Edson Barboza Outlines Why He’s Leaning Towards Tony Ferguson in Khabib Nurmagomedov Fight

It seems like the consensus is that Khabib Nurmagomedov will walk away from UFC 249 still holding the lightweight title, after he faces Tony Ferguson. But, there are a lot of people who believe Ferguson is going to push Khabib big time on April 18th. One of those folks is Edson Barboza.

Barboza believes Ferguson has a slight advantage over Nurmagomedov

Due to the abilities of both Nurmagomedov and Ferguson, and because of their awe-inspiring records, many believe the upcoming bout could be one of the greatest lightweight fights in history. While most hardcore fans understand that Ferguson is going to be a stiff test for Khabib, the betting lines have the champ as a favorite with odds ranging from -220 to -250.

Well, recently Barboza was asked to weigh-in on the highly anticipated fight by Helen Yee. Here’s some of what the talented striker had to say (quotes via The Body Lock):

“It’s going to be a great fight. Very excited for this one,” Barboza said. “It’s funny because sometimes I see the fight, I think about the fight and think it’s a good fight for Khabib. But at the same time, Ferguson is hard to fight. His style, he’s a little bit different with everybody.”

“I think Ferguson because he’s a little bit better striker,” Barboza explained, when asked who he thinks will have the advantage. “He’s more creative. Everybody knows what Khabib is doing but he does it very well. Everybody knows but nobody can stop it. I feel Ferguson because he’s a little bit more creative, you never know what’s coming.”

“Both guys have power,” he added. “I feel Khabib has a little bit more power, especially on the ground, he’s a little bit stronger. Like I said, some things Khabib is better, some things Tony Ferguson is better. It makes the match exciting.”

Barboza’s not the only person to point to Ferguson’s unorthodox striking and aggressive approach as to why “El Cucuy” is going to be a big test for Khabib. It’s also worth noting that Barboza has fought both men.

The Brazilian fought Ferguson back in 2015 and was submitted in round two. Barboza faced Nurmagomedov in 2017 and dropped a one-sided decision to the champ.

Barboza’s future

As far as Barboza’s future, recently it was reported that the 34-year-old is moving down to featherweight. The drop is taking place following Barboza’s split decision loss to Paul Felder in September. That defeat was Barboza’s fourth in his last five fights, and it dropped his record to 20-8.