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Edson Barboza Says to Expect His Best at UFC on FOX 20
Edson Barboza spoke with MMAjunkie about his fight with Gilbert Melendez at UFC on FOX 20. Some highlights are below:
On fighting: “I think one of the things that keep my heart beating is competition. I love competing. I love competing at anything. For my first muay Thai fight, I was 8. I have had 22 years of experience just going up there and brawling.”
On the changes he made to his training: “First off, what changed was a literal move. I moved to New Jersey. I used to keep going back and forth from Florida to New Jersey, then I said, ‘You know what, I think it’s going to be better for my career if I stay here.’ I moved with my wife. We’ve been here since before Pettis. I’ve been getting ready for a long time, I’ve been constantly learning in my career, and I think this made a difference for the last fight and is going to make a difference in the next one. I’m not sure if the word would be confidence, in myself, but believing that I can make it. Now I’m sure. I have that in my head now – no one can take it away. I know that I can make it and become champion. The main thing that has changed is that. Now I literally believe that I can be champion.”
On a possible fight with Rafael dos Anjos: “I wouldn’t like to fight him, of course. He’s my friend. But I haven’t stopped to think about it yet, we’ll see what the future brings. The only thing (his title win) did to me was make me very happy. He helped a lot in my fight against Anthony Pettis, because he’d fought him. He also helped a lot for the next one, since he also fought Melendez. It’s something in the future. I haven’t really stopped to think or talk about it with my trainers. My focus is 100 percent on my next fight, so I was just happy the belt was with one of my training partners.”
On his fight with Melendez: “If you look at who he lost to, he lost only to the best. He’s one of the best. That’s why I took this fight. And also because of his style. He’s a guy that goes for it, he goes to war, the kind of opponent that I like fighting. I think the fans are going to enjoy this fight. No doubt, you can expect the best Edson Barboza that ever stepped onto the octagon.”