In fact, the Brazilian, who spoke at the post-fight show, has his eyes set on a main event bout next time out:
“I have five guys in front of me in the rankings. If the UFC gives me one of those guys I’m ready. I think I’m ready to fight five rounds. That’s my fourth co-main event. Please UFC, give me a chance to fight five rounds. I’m ready for this.”
Barboza also has a list of possible opponents in mind, specifically citing former champion Rafael dos Anjos, longtime No. 1 contender Khabib Nurmagomedov, and former foe Tony Ferguson. “Junior” came up short against “El Cucuy” when the two met in December 2015, but he appears to have revenge on his mind:
“I say dos Anjos is a good fight or Khabib or Ferguson. I think a rematch with Ferguson is going to be a good fight. Of course no excuse, but I fought him on just five weeks’ camp…I think if I fight with him three or five rounds it’d be a big war and everybody would see a good fight.”
A fight with any of the aforementioned contenders would likely make since for Barboza, who could be nearing a title shot of his own. One key fact to note, however, is that Barboza is a friend and teammate of reigning 155-pound champion Eddie Alvarez which could provide for a tricky situation.
Who would you like to see the Brazilian striker face off with next?
UFC on FOX 20 goes down this Saturday July 23 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Of course it’s weigh-ins day here at LowKickMMA, and the goods on offer indicate the FOX card could be one of the biggest sleepers of the year. Headlining the action is former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm, looking
UFC on FOX 20 goes down this Saturday July 23 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Of course it’s weigh-ins day here at LowKickMMA, and the goods on offer indicate the FOX card could be one of the biggest sleepers of the year. Headlining the action is former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm, looking to get back on track after a submission loss to Miesha Tate at UFC 196.
Facing ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ is an up and coming force in the division. Valentina Schevchenko headlines her first UFC card and will also come up against a seriously dangerous striker in Holm. How about the lightweight co-main event between Edson Barboza and the returning Gilbert Melendez? The two exciting strikers will pit technique against sheer will and grit in what could easily be fight of the night.
Heavyweights Francis Ngannou and Bojan Mihajlovic will do battle, and women’s strawweights Felice Herrig and Kailin Curran will no doubt put on a great show.
So join us for the live streaming official weigh-ins at 5PM ET, or check in a few hours prior (the early weigh-ins will have the updated results) or right after to catch the replay!
Event: UFC on FOX 20 “Holm vs. Shevchenko” Date: Sat., July 23, 2016, on FOX Location: United Center in Chicago, Illinois
Main card (FOX at 8 p.m. ET) Holly Holm (135) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (133) Edson Barboza (155) vs. Gilbert Melendez (155) Francis Ngannou (259) vs. Bojan Mihajlovic (228) Felice Herrig (115) vs. Kailin Curran (116) Undercard (FOX at 6 p.m. ET) Frankie Saenz (135) vs. Eddie Wineland (135) Darren Elkins (145) vs. Godofredo Pepey (145) Kamaru Usman (170) vs. Alexander Yakovlev (170) Michel Prazeres (155) vs. J.C. Cottrell (155) Undercard (UFC Fight Pass at 4:30 p.m. ET) Alex Oliveira (170) vs. James Moontasri (170) Jim Alers (145) vs. Jason Knight (145) Luis Henrique (253) vs. Dmitry Smolyakov (251)
Holly Holm vs. Valentina Shevchenko: Mike Drahota: This bout presents an ultra-interesting match-up of two of the women’s bantamweight division’s best strikers, and certainly its most decorated. Coming off her upset loss to Miesha Tate at UFC 196, boxing champion Holm has everything to lose, while Muay Thai champion Shevchenko has nothing to lose. “Bullet”
This bout presents an ultra-interesting match-up of two of the women’s bantamweight division’s best strikers, and certainly its most decorated. Coming off her upset loss to Miesha Tate at UFC 196, boxing champion Holm has everything to lose, while Muay Thai champion Shevchenko has nothing to lose. “Bullet” is by far the lesser-known fighter, and her last fight was a loss to current champion Amanda Nunes, also at UFC 196. But that doesn’t tell the whole story, as Shevchenko had “The Lioness” on the ropes when the third round ended.
Regardless, this main event promises to be a power-packed striking affair, with both looking to stay one step ahead of their opponent on the feet. Holm should prevail if it stays at range, and it’s tough to decipher just who has the power advantage in this one. If it goes to the cinch, it should favor Shevchenko, and Holm’s highly suspect ground game could be tested if ‘Bullet’ decides to surprise her with a few takedowns. Holm simply needs this win though to get back into the title picture, and I think she stays largely on the outside to outscore Shevchenko. It’s a vanilla pick, but I’m going with Holm by unanimous decision.
Rory Kernaghan:
Holly Holm will be looking to bounce back from the brutal loss to Miesha Tate at UFC 195, and there won’t be a better time to do it after ‘Cupcake’ got dethroned at UFC 200. For Shevchenko, it’s about defeating a huge name in the former UFC champion and women’s boxing great, but a hill I feel will be far too steep to climb. ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ just has too much in the bag, and I see a unanimous decision on the cards for Holm.
Mike Henken:
Shevchenko is without question one of the best strikers in the bantamweight division as she holds a professional kickboxing record of 58-3. That success has transferred nicely over to MMA, where she currently stands at 14-2 after her recent a loss to reigning champion Nunes. Holm also has a decorated striking background as a multi-time former boxing champion and is coming off of a loss to Tate, but I simply feel as if she has the more well-rounded mixed martial arts skillset in this bout. I also feel as if her experience and motivation to recapture the title will play a part here. Holm by third-round TKO.
Edson Barboza vs. Gilbert Melendez:
Mike Drahota:
A pivotal co-main event for both Melendez and Barboza’s careers, both men will have several question marks heading into this bout. For former Strikeforce champ Melendez, it’s how he returns from a yearlong layoff due to a drug-related suspension following two losses to Eddie Alvarez and Anthony Pettis. For Barboza, it’s whether or not he can finally win a big fight against an elite fighter in a critical spot.
The Brazilian Muay Thai artist looked nothing less than surgical during his UFC 197 win over Pettis, but he’s also faded in big spots against the likes of Tony Ferguson, Donald Cerrone, and Michael Johnson. Barboza will need to rise to the occasion here and pick Melendez’ less refined striking apart from range, fending off the inevitable takedown attempts that will come his way. Melendez has the heart and power to put any lightweight away on a good night, but I feel his layoff may affect his performance against such a dynamic striker here. My pick is Barboza by decision.
Rory Kernaghan:
Melendez vs. Barboza is a great fight – two feisty lightweights who always show up for war, but an interesting contrast in styles. Barboza likes to keep the range long to whip in powerful kicks, but ‘El Nino’ wants to bring the fight to your front door with his gritty phone booth style. It’s more about who will be able to implement their gameplan and keep the fight within their chosen range. It’s a bit of a coin toss really, and you know how Melendez is going to fight, but Barboza has proven to be cagey in some big fights. I’m gonna go with my gut and call it Melendez by decision.
Mike Henken:
Melendez is a tough and gritty fighter with a wealth of championship level experience, but he’s also coming off of a lengthy layoff after being suspended due to a failed drug test. Barboza, on the other hand, has looked excellent as of late, winning two of his last three, and coming off of a victory over former champion Pettis. I feel as if “Junior’s” lethal striking game will lead him to victory here. Barboza by unanimous decision.
Top UFC light heavyweight Glover Teixeira made a splash when he called out fellow former title challenger Anthony “Rumble” Johnson following his electric first-round knockout of former champion Rashad Evans in the main event of April 16’s UFC on FOX 19 from Tampa, Florida. And while “Rumble” may be looking for his next title shot
Top UFC light heavyweight Glover Teixeira made a splash when he called out fellow former title challenger Anthony “Rumble” Johnson following his electric first-round knockout of former champion Rashad Evans in the main event of April 16’s UFC on FOX 19 from Tampa, Florida.
And while “Rumble” may be looking for his next title shot after two straight knockouts over Ryan Bader and Jimi Manuwa following his failed title bid against current champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 187, it appears as if UFC President Dana White is coming through on his statement that Johnson vs. Teixeira ‘interests him,’ as it was revealed on UFC Tonight that the bout is being targeted for July 23’s UFC on FOX 20 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Both fighters come in with a ton of momentum from their recent win streaks, with Johnson having the aforementioned two straight victories to run his UFC record to an impressive 5-1 since returning to the promotion in April 2014, while Teixeira has scored three straight finishes over Ovince Saint Preux, Patrick Cummins, and Evans after a two-fight slide against Jon Jones and Phil Davis.
So UFC on FOX 20 could potentially feature a bout for the next light heavyweight title fight from The United Center. Who would you pick in this match-up of lethal 205-pound knockout sluggers?
