Edson Barboza picks up vintage victory, violently KO’s Billy Quarantillo in UFC on ESPN 44 co-main event
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to us tonight, April 15, 2023, for UFC on ESPN 44, going down live from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Headlining the event is a matchup of featherweight contenders, as former champion Max Holloway (23-7) faces no. 4 ranked Arnold Allen (19-1) in the main event of the evening.
Co-headlining the event was also a featherweight contest, this one between coming Edson Barboza (22-11) and Billy Quarantillo (17-4).
Barboza had gone 2-3 since dropping down to 145 lbs, though many believe he should be 3-2 in those fight bouts, and came in on a two-fight skid, while Quarantillo had gone 5-2 thus far into his UFC tenure.
Continue reading to see how this featherweight contest went down:
Official Result: Edson Barboza def. Billy Quarantillo via KO (knee) at 2:37 of round one
Quarantillo opens up the bout with an immediate takedown attempt, and he was in deep on it, but Barboza defends it well and gets back to kickboxing range. Barboza lands a couple nasty leg kicks shortly thereafter, but Quarantillo is keeping pressure on him.
Quarantillo starts to land leg kicks of his own, as well as a couple jabs and some looping punches.
It’s beginning to look like Quarantillo might take this fight over with his pace, as Barboza has fallen victim to at times before, but right as we’re thinking that Quarantillo runs right into a beautiful counter knee thrown by Barboza, KO’ing him on the spot.
EDSON BARBOZA WITH THE PERFECT KNEE TO KNOCKOUT BILLY Q #UFCKansasCity https://t.co/7kf7AJ7AhL
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) April 16, 2023
Edson Barboza turned back the clock tonight with this victory, it’s quite reminiscent to his win over no. 4 ranked lightweight contender Beneil Dariush, who he also KO’d with a vicious knee.
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