Barboza Faces Former UFC Rival in Unusual Jiu-Jitsu Battle

Barboza Faces Former UFC Rival in Unusual Jiu-Jitsu Battle

Former UFC fighters Edson Barboza and Rashid Magomedov are set to meet in an 80kg Battle Jiu-Jitsu match at ACBJJ 23 on November 13 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The bout will take place at Carioca Arena under a specialised ruleset that combines grappling, submissions and restricted striking, rather than conventional mixed martial arts.

The matchup comes after Barboza’s reported retirement from MMA in August following his defeat to Esteban Ribovics. Magomedov, meanwhile, competed in the UFC between 2014 and 2017, recording five victories and one defeat during his time with the promotion. Their upcoming encounter offers a different kind of contest, with rules prohibiting attacks above the collarbone while allowing certain strikes and submission techniques. 

ACBJJ 23 will feature other notable matchups, including Andre Galvao against Rousimar Palhares in another Battle Jiu-Jitsu contest and Rodolfo Vieira versus Kelvin Gastelum under no-gi rules. The event is scheduled for November 13, with the promotion announcing plans to stream it through its YouTube channel, English-language X account and Russian-language VK platform.