The grin on Edson Barboza's face said it all. On Saturday at Apex on the UFC campus in Las Vegas, Barboza will compete in his 30th UFC bout and 36th overall when he faces Lerone Murphy in the five-round main event of UFC Vegas 92.
There is nothing that Barboza loves to do more than to fight. The thing he loves to do second-most is to practice to fight.
The passion he has for the sport comes through not only via his performances in the Octagon, where he's becoming one of the most entertaining fighters in the world, but also in his words. He can't say enough good things about MMA.
Why does he put up with all the injuries a lengthy MMA career inevitably brings?
"Oh, I love my job," Barboza says.
Why isn't he making plans to walk away from the sport that has been a part of his life for the last 15 years.
"I am doing what I want to do and I love it so much," he said.
He understands why his countryman, the legendary Anderson Silva, fought in the UFC until the age of 46 and still hasn't announced his retirement as a professional fighter even though Silva is now 49 years old.
Barboza repeatedly stated his love for the sport during an interview with KevinIole.com and against at UFC Vegas 92 media day, where he said he hoped he'd get a bout with BMF champion Max Holloway. Holloway would be a solid favorite over Barboza, but that bout would be a festival of violence were it to be put together.
"If one guy deserves to fight for the BMF title, it’s me,” Barboza said at media day. “Who has better highlight knockouts than me? Bro, imagine! I love Max Holloway, he’s one of my favorite fighters ever. I love to watch him fight, and he’s a very nice guy, very family guy, but imagine a fight against him for the BMF belt!"
It's not going to get the same attention as a potential Holloway fight would, but the bout with the unbeaten Murphy carries immense promise as a big-time slugfest. Murphy is unbeaten with only a draw marring his record and he's always been an action-first fighter.
Barboza debuted in the UFC on Nov. 20, 2010, as an unbeaten lightweight against Mike Lullo. He's now a ranked featherweight with a long list of accomplishments and great fights. He's fourth all-time in the UFC with 16 knockdowns and he's 10th with 12 post-fight bonuses. He's been in the Fight of the Night nine times, including on Oct. 14 when he rallied to defeat Sodiq Yusuff after it looked like he was soon to be finished.
Barboza was reeling from an early Yusuff onslaught, and many fighters would have been stopped. But Barboza's love for the battle pulled him through.
"I knew I was still in the fight," he said. "At that time, I was dizzy, super dizzy, but I was still in it. I remember keeping my eyes on my corner and them saying, 'Hold on! Do this! Do that! Do this! Do this!' I just remember saying [to myself], 'Don't give up! If you give up, you're going to lose. Just fight.' That's what I did."
He's won his share, though he's lost his share, as well. But rarely does anyone ever leave the arena after watching Barboza fight and complain that it was boring.
And he's always one who looks to improve and is thinking of ways to finally get that elusive title shot. Barboza may have fought for the title had he defeated Khabib Nurmagomedov on Dec. 20, 2017, at UFC 219 in Las Vegas. He entered that bout on a three-fight winning streak and having won four of five, but Nurmagomedov's wrestling was too much for him.
That defeat was the first of five losses in six bouts for Barboza, but he never lost faith in his ability to get it done. He's added to his game, improved his weaknesses and solidified his strengths.
He's ranked 12th at featherweight behind champion Ilia Topuria and, to be frank, it seems unlikely he'll get a shot at the crown. Don't tell him that, though. Until he can't do it any more, he's going to keep pushing and keep fighting and hope the title shot eventually comes around.