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You can run from Kabib Nurmagomedov, but you can’t hide.
Edson Barboza did his best to lands his patented leg kicks and move out of the way during the opening minutes of his UFC 219 co-main event lightweight bout Saturday night in Las Vegas.
But it was like watching a predator chase his prey in a nature show as Nurmagomedov eventually caught him, then reminded the crowd at T-Mobile Arena why he is one of the most feared fighters on the planet.
Barboza never quit, but he was overmatched, as Nurmagomedov earned a one-sided unanimous decision. The judges’ scores were 30-25, 30-25, and 30-24.
After the fight, Nurmagomedov, who also celebrated the birth of his son on Saturday, said he could go back out and fight either UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor or interim champ Tony Ferguson that night.
“If the UFC gives me one more hour rest, I can fight Conor or Tony no problem,” he said.
With the victory in his first fight in nearly 15 months, Nuramgomedov improved to 25-0, 9-0 in the UFC.
Barboza did his best to play his game early, but Nuramgomedov used a trip in the clinch to take the fight to the mat about two minutes in. From there, he unleashed a vicious ground-and-pound assault.
The game Barboza went for another flurry early in the second, landing a head kick, and a couple shots to the body. But Nurmagomedov reasserted himself and dominated from the top.
Barboza was valiant in the third round as well. He managed to prevent Nurmagomedov from taking him down in the first half of the round and landed flash with a spinning back kick. But Nurmagomedov shut things down and got his opponent to the mat, where he stayed for the rest of the fight.
Nurmagomedov, when asked about the logjam with neither McGregor not Ferguson fighting soon, said he’s only thinking about himself.
“I don’t think about those two bull**** guys,” he said. “I think about only me.”
Barboza (19-5) had a three-fight win streak snapped.
Edson Barboza did his best to lands his patented leg kicks and move out of the way during the opening minutes of his UFC 219 co-main event lightweight bout Saturday night in Las Vegas.
But it was like watching a predator chase his prey in a nature show as Nurmagomedov eventually caught him, then reminded the crowd at T-Mobile Arena why he is one of the most feared fighters on the planet.
Barboza never quit, but he was overmatched, as Nurmagomedov earned a one-sided unanimous decision. The judges’ scores were 30-25, 30-25, and 30-24.
After the fight, Nurmagomedov, who also celebrated the birth of his son on Saturday, said he could go back out and fight either UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor or interim champ Tony Ferguson that night.
“If the UFC gives me one more hour rest, I can fight Conor or Tony no problem,” he said.
With the victory in his first fight in nearly 15 months, Nuramgomedov improved to 25-0, 9-0 in the UFC.
Barboza did his best to play his game early, but Nuramgomedov used a trip in the clinch to take the fight to the mat about two minutes in. From there, he unleashed a vicious ground-and-pound assault.
The game Barboza went for another flurry early in the second, landing a head kick, and a couple shots to the body. But Nurmagomedov reasserted himself and dominated from the top.
Barboza was valiant in the third round as well. He managed to prevent Nurmagomedov from taking him down in the first half of the round and landed flash with a spinning back kick. But Nurmagomedov shut things down and got his opponent to the mat, where he stayed for the rest of the fight.
Nurmagomedov, when asked about the logjam with neither McGregor not Ferguson fighting soon, said he’s only thinking about himself.
“I don’t think about those two bull**** guys,” he said. “I think about only me.”
Barboza (19-5) had a three-fight win streak snapped.