Edson Barboza retires after TKO loss to Esteban Ribovics at UFC 330

At UFC 330 in Philadelphia, Argentine fighter Esteban Ribovics defeated Brazilian veteran Edson Barboza via technical knockout in the second round. Ribovics secured the victory at the 1:32 mark of Round 2 following a series of punches and elbows that prompted referee Herb Dean to stop the contest.

Following the defeat, the 40-year-old Barboza announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, leaving his gloves in the center of the octagon. Barboza concludes a 16-year career in the UFC with a professional record of 24-15. UFC President Dana White praised Barboza, describing him as an ‘absolute savage’ and expressing respect for his long history of high-level competition.

During the bout, Barboza suffered a significant shin injury that was noted by commentator Daniel Cormier. Despite the injury, Barboza continued into the second round before the stoppage. Ribovics, who holds a professional record of 15-3, expressed that fighting Barboza was an honor and stated his goal is to compete against top-15 ranked fighters in the lightweight division.