Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani

Edson Barboza(7-0) gained the attention of MMA fans at UFC 123 with lightning, quick leg kicks, while flashing the potential to be the next Jose Aldo. He will put his lethal striking on display against fellow knockout artist Anthony Njokuani(13-4) at UFC 128 according to MMAjunkie.

Barboza(ranked 20th) was signed away from the Ring of Combat, which has been a recent breeding ground for future UFC stars. Barboza shows superb athleticism and size, along with experience despite being only 24-years old. Though Barboza only has 7 professional MMA fights, he was 25-3 in Muay Thai.

Anthony Njokuani was once considered a future star as well, but he has shown little drive to improve his ground game, which will likely lead to his tenure in the UFC being a brief one. Njokuani has notable wins over Bart Palaszewski and Chris Horodecki.

Both fighters pride themselves on their Muay Thai, but Barboza looks to be the sharper, more well-rounded fighter. Njokuani’s chin was exposed in his recent loss to Maciej Jewtuszko, which now invites Barboza to test his chin. Njokuani does have the height and reach advantage, which is something to look out for, but this fight is likely one to promote Edson Barboza as a future star in the lightweight division.

Prediction: Edson Barboza via TKO