MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC Fight Night 230.
UFC Fight Night 230 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams on ESPN+.
Sodiq Yusuff (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’9″ Age: 30 Weight: 145 lbs. Reach: 71″
- Last fight: Submission win over Don Shainis (Oct. 1, 2022)
- Camp: Team Lloyd Irvin (Maryland)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/muay Thai
- Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
+ Amateur MMA accolades
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt
+ W.K.A. kickboxing title
+ 6 KO victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 5 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Solid footwork and hand-fighting
+ Dangerous right hand
^ Coming forward or off the counter
+ Hard leg kicks
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Sturdy hips and hard knees
+ Underrated grappling ability
^ Scrambles well, positionally sound
Edson Barboza (23-11 MMA, 17-11 UFC)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’11” Age: 37 Weight: 145 lbs. Reach: 75″
- Last fight: Knockout win over Billy Quarantillo (April 15, 2023)
- Camp: American Top Team (Florida)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/muay Thai
- Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Multiple muay Thai accolades
^ Record of 25-3 (22 by KO)
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt
+ 14 KO victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 8 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Solid feints and footwork
+ Improved boxing technique
^ Jabs, pivots, counters, etc.
+ Devastating leg kicks
+ Accurate spinning attacks
+ Underrated counter wrestling
+ Solid butterfly guard
Point of interest: Muay Thai maelstrom
The main event in Las Vegas features a pairing of ranked featherweight who are very familiar with the art of eight limbs.
Storming onto the UFC scene as a thunderous leg kicker, Edson Barboza became renowned for his initial impressions of violence that reminded MMA fans why muay Thai is such an effective striking art. After a few years of mixed success, Barboza made his way up to New Jersey to train with Mark Henry, a coach who quietly helped him improve his footwork and fundamentals within the boxing realm.
Edson Barboza’s fight with Lucas Martins was the first time we see Mark Henry in his corner… a lot of the tweaks in his boxing game arguably start to show from this fight forward in regards to feints, counters and lead-hand work. #UFConFX7 pic.twitter.com/M76qRoo28N
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) May 1, 2023
From hitting pivots to stepping off to the appropriate sides, the Brazilian has done a much better job of facilitating his punches and overall offense. Barboza has always possessed an underrated counter right hand but has since developed his left hand under said upgrades.
Though Barboza throws his jab with much more efficiency, it is the improvements of his check-hook and cross counters that may serve the Brazilian particularly well in this fight. That said, Barboza will need to respect the power that’s coming back his way.
Enter Sodiq Yusuff.
A fellow practitioner of the art of eight limbs, Yusuff embodies a lot of the attributes you’d like to see from an MMA striker.
Not one to fall prey to headhunting, Yusuff does well at targetting every level that his opposition offers. Whether he’s hitting calf kicks or working the body, Yusuff has proven to be more than content when it comes to piling on damage in those departments.
Sodiq Yusuff has arrived!
Don't blink when @Super_Sodiq reenters the Octagon👊
📺📱#UFCVegas81 | Live Sunday on ESPN and UFC Fight Pass pic.twitter.com/FcdhADGxtv
— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) October 12, 2023
Yusuff is also not afraid to hand-trap in range, demonstrating decent eyes in the pocket and an ability to counter emphatically with his patent right hand. That said, Yusuff is not beyond being stung himself and will need to be on his best behavior Saturday.
Point of interest: Potential grappling threats
Considering the potential for chaos on the feet, no one should be shocked if this party ends up on the floor at some point.
Yusuff, who is no stranger to closed-quarter combat, will often initiate his own grappling entanglements via the clinch.
A place where he’s clearly comfortable, Yusuff appears to comport himself well with strong hips and hard knees that he keeps on a hair-trigger. And though Yusuff is not known as a takedown threat, he does possess some serviceable options like trips that he keeps in his back pocket.
However, since Barboza’s early encounters with wrestlers the likes of Jamie Varner and Danny Castillo, the 14-year pro has steadily strengthened his counter-wrestling acumen. Even in his more recent fight against former lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov, Barboza was still able to contest with his counterpart’s underhooks, creating enough space for separations despite being dead tired in the final frame.
More importantly, Barboza – from an offensive perspective – is not beyond shooting a double-leg takedown of his own to help alleviate pressure. Reactionary doubles, at least on paper, wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.
That said, Yusuff, who is a Lloyd Irvin product, is far from a slouch in the jiu-jitsu department.
Even though Yusuff doesn’t hold as high a rank as Barboza does when it comes to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the Nigerian’s MMA grappling appears to be well up to snuff. From submission defense to solid awareness in transition, Yusuff shows the skills that are needed toward the top end of the division.
Point of interest: Odds and opinions
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the younger fighter, listing Yusuff -178 and Barboza +138 via FanDuel.
Considering the betting public’s propensity to fade older fighters, I’m actually surprised that this line isn’t wider in favor of Yusuff. That said, I believe that Barboza is a very live dog in this spot, so it’s nice to see him getting some respect.
Aside from Barboza being a devastating striker who traditionally welcomes these types of stylistic clashes, Yusuff has shown that his chin is far from impervious despite his impressive build for the weight class.
For that reason, I’d be careful about being too confident in the betting favorite in this spot.
Nevertheless, I still find myself slightly siding with Yusuff here.
Even though we’ve yet to see Yusuff perform in championship rounds, I’m not so sure that will be a factor in a fight this volatile from a striking perspective. Add in the fact that most of Yusuff’s striking troubles appear to come from southpaws, and I’ll semi-reluctantly take the man with less mileage to survive the inevitable trades that this fight promises.
I hope I’m wrong, but the official pick is for Yusuff to find the knockout by the second round.
