5 fighters in desperate need of a win at UFC 272

#4. Edson Barboza – UFC featherweight contender

Edson Barboza will be desperate for a win over prospect Bryce Mitchell this weekend

This weekend’s main card sees Edson Barboza take on Bryce Mitchell. Not only does the fight appear to be a classic striker vs. grappler affair, it’s also a classic example of a battle between a veteran and a prospect.

That means that essentially, all of the pressure is on Barboza, who is returning to the octagon for the first time since his loss to Giga Chikadze last August.

Sure, ‘Junior’ didn’t have a bad 2021 by any means, as he followed a win over Makwan Amirkhani with an impressive knockout of Shane Burgos. However, at the age of 36, should he go on a losing run like he did from 2019 to 2020, his UFC career could well prove to be over.

Does this match bode well for Barboza? Perhaps. Mitchell is a dangerous grappler, but he’s largely unproven on the feet, and ‘Junior’ does have pretty solid takedown defense.

However, ‘Thug Nasty’ has never been beaten in his MMA career. He will be entering the octagon with the confidence of a fighter who believes he can run through any opponent – including Barboza. That makes him almost uniquely dangerous.

This doesn’t look like an impossible task for Barboza. However, given that his back is definitely against the wall, he simply needs to win this fight to stay afloat in the featherweight division.

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#3. Greg Hardy – UFC heavyweight contender

Greg Hardy needs to win this weekend to keep his MMA career afloat

With his fight this weekend being the final one on his current deal with the UFC, there’s every chance that Greg Hardy will be leaving regardless of whether he wins or loses.

Put simply, the former NFL star hasn’t lived up to the expectations that were around him when he debuted in the octagon in 2019. Given he’s on a six-figure contract, Dana White and company may simply decide that he just isn’t worth it.

However, should Hardy knock out opponent Sergey Spivak in impressive fashion this weekend, there’s still a chance that the promotion could offer him a new contract.

If he leaves the UFC with a big, highlight-reel win, a rival promotion like Bellator the PFL may offer him something. This would allow him to continue his MMA career.

If he loses to Spivak, though – and he may well, given his ground game still looks very raw – then it’s likely that his MMA career will probably be over unless he’s willing to settle for a much lower salary.

Essentially, there’s more pressure on Hardy to perform this weekend than he’s ever felt in his career as a fighter. This clash really is all or nothing for ‘The Prince of War’.