UFC lightweight Edson Barboza admitted that his upcoming fight against Esteban Ribovics at UFC 330 could be the final bout of his MMA career.
The 40-year-old Barboza is a massive underdog against Ribovics, with many fans and analysts believing that he is going to get knocked out again in this fight after getting brutally finished by Jalin Turner in his last fight.
Given his age and waning durability, Barboza realizes that this fight at UFC 330 could be the end for him, though he’s not ready to confirm his retirement just yet.
UFC 330 Could Mark Final Fight for Edson Barboza
Speaking to MMAFighting.com’s Guilherme Cruz in a recent interview, Barboza admitted that his UFC 330 fight against Ribovics could be the end of the line for him, depending on the result.
“Honestly, I’m not even thinking about that. I’m just enjoying the moment, because I know the finish line is getting closer, you know? It’s like when you’re running a marathon and your body is in the final stretch and the finish line is right there. That’s why I’m not thinking too far ahead. I’m just thinking about this next fight. This next fight could be the finish line, man. I don’t know. Honestly, I’m focused on the moment, on this next fight,” Barboza said.
“If I feel good, if I want to continue, which is the most important thing, and if I’m physically in good shape to keep going, I’ll keep going. But if not, I’m a very happy person, and I’m very comfortable with everything I’ve accomplished in my career. I think if I wanted to retire today, I could definitely put my head on the pillow and sleep peacefully because I know I gave my best and did everything I was supposed to do. I’m not thinking about anything beyond this fight. I’m just focused on the next one. Who knows? It could be the last one, it might not be. We’ll see what happens.”
Edson Barboza is a Legend
Entering MMA from a kickboxing and Muay Thai background, Barboza won the first six fights of his mixed martial arts career on the regional scene before being signed to the UFC in 2010.
He immediately turned heads when he finished Mike Lullo via TKO stemming from brutal leg kicks at UFC 123 in November 2010, and you knew right away that he was a special talent.
In his fourth UFC fight, Barboza scored one of the most brutal knockouts in UFC history when he landed a spinning wheel kick on Terry Etim at UFC 142 in January 2012. To this day, it is still one of the best knockouts that we have ever seen inside the Octagon.
Barboza also holds notable wins in the UFC over Dan Hooker, Paul Felder, King Green, Anthony Pettis, Gilbert Melendez, Beneil Dariush, and Billy Quarantillo.
He currently holds a 24-14 MMA record, with an 18-14 mark in the UFC. 14 of his wins have come by way of knockout, but he has also been knocked out five times during his fighting career.
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