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Edson Barboza's Training Partner Breaks Down 'Hard Fight' Against Sodiq Yusuff, Points Out Possible 'Danger'
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Edson Barboza's Training Partner Breaks Down 'Hard Fight' Against Sodiq Yusuff, Points Out Possible 'Danger'

Originally posted on MMA News  |  By Harvey Leonard  |  Last updated 10/10/23

Before heading to the Middle East to stage its upcoming pay-per-view event from Abu Dhabi next weekend, the mixed martial arts leader will put on another UFC Fight Night card at the Apex in Las Vegas. 

Following on from Bobby Green's shocking 33-second knockout of Grant Dawson last Saturday, attention will move down a division to featherweight, where a pair of ranked contenders will do battle.

Topping the October 14 lineup will be Sodiq Yusuff and Edson Barboza, who occupy the #11 and #13 spots on the 145-pound ladder, respectively. Both are coming off wins, with the Nigerian-born American submitting Don Shainis last October and the Brazilian knocking out Billy Quarantillo this past April at UFC Kansas City.

Barboza's latest triumph came after consecutive losses to Giga Chikadze and Bryce Mitchell, results that left some questioning how much the 37-year-old MMA veteran had left in the tank.

While he'll look to further prove his ability to still compete with the best this weekend, one of Barboza's training partners has acknowledged the tall task ahead of him.

Moicano Concerned About Yusuff's 'Pressure' Versus Barboza

During a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, ranked UFC lightweight Renato Moicano gave his take on Saturday's headline matchup. The Brazilian trains alongside Barboza at the renowned American Top Team facility in Coconut Creek, Florida.

Although he'll be rooting for his compatriot come fight night and spoke highly of his teammate's preparation, Moicano is well aware of Yusuff's talents, which includes a level of "pressure" that he thinks could hamper Barboza.

"That's going to be a very hard fight to predict... I am Edson Barboza's friend, a training partner. Let's be clear, I want Edson Barboza to win the fight," Moicano said. "I have seen the work that he's putting in the gym, and I hope he can execute his gameplan. But that's going to be a hard fight for Barboza because of the style.

"Yusuff, all the time, the way he fights he puts a lot of pressure. I think for Edson Barboza's game, the worst thing that can happen is pressure," Moicano continued. "Every time the guy puts pressure against him and he is on the cage, that is bad for him. I am one hundred percent sure that if this is a striking match, Edson Barboza will beat Yusuff.... (But) Yusuff is an MMA fighter. Even though he is more of a striker, sometimes he tries takedowns, tries to be on the top... Five-round fight and Barboza being 37... I think that makes a hard fight for Barboza... That's the danger for Barboza."

Yusuff has been defeated just once in seven UFC fights, with Arnold Allen narrowly outpointing him in April 2021. And in recent years, "Super Sodiq" has struggled to maintain a level of consistent activity, stalling his desire to rise the ranks.

Having defeated a short-notice replacement opponent last time out, Yusuff will look to secure victory over an established top 15 opponent this weekend before making a push for a place in title contention soon enough.

Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.

This article first appeared on MMA News and was syndicated with permission.

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