Edson Barboza
Edson Barboza heads into the bout on the back of three straight defeats — to Lerone Murphy, Drakkar Klose and Jalin Turner. The Brazilian is now returning to lightweight, where he spent the best years of his career. The veteran's key strengths remain: excellent range management, counterattacks and legendary low kicks, which can completely change the course of a fight. However, age is beginning to show — Barboza has become less mobile and finds a high pace harder to handle. Therefore, against Ribovics, it is especially important for him not to get drawn into constant exchanges and to force the Argentine to open up for counters.
Esteban Ribovics
Ribovics is the complete opposite of his opponent in terms of fighting style. The Argentine prefers to keep moving forward, throw plenty of strikes and apply pressure throughout all three rounds. Before losing to Mateusz Gamrot, he had beaten Terrance McKinney, Daniel Zellhuber and Elves Brenner, so he has already tested himself against serious opposition. Against Barboza, Ribovics' task is clear: deny the veteran space, pin him against the cage and prevent him from calmly setting up his trademark strikes. The Argentine does not need to take risks, either — activity and constant pressure are more than enough to win rounds.
Edson Barboza vs Esteban Ribovics Prediction
Both fighters understand each other's strengths perfectly, so we would not expect a reckless brawl from the opening seconds. It suits Barboza to fight on the back foot, catch Ribovics with counters and attack the legs. The Argentine will surely increase the pressure gradually, forcing his ageing opponent to expend energy and fight from uncomfortable positions. Ribovics has good stamina and can maintain the pace for all three rounds, while it is becoming increasingly difficult for Barboza to sustain high intensity. We therefore see a fairly competitive fight, with the Argentine taking phases through activity and the Brazilian responding with more accurate and dangerous strikes. Our prediction is that the fight will go to the judges' decision.
