Edson Barboza meets the undefeated grappler Bryce Mitchell on the pay-per-view portion of UFC 272. The bout is an important test for both men as it will help determine what Barboza has left in the tank and how good Mitchell actually is. On paper, the fight is seen as a grappler vs. striker matchup with a big emphasis on each man’s strengths. Mitchell has a smothering ground game with a big emphasis on finding submissions, his striking is still coming together. Barboza is a deadly striker with a big speed advantage over most opponents, he has an incredible highlight-reel full of deadly knockouts.
Edson Barboza is coming off of a devastating loss to Giga Chikadze back in August. The fight mostly took place on the feet and Chikadze had a surprising speed advantage over Barboza. Before that, Barboza was coming off of a huge win over Shane Burgos by knockout and had between Makwan Amirkhani by decision the fight before. The Brazilian striker still looks good at featherweight and he’s been a problem for the younger contenders. His speed and varied attacks on the feet are a problem for most of his opponents. He doesn’t give up a size advantage at featherweight and still has power in his strikes.
Bryce Mitchell is currently undefeated at 14-0 and is looking for his breakout victory. His last fight against Andre Fili showed he was ready for a step up and he gets that in the form of Edson Barboza. Mitchell has a smothering ground game and an eye for submissions. His striking is still coming together but his ground game is a problem for anyone. He is coming off of a long layoff as he has not fought since October 2020. That will play a role in how he looks at UFC 272.
Here are the UFC 272 odds, featuring our Barboza-Mitchell prediction, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 272 Odds: Barboza-Mitchell Odds
Edson Barboza (+134)
Bryce Mitchell (-158)
Over 2.5 rounds (-108)
Under 2.5 rounds (-118)
How Edson Barboza Wins The Fight At UFC 272
Edson Barboza is a very quick striker with plenty of options on the feet. His takedown defense will be a huge factor in deciding if he wins the fight. Barboza has an excellent sprawl and should do well as long as he keeps his back off of the fence. The speed isn’t as much of a factor at featherweight but there is no doubting the athletic advantage he has over his opponents. He will look to pepper Mitchell with jabs and body shots as he looks to tire out the grappler. The longer the fight takes place on the feet, the more strikes Barboza lands. The Brazilian has a huge advantage in the striking and he’ll need to keep Mitchell on the outside in order to win the fight. This could very well be a fight where the veteran shows the up-and-comer that he’s not quite ready yet. Barboza most likely wins a decision unless he finds a knockout late.
How Bryce Mitchell Wins The Fight At UFC 272
Bryce Mitchell obviously has a big advantage in the grappling department and he’ll look to smother Edson Barboza at UFC 272. It will be interesting to see if he’s able to get the Brazilian to the ground and keep him down. Barboza has struggled with grapplers in the past but that was at lightweight. Mitchell will be an interesting test to see if his strength will play a difference at featherweight. Barboza can be finished on the ground and Mitchell will find openings if he can get the fight there multiple times. Mitchell has a smothering game that can play well into beating Barboza if he’s able to finish the takedowns. Submitted Barboza is a tough task but not impossible for the gun-loving Arkansas native. His game plan is clear, get the fight down and keep it down. Mitchell’s most likely path to victory is by decision.
Final Barboza-Mitchell Prediction & Pick
The first round will help determine who wins the fight. Either Edson Barboza finds his groove with the striking or Mitchell gets his takedown and starts working. The grappler is usually a safe bet but Barboza is a veteran with really good striking. This is a dangerous fight to pick a winner on but Barboza’s experience and elite striking should give him the nod. Mitchell is coming off of a long layoff and has yet to fight someone on the level of Barboza. The pick is Barboza by a decision as he survives some scary grappling exchanges but uses his veteran savvy to get the best of Mitchell in his first real test.
Final Barboza-Mitchell Pick: Edson Barboza (+134) wins by decision.
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