Sodiq Yusuff (13-2) made his way to the UFC after impressing in Dana White Contender Series and is 6-1 in this promotion. He’s fighting his first-ever main event bout on October 14 and his opponent is a true MMA legend who’s been fighting in the UFC since 2010. The man in question is Edson Barboza (23-11), who, at the age of 37, is determined to get back to the top.



Sodiq Yusuff vs. Edson Barboza Odds



Moneyline Odds Sodiq Yusuff -170 Edson Barboza +140



*Odds taken from BetUS on Tuesday, October 10.



When, Where, and How to Watch?




Place : UFC Apex in Enterprise (Vegas), Nevada



Date : Saturday, October 14, 2023



Time : 10:00 p.m. ET



How to Watch : ESPN+




Sodiq Yusuff Take the Big Leap Forward



The UFC Fight Night 230 headliner is the most important fight in Sodiq Yusuff’s career. This guy is 13-2 overall, with a 6-1 record since joining the UFC. He got the deal with the world’s most elite MMA promotion after doing great in Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018.  



Then, on his promotional debut, he destroyed his opponent, winning the Performance of the Night bonus. He kept on doing great in the next couple of fights before suffering his first and so far, only loss in the UFC. It happened in 2021 when we saw Arnold Allen beat him by decision.




1 year ago, #OnThisDay Sodiq Yusuff submitted Don Shainis in 30 seconds at UFC Vegas 61 pic.twitter.com/tFlGNDZlvp — Josh (@JUchiha909) October 1, 2023




He did lose, but he wasn’t too bad in that fight. In fact, Yusuff recorded more than twice as many strikes as Allen, as well as made one submission attempt. The reason why he lost is that he suffered two takedowns, which resulted in Allen keeping him pinned to the ground for a long time.



The good news for him and his fans is that he was able to bounce back from the loss. He went on to win the next two fights. First, he defeated Alex Caceres by decision. Then, he beat Don Shainis by submission after only 30 seconds.



Edson Barboza’s Swan Song



After losing three fights in a row in 2019 and 2020, many people thought that’s the end of Edson Barboza’s story. But he bounced back, winning the next two fights. Then, another losing run followed. He lost two fights in a row in 2021 and 2022, but he bounced back again.



In April 2023, he put Billy Quarantillo to sleep with a knee KO in round 1, for which he won the Performance of the Night bonus. This was the 14 th win by knockout/technical knockout for the Brazilian veteran and has brought him back into the UFC spotlight.



He’s currently 13 th in the UFC featherweight rankings, but another impressive win could propel him to near the top of the list. The time is ticking for him as he’s already in his late 30s, but this guy definitely still has the physique and stamina to fight at an elite level.



Still, his No. 1 strength is that he’s got plenty of experience having started his professional MMA career back in 2009. Before that, he was competing in Muay Thai and kickboxing, going 25-3 from 2005 to 2007.



Sodiq Yusuff vs. Edson Barboza Prediction



Edson Barboza looks like the guy who can stop the Sodiq Yusuff hype train. He’s a fantastic striker who knows how to finish his opponents. This guy’s expertise is knee strike, which could be particularly dangerous for Yusuff if he tries to take Barboza down.



Pick : Edson Barboza to win by KO/TKO