The blockbuster UFC 262 pay-per-view goes down this weekend, and Edson Barboza and Shane Burgos will throw down in a featherweight shoot-out.
UFC 262 is packed with exciting action, and plenty of fights will affect the divisional rankings when they are released the next week. In particular, two fast-paced featherweights will likely have a striking war when the power-kicking Edson Barboza looks to expand his win streak against the violent striker Burgos. Headlined by Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira competing for the vacant lightweight title, the UFC card is certainly stacked with must-see talent. However, for the sake of clarity and detail, taking a closer look at the featherweight barnburner between these two is justified considering the action they bring every time out.
Edson Barboza And His Quest For Gold
Barboza has always been a difficult out regardless of the weight class he fights in. Specifically, the Brazilian has had opportunities against very high-level competition, but usually, his wrestling got in his way, but not always. For example, it’s hard to criticize his wrestling performance against former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, as the 35-year old at least survived all three rounds with the unbeaten UFC star.
Despite the valiant effort in grappling exchanges, against opponents like Kevin Lee and Tony Ferguson, it’s safe to say his grappling discrepancy led to some of the risky situations he found himself in.
Overall, the consummate professional moved down in weight as he got older on his relentless quest for a UFC title. With a recent win against notable featherweight, Makwan Amirkhani there is little doubt that Barboza isn’t a legitimate player in his new division.
Shane Burgos And His Path Against Edson Barboza
With only two losses in his professional career, Burgos has endured growing pains in front of the eyes of UFC fans. Additionally, the 30-year old has been in some incredible fights. While he struggled in a striking battle against top-ranked Calvin Kattar, it was a thrilling fight that ended in the third round. Not to mention, the young featherweight was able to bounce back and win his following fight against Kurt Holobaugh. Since Burgos has very sharp hands and a frenetic pace, he has some of the traits necessary to catch Barboza off guard with strikes.
Overall, if Burgos does what he usually does and eliminates space, this is his fight to win. However, certainly, if Barboza can fire off kicks and snipe from the outside, it will be a long night for “Hurricane”.
Who do you think will pull off the win at UFC 262, will Shane Burgos get the job done, or will Edson Barboza continue his recent run?
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