Tag: Edson Barboza

Pics: Gilbert Melendez’s Battered Leg Is Disgusting

He may have lost a one-sided decision to Jeremy Stephens in his featherweight debut at last weekend’s (Sat., September 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Edmonton, but former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez earned the respect of the MMA world when he fought through an absolutely destroyed left leg from an onslaught of vicious Stephens low kicks. […]

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He may have lost a one-sided decision to Jeremy Stephens in his featherweight debut at last weekend’s (Sat., September 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Edmonton, but former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez earned the respect of the MMA world when he fought through an absolutely destroyed left leg from an onslaught of vicious Stephens low kicks.

Many wondered if “El Nino” was seriously injured in the bout, as the referee repeatedly stopped the aaction to check on the battered fighter, only to see him fight on when he could barely stand. Thankfully, however, Melendez has avoided serious injury according to his wife Keri, who thanked his supporters by posting an update online that Melendez had avoided knee damage and would heal up quick.

However, that doesn’t mean that he isn’t dealing with a nasty recovery, as she also posted some photos of his grotesquely swollen and bruised leg. Check them out:

Ouch.

Indeed Melendez is a soldier, as he had numerous chances to give up last weekend and no one would have blamed him. But he chose to fight on against one of the most powerful pure strikers at featherweight, and for that, he clearly deserves the respect of his fans and everyone else.

Yet it begs to be asked what battle that soldier is fighting, because after coming to the UFC as possibly the hottest fighter outside of the octagon, Melendez has gone a highly disappointing 1-5 with the world’s MMA leader, with his last win coming in an all-out battle with Diego Sanchez at October 2013’s UFC 166 that many still feel is one of the best MMA bouts of all-time.

That’s his only UFC win, however, and even reinventing himself at featherweight lead to defeat after more than a year off from his last loss, another one-sided affair with top-ranked lightweight Edson Barboza where he was again battered with low kicks. Training with the Diaz brothers, who are also susceptible to low kicks, it appears that’s become Melendez’ kryptonite of sorts, and Stephens clearly knew that on Saturday.

“El Nino” has hearts for days – that much will never be questioned. But just where does a 35-year-old “El Nino” go from here?

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Top Lightweight Calls For Conor McGregor To Be Stripped Of Belt

Highly ranked UFC lightweight contender Edson Barboza doesn’t think Conor McGregor is a ‘real champ’. The brash and outspoken Irishman won the 155-pound title with a brilliant knockout victory over Eddie Alvarez last November at UFC 205 in New York City, but he has yet to defend it, instead electing to accept a boxing match […]

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Highly ranked UFC lightweight contender Edson Barboza doesn’t think Conor McGregor is a ‘real champ’.

The brash and outspoken Irishman won the 155-pound title with a brilliant knockout victory over Eddie Alvarez last November at UFC 205 in New York City, but he has yet to defend it, instead electing to accept a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, which will take place on Aug. 26, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Because of this current situation, Barboza feels as if the UFC should strip McGregor of his title:

“Conor stays out for a long time. I don’t think he worries about the UFC, don’t worry about the division. He (doesn’t) respect us, and the UFC don’t get his belt,” Barboza said on a recent edition of The Fight Society podcast. “I really don’t understand why the UFC got the belt from (Germaine de Randamie) and why the UFC (doesn’t) get the belt from Conor? Take the belt (from) Conor. I really don’t understand. I think this belt in the UFC, Conor’s not a real champ.”

In fact, the Brazilian finds it ‘crazy’ that McGregor is still the UFC champion when his focus is currently on boxing:

“This guy is thinking about boxing; he’s thinking about another sport,” Barboza said. “He don’t think about the UFC. He don’t think about the division. That’s my job; that’s my work. I’m in the UFC to get the belt. I’m in the UFC to be the champ. I know I deserve the chance. This guy, because of him, our division is stuck. That’s not good. This guy doesn’t respect nobody. He doesn’t respect the UFC, and he’s still champ. That’s crazy.”

Now to highlight both sides, there have been reports indicating that McGregor plans to return to the Octagon before the end of the year to defend his title, but the division’s top contenders have continued to voice their displeasure with the state of the division.

Do you agree with Barboza?

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Edson Barboza Explains Why Conor McGregor Should be Stripped of Title

Edson Barboza doesn’t believe Conor McGregor should be recognized as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title holder. McGregor is the reigning 155-pound champion, but he won’t be defending his title until at least the end of 2017. On Aug. 26, he’ll battle Floyd Mayweather in a boxing “super fight.” During a recent appearance on […]

Edson Barboza doesn’t believe Conor McGregor should be recognized as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title holder. McGregor is the reigning 155-pound champion, but he won’t be defending his title until at least the end of 2017. On Aug. 26, he’ll battle Floyd Mayweather in a boxing “super fight.” During a recent appearance on […]

Top Lightweight Fires Back At Kevin Lee For Recent Comments

Edson Barboza heard what Kevin Lee had to say about him on FS1 last week. Lee earned his fifth straight UFC win last week (Sun. June 25, 2017) when he took home a controversial first round submission win over Michael Chiesa in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City. During his post-fight interview, Lee engaged […]

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Edson Barboza heard what Kevin Lee had to say about him on FS1 last week.

Lee earned his fifth straight UFC win last week (Sun. June 25, 2017) when he took home a controversial first round submission win over Michael Chiesa in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City. During his post-fight interview, Lee engaged in a war of words with No. 2-ranked lightweight Tony Ferguson, who was serving as an analyst for the card.

In the midst of their verbal encounter, No. 4-ranked Edson Barboza’s name was brought up, and the Brazilian was listening intently from his Florida home (quotes via MMA Fighting):

“I wanted to sleep, but I thought I had to watch the post-fight show because I knew my name would be mentioned,” Barboza said. “Tony talked about me, that Lee had to face guys like me. (Lee) ie behind me in the rankings, and everyone behind me wants to fight me, just like I want to fight someone ahead of me.

“And Tony is clearly stepping aside [laughs]. He knows he’s ahead of me and I want to fight him. I want to fight everyone ahead of me.”

Edson Barboza, right, fights Tony Ferguson in a lightweight bout during The Ultimate Fighter finale Friday, Dec. 11, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Barboza and Ferguson fought inside the Octagon back in December of 2015, where “El Cucuy” was able to take home the second round submission win by using his patented D’Arce choke. The defeat remains as Barboza’s last loss under the UFC banner, as he has since gone on a three fight win streak.

Lee mentioned that Barboza is “already down the hill” during his spat with Ferguson, and although the Brazilian didn’t hear him say that, he knows Lee will calm himself down once he steps into the cage with the upper echelon of the division:

“Honestly, I didn’t (hear that), but he’s just another kid coming up, new blood, who thinks he has style, but he will learn things the hard way, getting beat up in the cage. He will calm down soon.”

“(Lee) only fought one guy in the top 15,” Barboza said. “Like Ferguson said, he wasn’t tested that much yet. I’m the No. 4 in the ranking, so I think he should… I don’t think anything, actually. I want to fight someone ahead of me. But if that doesn’t happen I’d fight him, no problem.”

“Honestly? I was not (impressed),” he said of Lee’s win over Chiesa. “He’s ranked, I think No. 11 or something like that. He’s one of the 15 best fighters in the UFC, and everyone is good everywhere at this level, so I wasn’t surprised.”

Current lightweight champ Conor McGregor is currently booked to make his professional boxing debut against, arguably, the greatest of all time in Floyd Mayweather next month (Sat. August 26, 2017). With McGregor putting the division on hold so he can attempt to make history in the world of boxing, Barboza said he wouldn’t be surprised if he finds himself in a title fight next:

“That would be great,” Barboza said. “That’s what everybody wants. But I don’t know. I think Ferguson really wants to fight Khabib and Khabib really wants to fight Ferguson, so it’s hard for me to fight any of them. It’s something person. And I’m the next in line.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know when Ferguson is going to fight and when Khabib is going to fight. I might fight for the interim belt next. Actually, that’s not the interim title my opinion because the other loud mouth is not the real champion. To me, the belt is vacant.

“(McGregor vs. Mayweather) is a lack of respect to the UFC and other athletes. I can’t understand this. (Germaine de Randamie) didn’t want to defend her belt against Cris Cyborg and automatically lost her belt, and this guy is fighting in a different sport, he left (the UFC), and doesn’t lose his belt. It’s hard for me to understand this.”

Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

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Edson Barboza Says He’s Not Impressed With Kevin Lee

Edson Barboza is down to fight Kevin Lee, but only if Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson aren’t booked. Barboza is coming off a highlight reel knockout over Beneil Dariush at UFC Fight Night 106. He is now on a three-fight winning streak. The Brazilian has been eyeing a rematch with Ferguson or a marquee bout […]

Edson Barboza is down to fight Kevin Lee, but only if Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson aren’t booked. Barboza is coming off a highlight reel knockout over Beneil Dariush at UFC Fight Night 106. He is now on a three-fight winning streak. The Brazilian has been eyeing a rematch with Ferguson or a marquee bout […]

Edson Barboza Calls Out Jose Aldo With Lightweight Division ‘On Hold’

A top contender at 155 pounds is losing his patience as the lightweight division remains on hold until champion Conor McGregor’s unprecedented boxing match with Floyd Mayweather on August 26. Riding high off of the momentum of a three-fight win streak, Edson Barboza spoke out about the state of the lightweight division, and his idea […]

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A top contender at 155 pounds is losing his patience as the lightweight division remains on hold until champion Conor McGregor’s unprecedented boxing match with Floyd Mayweather on August 26.

Riding high off of the momentum of a three-fight win streak, Edson Barboza spoke out about the state of the lightweight division, and his idea for a super fight to keep him busy while the division shakes out.

Check out what Barbosa had to say about a fight with Jose Aldo at featherweight below:

“Everything is stuck in the lightweight division,” the Brazilian striker told ESPN. “Khabib Nurmagomedov, Tony Ferguson, Conor McGregor — nobody is fighting. Everybody is out the next couple months. It’s all the same as it was.”

“I don’t think that’s a crazy idea,” Barboza said. “I fought a couple Muay Thai fights at 145 pounds, a long time ago. I can make that weight.

“What about a superfight against [former featherweight champion] Jose Aldo? Imagine that. Two Brazilian strikers. Why not? That’s a fight that would get me excited. He’s the best 145-pounder ever. If the UFC offered that, I would definitely sit down and think about it.”

Barboza also revealed his thoughts on Conor McGregor, who has essentially held up the the 155 pound weight class after demolishing former champ Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.

“Conor McGregor is once again holding up an entire division (like UFC really cares). The UFC lightweight champion is leaving the 155-pound division beyond to challenge boxer Floyd Mayweather in a superfight on Aug. 26 from Las Vegas. While most understand McGregor’s move to the boxing ring considering his payday will be unworldly, the Irishman’s exit once again puts a strain on deserving title contenders of all shapes and sizes, including Brazilian striker Edson Barboza.

“My last two fights, I fought dangerous guys ranked behind me,” Barboza said. “I won and it didn’t move me anywhere. That’s the problem. I have to get a deal that is good for me.

“Khabib and Ferguson want to fight each other, but is the fight soon? Can it happen before 2020? Go ahead, fight each other, and then I’m next in line. For me, this division doesn’t have a real champion. Conor has fought one time in this division and then never defended his belt.

“If he comes back I do think we will fight. Conor doesn’t like to fight wrestlers. I’m a striker. If I fight with him I’ll say, ‘Bro, don’t even train wrestling. I will not try to take you down. This fight will happen on the feet.’”

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