Edson Barboza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edson Barboza |
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|---|---|
| Born | Edson Mendes Barboza Júnior January 21, 1986 Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Nationality | Brazilian American |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 145 lb (66 kg; 10.4 st) |
| Division | Lightweight (2009–2019) Featherweight (2020–present) |
| Reach | 75 in (190 cm) |
| Fighting out of | Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Team | Valor Martial Arts (2009–2012) Ricardo Almeida BJJ American Top Team |
| Trainer |
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| Rank | Black prajied in Muay Thai under Anderson França Black belt in Taekwondo Brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Ricardo Almeida |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 28 |
| Wins | 25 |
| By knockout | 22 |
| Losses | 3 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 36 |
| Wins | 24 |
| By knockout | 14 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 9 |
| Losses | 12 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By decision | 6 |
Edson Mendes Barboza Júnior (born January 21, 1986) is a professional mixed martial artist from Brazil and the United States. He used to be a Muay Thai kickboxer. Currently, he competes in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He also competed in the Lightweight division before.
Contents
Edson Barboza's Fighting Journey
Early Life and Training
Edson Barboza was born in Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was born a bit early, but he grew up to be a strong fighter. When he was 8 years old, he started training and competing in Muay Thai, a type of martial art. He had a great record in professional Muay Thai, winning 25 fights and losing only 3. A lot of his wins (22 of them!) were by knockout. In January 2009, Barboza moved to the United States.
Starting in Mixed Martial Arts
Barboza began his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career in April 2009 in Tampa, Florida. He won his first fight by TKO (Technical Knockout) in the first round. This means the referee stopped the fight because his opponent couldn't safely continue. In his next fight, he won a lightweight title by knockout. He successfully defended this title later that year.
Fighting in Ring of Combat
After his early success, Barboza joined a fighting group called Ring of Combat in New Jersey. He won his first fight there by knockout in just over a minute. He then won the Ring of Combat lightweight belt by TKO, using strong leg kicks. He was supposed to defend this title, but he signed with the UFC instead.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Career
First Fights in the UFC (2010-2011)
Edson Barboza made his UFC debut on November 20, 2010, at UFC 123. He won his first UFC fight by TKO with leg kicks. This was the first time in UFC history that a fight ended this way! In 2011, he won two more fights by decision, meaning the judges decided he won. Both of these fights were so exciting that they earned "Fight of the Night" bonuses.
Big Knockouts and First Loss (2012)
On January 14, 2012, at UFC 142, Barboza faced Terry Etim. He won this fight with an amazing spinning wheel kick knockout in the third round. This was the first time anyone had won a UFC fight with that move! He earned "Knockout of the Night" and "Fight of the Night" awards for it. Later that year, he had his first professional MMA loss against Jamie Varner.
Bouncing Back (2013-2014)
Barboza quickly recovered from his loss. In 2013, he won two fights by TKO, showing off his powerful strikes and leg kicks. One of these wins was against Lucas Martins. He also had a tough fight against Danny Castillo, where he came back strong after a difficult first round to win by decision. This fight also earned "Fight of the Night" honors. In 2014, he lost to Donald Cerrone by submission. But he then won his next two fights against Evan Dunham and Bobby Green.
Tough Challenges (2015)
In 2015, Barboza faced some tough opponents. He lost to Michael Johnson by decision. He then had an exciting fight against Paul Felder, winning by decision and earning another "Fight of the Night" bonus. UFC President Dana White praised this fight as "incredible." Later that year, he lost to Tony Ferguson by submission in another "Fight of the Night" battle.
Training Changes and More Wins (2016-2018)
After his loss to Ferguson, Barboza moved to New Jersey to train with a new team. This change helped him win two fights in 2016 against Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez. In 2017, he won by knockout with a flying knee against Beneil Dariush, earning a "Performance of the Night" bonus. He then faced Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kevin Lee, losing both fights. After these losses, he returned to train at American Top Team in Florida. He finished 2018 with a TKO win over Dan Hooker.
Moving to Featherweight (2019-2020)
In 2019, Barboza had two more fights, losing to Justin Gaethje by knockout in a "Fight of the Night" performance. He then had a rematch with Paul Felder, which he lost by a close decision that many thought he should have won. At the end of 2019, Barboza decided to move to a lighter weight class, the featherweight division. His first featherweight fight in May 2020 was a close split decision loss to Dan Ige, which was also controversial. However, he bounced back in October 2020, winning against Makwan Amirkhani by decision.
Recent Fights (2021-2025)
In 2021, Barboza signed a new contract with the UFC. He had an exciting knockout win over Shane Burgos in May 2021, earning another "Fight of the Night" bonus. Later that year, he lost to Giga Chikadze. In March 2022, he lost to Bryce Mitchell. He was supposed to fight Ilia Topuria in October 2022 but had to pull out due to a knee injury.
In April 2023, Barboza returned and won by knockout in the first round against Billy Quarantillo, earning a "Performance of the Night" award. In October 2023, he had an amazing comeback win against Sodiq Yusuff, earning his ninth "Fight of the Night" award. This fight was even named "Fan's Choice Comeback of the Year" by the UFC!
In May 2024, Barboza fought Lerone Murphy and lost by decision, but the fight was so good it earned him his tenth "Fight of the Night" award, tying him for the most in UFC history! He was scheduled to fight Steve Garcia in February 2025 but withdrew due to injury. He is scheduled to fight Drakkar Klose in August 2025.
Edson Barboza's Fighting Style
Edson Barboza is known for his amazing striking skills, especially his powerful kicks. Many experts, like UFC commentator Joe Rogan, say he is "probably the best kicker in MMA." He was the first fighter in UFC history to win a fight with a wheel kick knockout. He is also one of only a few fighters to win multiple UFC fights using strong leg kicks. His "switch kicks" are also very fast and powerful.
Personal Life
Edson Barboza is married to Bruna, and they have a son and a daughter. He became an American citizen in 2022.
Championships and Awards
Kickboxing Achievements
- 2007 Demolition Fight Grand Prix Winner
Mixed Martial Arts Achievements
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Fight of the Night (Ten times)
- Tied for the most "Fight of the Night" bonuses in UFC history (10)
- Performance of the Night (Two times)
- Knockout of the Night (One time)
- Tied for third most knockouts in UFC Lightweight division history (7)
- Fourth most knockdowns in UFC history (16)
- UFC Honors Awards
- 2019: "President's Choice Fight of the Year" Nominee
- 2023: "Fan's Choice Comeback of the Year" Winner
- UFC.com Awards
- 2012: "Knockout of the Year"
- 2017: Ranked #3 "Knockout of the Year"
- 2023: Ranked #8 "Knockout of the Year" & Ranked #8 "Fight of the Year"
- Fight of the Night (Ten times)
- Renaissance MMA
- Renaissance MMA Lightweight Championship (One time)
- Two successful title defenses
- Ring of Combat
- Ring of Combat Lightweight Championship (One time)
- World MMA Awards
- 2012 "Knockout of the Year"
- Sherdog
- 2012 "Knockout of the Year"
- 2017 "Knockout of the Year"
- 2018 "Beatdown of the Year"
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 36 matches | 24 wins | 12 losses |
| By knockout | 14 | 4 |
| By submission | 1 | 2 |
| By decision | 9 | 6 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 24–12 | Lerone Murphy | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy | May 18, 2024 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 24–11 | Sodiq Yusuff | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Yusuff vs. Barboza | October 14, 2023 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 23–11 | Billy Quarantillo | KO (knee) | UFC on ESPN: Holloway vs. Allen | April 15, 2023 | 1 | 2:37 | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 22–11 | Bryce Mitchell | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 272 | March 5, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 22–10 | Giga Chikadze | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Chikadze | August 28, 2021 | 3 | 1:44 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 22–9 | Shane Burgos | KO (punches) | UFC 262 | May 15, 2021 | 3 | 1:16 | Houston, Texas, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 21–9 | Makwan Amirkhani | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen | October 11, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Loss | 20–9 | Dan Ige | Decision (split) | UFC on ESPN: Overeem vs. Harris | May 16, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | Featherweight debut. |
| Loss | 20–8 | Paul Felder | Decision (split) | UFC 242 | September 7, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Loss | 20–7 | Justin Gaethje | KO (punch) | UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje | March 30, 2019 | 1 | 2:30 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 20–6 | Dan Hooker | KO (punch to the body) | UFC on Fox: Lee vs. Iaquinta 2 | December 15, 2018 | 3 | 2:19 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Loss | 19–6 | Kevin Lee | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Lee | April 21, 2018 | 5 | 2:18 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Catchweight (157 lb) bout; Lee missed weight. |
| Loss | 19–5 | Khabib Nurmagomedov | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 219 | December 30, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 19–4 | Beneil Dariush | KO (knee) | UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Gastelum | March 11, 2017 | 2 | 3:35 | Fortaleza, Brazil | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 18–4 | Gilbert Melendez | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Holm vs. Shevchenko | July 23, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 17–4 | Anthony Pettis | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 197 | April 23, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 16–4 | Tony Ferguson | Submission (brabo choke) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber Finale | December 11, 2015 | 2 | 2:54 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Ferguson was deducted one point in round one due to an illegal upkick. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 16–3 | Paul Felder | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Dillashaw vs. Barão 2 | July 25, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Loss | 15–3 | Michael Johnson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Bigfoot vs. Mir | February 22, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Porto Alegre, Brazil | |
| Win | 15–2 | Bobby Green | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Swanson | November 22, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Austin, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 14–2 | Evan Dunham | TKO (kick to the body and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Miller | July 16, 2014 | 1 | 3:06 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Loss | 13–2 | Donald Cerrone | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC on Fox: Werdum vs. Browne | April 19, 2014 | 1 | 3:15 | Orlando, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 13–1 | Danny Castillo | Decision (majority) | UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Benavidez 2 | December 14, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Sacramento, California, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 12–1 | Rafaello Oliveira | TKO (leg kicks) | UFC 162 | July 6, 2013 | 2 | 1:44 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 11–1 | Lucas Martins | TKO (punches) | UFC on FX: Belfort vs. Bisping | January 19, 2013 | 1 | 2:38 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Loss | 10–1 | Jamie Varner | TKO (punches) | UFC 146 | May 26, 2012 | 1 | 3:23 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 10–0 | Terry Etim | KO (spinning wheel kick) | UFC 142 | January 14, 2012 | 3 | 2:02 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Knockout of the Night. Fight of the Night. Knockout of the Year. |
| Win | 9–0 | Ross Pearson | Decision (split) | UFC 134 | August 27, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 8–0 | Anthony Njokuani | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 128 | March 19, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 7–0 | Mike Lullo | TKO (leg kicks) | UFC 123 | November 20, 2010 | 3 | 0:26 | Auburn Hills, Michigan, United States | |
| Win | 6–0 | Marcelo Guidici | TKO (leg kicks) | Ring of Combat 30 | June 11, 2010 | 1 | 3:01 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Won the Ring of Combat Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 5–0 | Jose Figueroa | KO (punch) | Renaissance MMA 16 | March 5, 2010 | 1 | 3:55 | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | Defended the Renaissance MMA Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 4–0 | Nabih Barakat | KO (punches) | Ring of Combat 28 | February 19, 2010 | 1 | 1:09 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Lee King | Submission (anaconda choke) | Renaissance MMA 15 | November 20, 2009 | 1 | 2:04 | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | Defended the Renaissance MMA Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 2–0 | Lee King | KO (punches) | Renaissance MMA 12 | June 13, 2009 | 2 | 1:14 | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | Won the Renaissance MMA Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 1–0 | Aaron Steadman | TKO (punches) | Real FC 17: Street Kings | April 17, 2009 | 1 | 3:34 | Tampa, Florida, United States |
Muay Thai & Kickboxing record
| 25 Wins (22 (T)KO's), 3 Losses | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-11-10 | Win |  Tadeu San Martino |
Demolition Fight VI, Final | São Paulo, Brazil | Decision | 3 | 3:00 | |
| Wins Demolition Fight Grand Prix. | ||||||||
| 2007-11-10 | Win | Marfio Canoletti |
Demolition Fight VI, Semi Final | São Paulo, Brazil | KO (Punches) | 1 | 2:46 | |
| 2007-11-10 | Win | Marcos Rodrigues |
Demolition Fight VI, Quarter Final | São Paulo, Brazil | TKO (Doctor Stoppage) | 1 | 3:00 | |
| 2007-03-29 | Loss | Tadeu San Martino |
GP la Gara, Final | Brazil | KO (Punches) | 3 | ||
| 2006-11-18 | Win | Jair Portilho |
Festival de Muay Thai | Rio, Brazil | KO | 2 | ||
| 2006-09-23 | Loss | Bruno Carvalho |
Demolition Fight IV | São Paulo, Brazil | Decision | 3 | 3:00 | |
| For the Demolition Fight -70kg title. | ||||||||
| 2005-10-10 | Win | Flavio Pardinho |
Demolition Fight II | São Paulo, Brazil | KO | 3 | 1:11 | |
| Loss | Bruno Carvalho |
AFC BR I | Brazil | Decision | 5 | 3:00 | ||
| Legend: Win Loss Draw/No contest Notes | ||||||||
See also
In Spanish: Edson Barboza para niños
- List of current UFC fighters
- List of male mixed martial artists
