UFC 146: 5 Reasons Edson Barboza Is Still a Top Lightweight Prospect

Edson Barboza may have wound up on the losing end of his UFC 146 bout with Jamie Varner, but that shouldn't change anyone's mind about where the Brazilian ranks among the UFC lightweights.

Although not in title contention at the moment, Barboza is still among the top lightweight prospects right now. He possesses some powerful strikes and a purple belt in BJJ to compliment his stand-up game.

He's also been one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC since his arrival, winning Fight of the Night honors in three of his five Octagon appearances.

Barboza may have not had his hand raised at UFC 146, but expect to see him bounce back strong in his next outing.

Big Names Will Fall

As with every division, some big names are likely to fall down the rankings as the lightweight title picture gets sorted out over the coming months.

The easiest way for a fighter to get back on track is to defeat a fighter with some name value, a fact that shouldn't escape Edson Barboza and his camp.

The lightweight division is completely stacked and some high-profile names are likely to need opponents in order to keep busy instead of waiting on the sidelines. Barboza could be there to pick off one of the faltering big names in the division or even slide in on short notice to pull off the upset.

Barboza has a number of ways to get back on track and raise his stock.

Losing to a Former World Champion Isn't Anything to Get Worked Up over

Some people are inclined to say a loss is a loss, but at least Edson Barboza lost to a former world champion.

Jamie Varner has defeated a number of high-caliber opponents—like Donald Cerrone—and is certainly no pushover. It's not as if Barboza lost on the prelims to a fighter that nobody knew.

The loss will hurt Barboza in the rankings, but at least it was to a credible opponent.

Edson Barboza Is Still 10-1

Everyone has to lose some time. Edson Barboza started his career off going 10-0 but experienced losing for the first time at UFC 146.

It's not as if Barboza was thoroughly dominated and controlled, either. Jamie Varner landed a power shot and finished him with a series of hammer fists. Barboza rose quickly to his feet to let everyone know he was fine.

Nobody will go through their MMA career without a loss, and now that Barboza has that behind him, he can continue moving forward.

Better to Lose Now Than Later

Given that Edson Barboza lost at UFC 146, it's a safe bet to say he wasn't ready to be "in the mix," which is a good thing for the Brazilian.

He's still a young fighter (both in age and years spent fighting) and now will have the proper time to develop his skills. If Barboza would've made it past Varner, he likely would've been matched up against someone he couldn't compete against.

Instead of losing in the limelight, where he might've been buried by both fans and his opponent, Barboza will have the opportunity to bounce back against a lesser opponent and work on his skill set at the same time.

A Loss Motivates More

Talk to any fighter, or any professional athlete for that matter, and they will all tell you that they learn and are motivated more by a loss than any win.

The same will be true of Edson Barboza as well.

Experiencing your first loss can be the hardest one to overcome, but Barboza should be confident in his skills to bounce back in his next bout.

Now that he's lost, Barboza will know what he needs to work on in order to add another win to his record.