Just How Far Will Edson Barboza Go?
Last night (Sat., November 22, 2014) lightweight knockout artist Edson Barboza got his biggest win in the Octagon by defeating No. 7-ranked Bobby Green in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 57 from Austin, Texas (watch highlights here).
The effective striking display gave Barboza two consecutive wins after his disappointing UFC on FOX 11 loss to No. 4 Donald Cerrone, and it was also “Junior’s” fifth victory in his last six bouts.
That’s very difficult to accomplish in today’s packed UFC lightweight landscape, which may be the most talented in all of MMA. Training on the East Coast with former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, who destroyed Cub Swanson in the UFC Fight Night 57 main event, the sky appears to be the limit for Barboza.
He has perhaps the most dynamic striking at 155 pounds thanks to his unique style, which mixes vicious Muay Thai with precise kickboxing in a blend of power and speed that rarely (if ever) comes along. His ground game isn’t as dangerous, but he does have excellent takedown defense that he uses to keep his fights standing.
Barboza’s performance last night would indicate that he is finally ready to step into a spot among the very best lightweights in the world. Yet we’ve seen him in this position before after his “Knockout of the Year”-winning wheel kick over Terry Etim at UFC 142 in January 2012.
Many thought he would be fighting for the title in a few short months, yet he ran into former WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner at UFC 146 in May 2012. Barboza was finished in a shocking upset that derailed his momentum in a flash. He fought back by winning his next three fights to earn a shot at Cerrone in a huge fight last April.
He was picking “Cowboy” apart, but he got cocky, clipped by a brutal jab, and finished with a lightning quick rear naked choke. Barboza’s career hit yet another speed bump, although it may not have been as drastic given the quality of opponent.
So while his skills would suggest his time as a title contender is a foregone conclusion, whether or not he actually becomes one is going to rest on his ability to overcome the temporary lapses that cost him against Cerrone and Varner.
It’s not that either of those fighters re necessarily better than Barboza; he certainly had his chances to win both of those fights. At one point it looked like he would outclass Cerrone on the feet, no small feat in and of itself.
“Junior” definitely has the ability to knock out any lightweight in the world; he made Green, who came in off an upset of Josh Thomson in July, appear shut down in Austin.
Barboza just has to get past his own mental blocks to reach the level he clearly has the ability to. He needs to remain focused and give his opponents a bit more credit in order to prevent another disappointing setback.
When he he can put it together, we could finally be witnessing the rise of a fighter who has the potential to be one of the most exciting competitors in UFC. But will he ever be able to stay out of his own way?
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
