'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UFC fights this weekend are going to be a treat for old-school MMA fans as striking ace Edson Barboa makes his return to the octagon. The decorated striker will take on rising contender Sodiq Yusuff in the main event of the UFC Vegas 81 event that will take place on October 14.
Edson Barboza made a switch down to the featherweight division following a loss to Paul Felder at UFC 242 in September 2019. He has since amassed a 3-3 record in the division and holds wins over the likes of Makwan Amirkhani and Shane Burgos.
The Brazilian fighter halted his two-fight losing skid in April 2023 when he defeated out Billy Quarantillo via a vicious knockout. At UFC Vegas 82, he will attempt to put together consecutive wins inside the octagon.
Trending
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Meanwhile, his opponent Sodiq Yusuff has been steadily rising in the division. Barring the unanimous decision loss to Arnold Allen in April 2021, Yusuff has been flawless in the UFC octagon. He is coming off back to back wins over Alex Caceres and Dan Shainis in his most recent outings.
In the UFC event this weekend, Yusuff’s eleventh rank will be on the line against Barboza, who is ranked thirteenth in the featherweight division.
Other exciting UFC fights this weekend
There are several UFC fights this weekend that compliment the main event perfectly. The Fight Night card does not boast a lot of big names, however. Many fighters competing on this card are relatively unknown in the casual fan circuit. That being said, as we've witnessed on so many occasions, the cards that we sleep on end up delivering the most exciting fights.
The UFC fights this weekend fall in the same category. The co-main event is a women’s flyweight contest between former title challenger Jennifer Maia and Viviane Araujo. Bantamweights Adrian Yanez and Jonathan Martinez will also grace the main card.
The featured prelim bout at UFC Vegas 81 will mark the return of veteran fighter Darren Elkins. The 39-year-old will grace the octagon for the first time since competing against Jonathan Pearce at UFC on ESPN 42 in 2022. ‘Damage’ suffered multiple injuries in the fight and took time off to recover.
