Edson Barboza sees drop to featherweight as new beginning for UFC career

Edson Barboza is hoping to hit the reset button with the latest change in his fighting career.

The longtime UFC lightweight contender makes the drop to 145 pounds for the first time in his 11-year career Saturday at UFC on ESPN 8. Barboza (20-8 MMA, 14-8 UFC) takes on Dan Ige, who’s ranked No. 15 in the UFC’s official featherweight rankings, on the main card of the event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.

Barboza said he’s feeling great as Friday’s weigh-ins near and feels no different than his cuts down to 155 pounds.

The Brazilian striker said the decision was to move down a weight class was based on wanting something new for his career and said he was having issues getting high-profile opponents at lightweight.

“I dropped because I’ve worked for the UFC for almost 10 years and I really need a new challenge for my career and for myself,” Barboza said Thursday during a UFC on ESPN 8 virtual media day. “I made a choice together with my team, and I think that’s the best choice drop from 155 to 145 for new challenges – a new challenge, and fight some new guys.

“I don’t fight the other guys at 155 because they say no to fight me at 155. I’m always hoping to fight everybody at 155 in the top 10, but it’s hard to fight the people at 155 because I’ve fought most of those guys. At 145, it’s new (and) I’ve fought nobody at 145, so I’m very excited. I feel it’s a new beginning for me.”

Despite bing 1-4 in his past five lightweight bouts, Barboza thinks he can get a quick path to the featherweight belt if all goes well. With Ige being in the UFC rankings and Barboza carrying a notable name, the 34-year-old doesn’t see featherweight gold too far away.

“First of all, I’m so happy with the UFC always giving me big challenges to fight the best in the world,” Barboza said. “Dan is a top 15 (opponent), man, and he’s one of the best. I feel if I beat him, definitely with my history in the UFC – I have more than 22 fights in the UFC, this will be my 23rd – if I beat him, I definitely deserve a top-five (opponent), and I have three more fights in my contract. So I hope if I win after a top five, I get a chance for the title shot.”