UFC Philadelphia promises an explosive fight between Edson Barboza and Justin Gaethje, and professional fighters cannot be anymore excited.
SBN MMA corralled fighters from various organizations — such as UFC, Bellator, and KSW — to get their thoughts on this Saturday’s violent striking affair. You can watch all the breakdowns and predictions in the Fighters Pick Fights video above.
Elias Theodorou: Violence! I would have to go with Barboza. They’re both strikers, but the crazy aspect is Gaethje is a wrestler by trade. Gaethje can just flip it into high gear, not giving a f—k and moving forward, but that leaves him very susceptible to damage.
Jon Fitch: I can’t really pick who would win that fight. It’s probably going to be pretty fun to watch. Gaethje comes in with reckless abandon and throws big bombs and heavy leg kicks. Barboza will chop you down like a tree with leg kicks. Whose chin is more weathered? Who lands the first big punch?
Beneil Dariush: I gotta go with Justin Gaethje. He is the pressure fighter and he has some powerful hands. Gaethje is going to cut off the cage and start landing those big shots. As the fight gets further in, the takedown might even come into play.
Philip De Fries: I’m gonna go with Barboza. He is more dynamic and just a better striker all-together. Maybe Gaethje is more well-rounded but I think Barboza is more polished.
Drew Dober: Justin Gaethje because that is where my heart it and I train with Gaethje [laughs].
UFC Philadelphia takes place at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday, March 30. Keep up with Bloody Elbow for live highlights, updates, and results on all of the night’s action.
[Author’s note: some of these quotes have been condensed for clarity]
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