Yusuff vs Barboza Prediction: Youth Beats Experience

Sodiq Yusuff will face Edson Barboza in the main event of UFC Fight Night 230 in Las Vegas. Both fighters are looking towards entering the Top 10 in the Featherweight division if they win this bout. Here is our Yusuff vs Barboza prediction.

UFC Fight Night 230: Yusuff vs Barboza Prediction

Sodiq Yusuff Preview

Sodiq is a 30-year-old fighter from the United States. In 2018, he came to Dana White's Contender Series, where he defeated Mike Davis on points and received a contract with the UFC. Yusuff's debut in the UFC took place in the same year in a fight against Suman Mokhtarian, whom he knocked out in the 1st round.

Sodik's only UFC loss came in April 2021. Then, he lost on points to Arnold Allen. In total, he had seven fights in the UFC and won six times. His last bout was all the way back in October 2022, so he has been inactive for over a year now. This should be taken into consideration for any Sodiq Yusuff vs Edson Barboza predictions.

Nevertheless, he is significantly younger than his opponent. He is a distinguished boxer and prefers to work aggressively, throwing a large number of accurate strikes. On average, he delivers 6 punches per minute with an accuracy of 59%. We should also note his KO power.

If necessary, Sodik can use wrestling to slow down the pace of the fight. He is good at takedowns and controlling his opponents. But Yusuff also has problems with his defense. He often gets carried away in his aggression and misses a lot of shots. In a confrontation with a serious puncher, this can lead to a knockout.

He is younger and faster than Barboza but he has never faced a real challenge. His biggest opponent was Arnold Allen and he lost.

Edson Barboza Preview

Edson is a 37-year-old fighter from Brazil. His debut in the UFC took place in 2010 in a fight against Mike Lullo, whom he knocked out in the 3rd round. Edson spent most of his career as a lightweight. While competing in the UFC, he had 28 fights: won 17, and lost 11.

Edson Barboza's last lightweight fight took place in September 2019. It was a rematch with Paul Felder when the Brazilian lost by split decision. In 2020, Barboza decided to restart his career and dropped down to featherweight. The Brazilian's goal was the championship belt. Barboza fought his first fight in the new division in May 2020 and lost to Dan Ige by split decision.

Unfortunately, his entire career has been a series of ups and downs. He gets a win, then loses twice. He gets two wins and then goes back to losing. He has fought most of the greatest fighters in Lightweight history. He lost to most of them but the experience counts and should be considered for a Yusuff vs Barboza prediction.

He has faced names like Tony Ferguson, Donald Cerrone, Bobby Green, Beneil Dariush, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, and others. His last fight was in April 2023 when he beat Billy Quarantillo via 1st round KO.

Barbosa's base is Muay Thai and Taekwondo. The athlete’s main weapons are kicks and knees. The Brazilian's explosive power and speed allow him to knock out opponents not only with standard punches and kicks but also with beautiful roundhouse kicks.

Sodiq Yusuff vs Edson Barboza: Yusuff With the Biggest Win of His Career

When you look at the odds, Yusuff is the clear favorite. We can generally agree with the bookmakers for our Yusuff vs Barboza prediction. Yes, Barboza is far more experienced but he never really won when he faced top opponents. He has a bunch of defeats against mediocre competition too.

Yusuff has the strength and speed to take out Barboza with a knockout. He also has the ability to beat him on points and not get knocked out. This is a great opportunity for him to get closer to the Top 10 in the Featherweight division.

• Sodiq Yusuff to Win