5 Fights for Edson Barboza to Take Next
At UFC Fight Night 57, Edson Barboza used his arsenal of powerful kicks and footwork to snap the eight-fight winning streak of Bobby Green in Saturday night's co-main event. Green got hit with some hard shots and taunted Barboza after nearly every connection the Brazilian made. Instead of firing back with strikes or takedown attempts, Green chose the strategy of walking down Barboza with his hands down and getting lit up in the process.
The win was a big one for Barboza and his first victory over a Top 10 opponent. He's made some missteps in the past that cost him greatly in fights against Jaime Varner and Donald Cerrone, but against Green he kept his composure and used his powerful offense to make his claim for a spot in the Top 10.
Here are five fights for Barboza to take next after UFC Fight Night 57.
No. 5: Diego Sanchez
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The last time we saw The Nightmare, he took home a very controversial split-decision win over Ross Pearson in June. He’s only won two of his last five fights, but he always entertains the fans.
He was supposed to face Joe Lauzon at UFC 180 in Mexico City before having to pull out with a knee injury.
Sanchez and Gilbert Melendez threw down in one of the UFC’s all-time episodes of violence at UFC 166, where Sanchez nearly finished Melendez in the third round after being on the receiving end of a lot of damage for the previous two frames.
Barboza vs. Sanchez would be a barnburner. Sanchez presses forward for as long as he has legs underneath him, and Barboza has the firepower to match the aggressive style of The Nightmare.
Despite having a sketchy record over the past few years, Sanchez still brings the violence. He isn’t in the UFC’s Top 15 rankings, but he was the first-ever winner of The Ultimate Fighter and is still very well-known by casual UFC fans.
It might be a step back in terms of a ranked opponent for Barboza, but Sanchez still has enough star power to get main card placement and bring attention to his fights. A bout with him would be a great way for Barboza to further establish himself as a star and contender in the lightweight division.
No. 4: Michael Johnson
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Michael Johnson is hanging out just outside the Top 10 on UFC.com’s rankings and is on a three-fight winning streak.
He was originally scheduled to face Josh Thomson back in July before pulling out with an injury, which allowed Bobby Green to step in. Johnson is back training with the Blackzilians, and his striking has improved leaps and bounds while working with Henri Hooft.
Johnson vs. Barboza would be a fantastic fight between two of the division's most technical strikers.
No. 3: Jim Miller
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Throughout his career Jim Miller, has faced the very best of the UFC lightweight division and has beaten most of them. He has a scrappy mix of striking and grappling that keeps his opponents guessing and leaves them vulnerable no matter where the fight goes.
Donald Cerrone is a common opponent for both Miller and Barboza. He's taken out both men and removed them from title contention. Miller's last outing was the loss to Cerrone, and Barboza would be an interesting style matchup for his next fight.
In a fight with Miller, we'd most likely get to see more of the Ricardo Almeida Brazilian jiu-jitsu from Barboza, which would be a nice change from the kickboxing style we've seen in most of his UFC fights. Both men go toe-to-toe, and it would be hard to imagine this fight going to a decision.
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No. 2: Al Iaquinta
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Iaquinta is fresh off his second-round destruction of Ross Pearson in Australia earlier this month, and Barboza would be a great step up in competition that “Raging” Al has emphatically earned with his recent performances.
Higher-ranked fighters often have to face up-and-coming lesser-ranked fighters to keep the division moving. Not everyone in the Top 10 can face someone else in the Top 10. Iaquinta is really putting things together in his striking game and is one of the better prospects in the lightweight division.
A fight with Barboza would provide a challenge for the Brazilian striker and a solid test for the New York native Iaquinta.
No. 1: Winner of Benson Henderson vs. Eddie Alvarez
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This is the fight to make that will best help Barboza continue his accent up the lightweight ladder. It's the steepest jump up in competition Barboza can take at this point, with Henderson sitting at No. 5 and Alvarez at No. 7 on UFC.com's rankings, but where do you go after you've knocked off the No. 7-ranked lightweight?
Henderson and Alvarez are set to square off when the UFC returns to Boston on January 18. Both men are coming off loses that have knocked them out of immediate title contention. Whoever leaves Fight Night 59 victorious would be a great next opponent for Barboza if he wants to continue to march toward the title.
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