Barboza Dropping To Featherweight In 2020

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Longtime Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title contender, Edson Barboza, is abandoning his post at 155 pounds — where he’s currently ranked No. 10 — to try his luck as a featherweight at some point in 2020.

That’s according to a report from Combate.

Barboza, who turns 34 in just a few weeks, is no stranger to the Top 5 and was perhaps one victory away from a lightweight title shot back in early 2017. Then came a lopsided loss to eventual champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and it’s been all downhill from there.

The Brazilian has dropped four of his last five and was finished twice during that span.

Unfortunately for Barboza (20-8), the featherweight Top 10 is unlikely to provide any reprieve. A quick look at what’s in store in 2020 returns names like Brian Ortega, Zabit Magomedsharipov, and Chan Sung Jung, just to name a few.

Though count me among the fans who would love to see Barboza throw hands (and feet) with striking wunderkind, Yair Rodriguez.