Edson Barboza achieved a strange victory via unanimous decision after a very impressive level of performance from both sides at a time that was closer to defeat in the first round.
Barboza survived an early defeat in Las Vegas on Saturday to beat hungry contender Sadiq Youssef in the main event of UFC Fight Night.
Saturday’s title got off to a rocky start for Barboza. Youssef rocked his opponent badly in the first exchange and repeatedly surprised him with combination boxing.
The end seemed imminent, but Joseph’s takedown slowed the fight and gave Barboza the time he needed to recover. Two judges scored the round 10-8 for Youssef.
Quite a performance Edson Barboza, after being dominated in the first round, he came back strong and won the fight by unanimous decision!!! ⚔️🇧🇷☝🏾 #NeverGiveUp #UFCVegas81
أداء رائع إدسون باربوزا، بعد أن سيطر على الجولة الأولى، عاد بقوة وفاز بالقتال بقرار إجماعي!!! ⚔️🇧🇷☝🏾 pic.twitter.com/Kd5xQY2qQR
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) October 15, 2023
“I was feeling really dizzy. I didn’t know if I was in the gym or at home or playing with the kids,” Barboza said during his post-fight interview. “I didn’t know what was going on.”
Barboza found his footing in the second round and largely closed the competitive gap.
The third round provided another shock when Barboza landed one of his signature kicks.
The blow severely stunned Joseph, but Barboza failed to take advantage of it, so he tried to strangle Darcy, which killed the watch. The judges sided with Barboza in the next two rounds, resulting in the scorecards reading 48-46, 48-46 and 49-46 for the veteran.
Barboza, 37, praised Youssef, 30, for showing the same level of boldness in the third round that Barboza showed in the opening frame.
