Edson Barboza didn’t get the sendoff he wanted but he battled to the very end as the legendary Brazilian announced his retirement on Saturday after falling to Esteban Ribovics in the opening bout on the main card at UFC 330.
The fight ended after Ribovics just unloaded a barrage of strikes that trapped Barboza against the cage and before any more punishment was dished out, the referee stopped the fight with the end coming at 1:32 in the second round.
Afterwards, Ribovics paid homage to Barboza as one of his heroes in the sport.
“He’s my idol when I started training,” Ribovics said about Barboza. “He had an amazing and big career. It’s an honor for me to fight with me. It’s bitter … when you fight in this sport, you know one day it’s going to happen.
“I want to fight with everybody close to the top 15. I know my last fight was not my best fight but I want another chance.”
As for Barboza, he was brought to tears after the fight ended as he removed his gloves and laid them down in the center of the octagon to signify his retirement.
“I just say thank you,” Barboza said. “I gave my best every single day. Every single fight, I really give my best. I hope you guys enjoyed. Thank you.”
The lightweights were standing and banging from the first exchange with Barboza looking for his signature leg kicks and Ribovics closing the distance to unload his combinations. Ribovics was attacking with no fear as he kept hitting Barboza with a barrage of punches including a shot that opened a cut over the Brazilian’s eye.
The onslaught continued with Ribovics gunning for the finish and Barboza got dropped late in the round, although he grabbed onto a leg to survive to the horn. After the round ended, Barboza’s leg was bleeding profusely from a nasty cut at the bottom of his shin.
Despite the gash on his leg, the fight continued and Ribovics was once again going for the kill. Ribovics just kept hammering away and referee Herb Dean finally saw enough to rescue Barboza before any further harm was done.
While certainly not the ending he wanted, Barboza is going to be remembered as one of the most exciting fighters to ever set foot in the octagon with a brutal striking style that cut down more than a few opponents over the years. He walks away as a fan favorite with a highlight reel that stands up to just about any other fighter in UFC history.
