A barn burner between Justin Gaethje and Edson Barboza might be part of an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) card in Philadelphia.
There was some confusion over the initial reporting of the match-up. MMAJunkie initially reported Gaethje vs. Barboza as being targeted for UFC Nashville. Gaethje’s manager Ali Abdelaziz denied it. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto later reported that the bout is being discussed for UFC Philly, to which Abdelaziz responded in support of Gaethje. Sources tell MMA News that the bout isn’t a done deal, but talks are in place.
Gaethje vs. Barboza – Previous Outings
Gaethje is coming off a first-round knockout victory over James Vick. “The Highlight” had dropped back-to-back bouts with Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier. Many wondered if Gaethje’s style would doom him against Vick, but it most certainly served him well. Gaethje has received a bonus in all of his UFC fights.
As for Barboza, his last bout resulted in a brutal beatdown at the expense of Dan Hooker. Barboza dominated the fight and eventually won via third-round TKO. Barboza was also coming off two straight losses, but like Gaethje, he rebounded in a big way.
The event in Philly will take place on March 30. It’ll be the second UFC event on the major ESPN network. Already set for the card is a strawweight battle between Michelle Waterson and Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Also set for UFC Philly is another 115-pound battle between Alexa Grasso and Marina Rodriguez.
Stick with MMA News for the latest updates on UFC Philly. We’ll also keep you up to speed if/when Gaethje vs. Barboza is finalized.
