UFC president Dana White shared his reaction to hearing that longtime lightweight fighter Edson Barboza has retired from MMA.
Barboza, 40 years old, was finished by Esteban Ribovics in the second round of their lightweight bout that kicked off the UFC 330 main card.
Following the fight, Barboza retired from the UFC with a 24-15 record in MMA and an 18-15 record in the Octagon.
Dana White Reacts to Edson Barboza’s Retirement
Speaking to reporters following UFC 330 at the post-fight press conference, White shared his reaction to Barboza stepping away from the UFC after spending the last 16 years inside the Octagon.
“He’s such a great kid, and he’s been in so many wars. We really like him. I don’t know what you want me to say other than he’s an absolute savage, and it’s been awesome having him fight in this company, and we really respect him and like him a lot,” White said.
Barboza has been in the UFC since 2010, so he and White have been working together for many years, and he has been one of the very best lightweights and featherweights in the sport for the whole time. Finally, though, after so many years, it’s over.
Changing of the Guard
Barboza is not the only UFC veteran who has announced their retirement in recent times, as we also saw long-time veteran Darren Elkins announce he was retiring from mixed martial arts last week following his knockout loss to Yadier del Valle at UFC Vegas 120.
What this shows is that there is a true changing of the guard right now in the UFC, as the older fighters are being phased out for the younger fighters. It’s just the reality of combat sports, because fighters get old and retire and get replaced by younger fighters who are more able to compete at a higher level.
It’s the sad reality of the sport because these fighters like Barboza and Elkins gave so much of their lives to the game, but in the end, the damage they took during their fights inside the Octagon was too much for them to handle at their current age.
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