MMA Preview – Edson Barboza vs Makwan Amirkhani at UFC Fight Island 5
EDSON BARBOZA VS MAKWAN AMIRKHANI FACTS
When is UFC Fight Island 5? Saturday 10th October, 2020 - 23:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Fight Island 5? Flash Forum, Fight Island, Abu Dhabi (UAE)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Island 5? No tickets are available as this event will take place without spectators
What channel is UFC Fight Island 5 on? BT Sport 2
Where can I stream UFC Fight Island 5? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
EDSON BARBOZA VS MAKWAN AMIRKHANI LOWDOWN
Some of Edson Barboza’s talents are unmatched but his heart to fight anybody has created a large dent on his record lately losing five of his last six fights. He has fought absolute killers in the lightweight division with some great wins, but he has not had that feeling in a while. He lost to wrestlers Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kevin Lee before brutalising top contender Dan Hooker but has gone on to get knocked out by Justin Gaethje and narrowly miss out on a decision in his rematch with Paul Felder. This led to him trying his hand down at featherweight and took on Dan Ige but was robbed in another split decision.
Makwan Amirkhani is his next featherweight test and what a stern test it is. He is 6-2 in the UFC with losses to Arnold Allen and Shane Burgos but when he has won, he has looked exceptional. He responded to his split decision loss to Allen with a split decision of his own against Jason Knight and then submitted Chris Fishgold. He got finished by Shane Burgos but is now coming off the 11th submission win of his career with a first-round anaconda choke over Danny Henry.
EDSON BARBOZA VS MAKWAN AMIRKHANI PREDICTION
These guys are very well-rounded, but their strengths are so potent that it will create more of a striker vs grappler contest. Barboza’s striking is on a different level to most fighters and his kicking game is arguably the best in the UFC. Amirkhani’s ground skills are as slick as they come so the obvious game plan for him is to get the Brazilian down to the mat and avoid his weapons.
If Amirkhani can get Barboza down he is in trouble, but the Brazilian’s takedown defence is phenomenal. It is 80% in the UFC, but he has grappled with the likes of Lee and Nurmagomedov who is the best MMA wrestler of all time. He lost those fights, but years of experience in defending the takedown and that time in the cage against more powerful fighters than Amirkhani put him in good stead to keep the fight on the feet.
If Barboza can keep the fight on the feet for any length of time he churn Amirkhani up like a wood chipper and with his leg kicks and his extra power may help him secure a late finish.
Prediction: Barboza via KO/TKO
