5 potential opponents for Edson Barboza after UFC 272 loss
Edson Barboza suffered a unanimous decision loss to Bryce Mitchell this Saturday at UFC 272. The Brazilian fighter has lost two in a row and is 2-3 in his five fights since dropping down to featherweight. With that in mind, his next fight will now become particularly important.
While results may not have been going his way lately, Barboza is never far from turning things around, given the devastating array of kicks he possesses. He even threatened Mitchell early in the fight before he was overwhelmed by his opponent's impressive grappling skills.
Bryce Mitchell just confirmed he's the real deal.
He dominated Edson Barboza for every round on the Global Scorecard.
#UFC272 https://t.co/oVuqSOwpz0
In any case, there are plenty of options for Barboza in his next fight. As a lower-ranked fighter at featherweight on a losing streak, his next opponent could be ranked or just outside those rankings trying to break in. He might even consider moving back up to the lightweight division in light of his recent results.
Here are five potential opponents for Edson Barboza after the UFC 272 loss:
#5. Edson Barboza vs Hakeem Dawodu
Edson Barboza is now towards the bottom of the featherweight rankings and is on a two-fight skid. So it might make sense for his next opponent to be an unranked contender on the verge of breaking into the rankings. Hakeem Dawodu certainly fits that bill.
Dawodu may have lost his UFC debut back in 2018 but he has looked great since then, going 6-1. With his one loss during that time being against the undefeated No.13 Movsar Evloev via decision, he is close to breaking into the top 15. This fight would give him the chance to prove that is where he belongs.
:MOST FEATHERWEIGHT WINS - 2018 to Present
7 - Alex Volkanovski
7 - Giga Chikadze
7 - Dan Ige
6 - Hakeem Dawodu (@MeanHakeemKo)
6 - Alex Caceres
6 - Calvin Kattar
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For Barboza, this fight would provide an appropriate step down in competition after his recent defeats. If he is to remain a player at 145 lbs, he will need to be able to beat opponents like Dawodu, who are trying to earn their spot in the rankings. On top of that, this will surely be an entertaining, striking-heavy affair.