Longtime UFC fan favorite Edson Barboza explained why he decided to retire from MMA following a TKO loss to Esteban Ribovics at UFC 330.
Barboza, who has been in the UFC since 2010, is 40 years old and has lost four straight fights. Against Ribovics, he looked extremely slow and was unable to mount much offense as his opponent threw heavy strikes at his face and body until referee Herb Dean mercifully stopped the bout in the second round due to TKO.
After the fight, the Brazilian spoke to UFC commentator Joe Rogan and confirmed his retirement, while laying his gloves down in the center of the Octagon.
Edson Barboza Explains Retirement
Speaking to UFC reporter Megan Olivi following UFC 330, Barboza explained in further detail why he has decided to retire from MMA.
“I’ve had a big battle inside of me for a long, long time. Well, not long, long—it was my fight with (Lerone) Murphy. I was like, ‘I don’t feel the same.’ Plus, I’m a very competitive guy. I hate to lose. I have a hard time when I lose. I tried. I kept training hard, but I felt like my body wasn’t the same anymore,” he continued. I’m 40, with 33 battles in the UFC. Thank God, I did good this camp. I was very healthy. But, yeah, my body isn’t the same. I can’t compete at a high level anymore,” Barboza said (via MMAMania.com).
Edson Barboza’s Greatest Hits
One of the most violent strikers in UFC history, Barboza is known for his highlight-reel finish, of which his 2012 spinning wheel kick knockout over Terry Etim at UFC 142 is the stuff of legends.
It was the first time we ever saw that technique land for a knockout in a UFC fight, and to this day, it is still one of the greatest knockouts of all time.
In addition to the Etim knockout, Barboza also scored incredible finishes over the likes of Dan Hooker, Beneil Dariush, and Shane Burgos.
He was an incredible fighter to watch, and UFC fans around the world are going to miss him. But it was time to go.
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