By the Numbers: Edson Barboza vs. Paul Felder

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Edson Barboza is the man who dealt Paul Felder the first loss of his career. For the latter, it’s payback time as he runs it back with the former on Sept. 7 at UFC 242. Rest assured that Barboza will do everything in his power to thwart his rival’s payback plan. Before these tough lightweights lay their hands on each other, here are some numbers that might just define their upcoming encounter.

Lightweight ranking

After outstriking James Vick in his last outing, Paul Felder broke into the top 10 of the lightweight division. This after a bloody scuffle with Mike Perry for which the split decision went in his opponent’s favor. Meanwhile, Barboza has been inconsistent in his last few bouts. After mounting three straight wins, he lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kevin Lee, after which he beat Dan Hooker but then dropped his last fight to Justin Gaethje. Despite his inconsistency, he is still ranked seventh at 155.

Longest winning streak

Barboza and Felder started their respective careers on a high note, going undefeated in their first 10 bouts. For Barboza, four of those victories came in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, with the vanquished including the likes of Mike Lullo, Anthony Njokuani, Ross Pearson and Terry Etim. For Felder, only two out of those first 10 triumphs happened inside the Octagon – he defeated Jason Saggo and Danny Castillo – and it was Barboza who ended his winning streak.

Wins by knockout

Both fighters are excellent strikers with highlight reel knockouts. This is especially true for Barboza, who is widely regarded as one of the best kickers in the game. His spinning wheel kick finish of Etim is one to behold, and the Englishman is just one of his many casualties. He currently has 12 KOs or TKOs, which accounts for 60 percent of his victories. Other notable victims on his resume are Evan Dunham, Dan Hooker and Beneil Dariush.

For his part, Felder owns a well-placed spinning heel kick stoppage of Craig Johnson just before he joined the UFC. A dynamic striker in his own right, Felder makes good use of his elbows, most evident in his fights with Alessandro Ricci, Steven Ray and Charles Oliveira. His wins by KO and TKO now total to 10. And with 16 career wins, he registers a 63 percent knockout rate.

Wins by submission

They may rely heavily on their standup games, but Barboza and Felder have good submissions in their arsenals, as well. Barboza is a brown belt under Ricardo Almeida, and early in his career he notched an anaconda choke finish. Felder, on the other hand, is a purple belt under Daniel Gracie, and he managed to tap Daron Cruickshank with a rear-naked choke at UFC Fight Night 81. Both Felder and Barboza have yet to earn a second win by tapout.

Career losses

Felder has lost only four times in his professional career. Apart from Barboza, the only other fighters who hold wins over him are Mike Perry, Francisco Trinaldo and Ross Pearson. Barboza turned pro almost three years earlier than Felder and has suffered seven defeats in total. Aside from Gaethje, Lee and Nurmagomedov, he has also lost to top-quality opposition such as Tony Ferguson, Michael Johnson, Donald Cerrone and Jamie Varner.