Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight strikers Edson Barboza and Dan Hooker will go to war this Saturday (Dec. 15, 2018) at UFC on FOX 31 inside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The previous 12 months have been difficult for Barboza. On the heels of a three-fight win streak, Barboza suffered eight brutally violent losing rounds at the hands of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kevin Lee, absorbing the type of demoralizing damage that forever changes fighters ... twice. Now, he’ll try to bounce back — thankfully against a striker! All the same, Hooker is not the same middling fighter he was at 145 pounds. Everything has clicked for the lanky 28-year-old, and he’s been putting the hurt on Lightweights like never before, scoring four straight spectacular finishes and showing off tremendous knockout power in the process.
Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:
Edson Barboza
Record: 19-6
Key Wins: Anthony Pettis (UFC 197), Gilbert Melendez (UFC on FOX 20), Beneil Dariush (UFC Fight Night 106), Bobby Green (UFC Fight Night 57), Paul Felder (UFC on FOX 16)
Key Losses: Kevin Lee (UFC Fight Night 128), Khabib Nurmagomedov (UFC 219), Tony Ferguson (TUF 22 Finale), Donald Cerrone (UFC on FOX 11), Michael Johnson (UFC Fight Night 61)
Keys to Victory: It’s easy to forget based on his last pair of losses, but Barboza is tough as hell to take down! Many have tried, but all save that duo of elite wrestlers have instead been forced to trade with the decorated Muay Thai striker. On the feet, Barboza remains one of the sport’s best kickers, capable of breaking down foes with a few well-placed shins.
Hooker has looked unstoppable in his last four fights, but he has generally faced four men far shorter than him and uncomfortable in exchanges with the New Zealander, so they usually try to pressure him. Barboza can match his physicality and would like nothing more than to start trading kicks at range, so it’s a very different style match up then both men are used to.
In this bout, I’d like to see Barboza operate in similar fashion to how he picked apart Anthony Pettis. Lots of lateral movement, quick inside and outside low kicks, and plenty of jabs to halt his foe’s combinations. That approach should help keep Barboza away from Hooker’s most powerful shots, and Barboza’s low kicks are so devastating that even when focusing on speed, they can quickly wear down an opponent.
Dan Hooker
Record: 17-7
Key Wins: Gilbert Burns (UFC 226), Marc Diakiese (UFC 219), Jim Miller (UFC Fight Night 128), Hatsu Hioki (UFC Fight Night 65)
Key Losses: Jason Knight (UFC Fight Night 101), Yair Rodriguez (UFC 192), Maximo Blanco (UFC Fight Night 52)
Keys to Victory: Hooker’s switch in weight class really revealed him to be a sniper. In his last bout in particular, Hooker’s kickboxing was fantastic to watch, as he calmly stalked Burns around the cage, picked him apart, that knocked him out with a left hook.
Whether you’re looking to wrestle or strike, the key to defeating Barboza has long been established as pressure. Hooker may not be able to copy Lee or Nurmagomedov’s strategy, but “Hangman” can learn plenty from watching fellow lanky killer Tony Ferguson dispose of Barboza or Michael Johnson’s beautiful demo of pressure kickboxing.
The best piece of advice here actually comes from Henri Hooft’s corner work with Johnson: “Be first, be last.” If Hooker allows him to do that during the fight, Barboza will absolutely hang back and kick the whole 15 minutes. That’s a punishing night of work, so it’s up to Hooker to lead the dance with combinations (be first). Barboza generally does a nice job of answering with left hand counters, but it’s usually one-and-done, which is the reason Hooker should be following up after Barboza tries to counter (be last).
Bottom Line
Certified BANGFEST!
It’s also a vital fight for Barboza. He’s so far out of the title mix after those brutal defeats that he might as well be unranked. If he’s to have any chance of recovering his position as potential title contender, there cannot be even the slightest of further missteps. Instead, he has to look better than before. Another loss permanently shuts down those chances, and it will also question fans to wonder if the Brazilian is fully done.
Of course, Barboza being in the midst of a bad skid doesn’t erase his name value. This is still a major opportunity for Hooker, who can fully complete his transition from 3-3 Featherweight to undefeated, Top 10-ranked Lightweight in title contention. His recent wins are nothing short of spectacular, so Hooker has certainly earned this chance, but he still has to make the most of it to really prove himself elite.
At UFC on FOX 31, Edson Barboza and Dan Hooker will duel in the co-main event. Which man will remain standing when the dust settles?
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