The featherweight fight between Sodiq Yusuff and Edson Barboza has been upgraded to the main event for UFC Vegas 81, representing Yusuff’s first opportunity to headline a UFC card.
The forthcoming featherweight match between Sodiq Yusuff and Edson Barboza has been upgraded to the primary event for UFC Vegas 81. This event is set to take place at the UFC APEX on October 14th. Initially, the fight was planned to be a part of the card, but it will now serve as the leading five-round headliner in Las Vegas. This exciting development was officially announced by UFC representatives on Wednesday.
This will be a unique occasion for Yusuff as he will get a chance to headline a UFC card for the first time. It provides an opportunity for him to extend his current winning streak of two fights in this division. Yusuff had previously been defeated by Arnold Allen in a single match in 2021. However, he managed to bounce back with two successive victories against his competitors, Alex Caceres and Don Shainis.
Since joining through Dana White’s Contender Series, Yusuff has maintained an impressive record in the UFC of securing victory in six out of the seven matches that he participated in. Meanwhile, Barboza, at 37 years of age, is returning to a main event for the first time since his memorable fight with Justin Gaethje in 2019. Barboza has had a turbulent journey over the past few years, having switched to the 145-pound category, but he achieved notable success by knocking Billy Quarantillo out with a brutal knee strike in his latest performance. With all eyes set on the much-anticipated UFC vegas 81 card in October, both fighters are set to lock horns in the ring for a strenuous five-round tussle.