UFC Fight Night Best Bets: Can Billy Quarantillo Finish Edson Barboza on Saturday Night?

UFC Fight Night Best Bets: Can Billy Quarantillo Finish Edson Barboza on Saturday Night?

This week's UFC co-main and main event both feature two high-profile featherweight bouts, as Billy Quarantillo and Edson Barboza face each other tomorrow at UFC Fight Night. While the main event decides a top contender, this is a big fight for Quarantillo, who is looking to move up in the rankings, and Barboza, who is trying to keep his career alive. Quarantillo, a 34-year-old fighter with a 17-4 record, is coming into this fight after winning five out of his last six fights, with all five of those victories being finishes. Barboza, on the other hand, is a seasoned veteran who is 37 years old and has a 22-11 record, but he has struggled recently, winning only three of his last ten fights. Thus, Quarantillo is a -180 favorite to win tonight. Is that line warranted?

Quarantillo vs. Barboza Start Time and Where to Watch

• Date: Saturday, April 15, 2023
• Game Time: 8:30 pm ET
• Where to Watch: ESPN, ESPN+

Billy Quarantillo vs. Edson Barboza Prediction

Barboza is a skilled striker with excellent kicks and striking power, and his athletic and electric style has made him a popular name among MMA fans. However, his takedown defense has been his Achilles heel late in his career, and his age is starting to catch up with him, making him more vulnerable to being taken down.

In his last fight, Barboza was easily controlled by Mitchell, which raised concerns about whether his age was finally starting to impact his fighting abilities. While Mitchell is a much better wrestler than Quarantillo, it still showed that Barboza might not be the fighter he once was. Barboza has been in the UFC for 13 years now, and he has fought the best of the best, but his recent losses have raised major concerns about whether his time is up, and this fight could be more of the same.

Quarantillo, or "Billy Q," is a tough fighter with excellent cardio and a strong chin, making him a difficult opponent to take out. He has shown tremendous grit and determination in his fights, and he has won most of his fights by using a relentless pace and pressure to wear down his opponents. Quarantillo's biggest weakness is his lack of natural athleticism, which has led to him being a step behind athletically in most of his fights, but he has the heart of a fighter and never quits or lets up.

This is the biggest test of Billy's career against Barboza, who is a dangerous fighter in the first round but has struggled in later rounds. If Quarantillo can survive the early onslaught from Barboza, he can use his superior cardio and pressure to take over the fight in the later rounds. Quarantillo has shown that he is capable of finishing his opponents late in the fight, with three of his last five wins coming in the third round. Five of his six wins since appearing on the contender series have come past the halfway point of the fight, proving he is never out of a fight and is dangerous late.

The matchup between Quarantillo and Barboza is an interesting one, with each fighter having their strengths and weaknesses. Quarantillo's relentless pressure and superior cardio should give him the edge in the later rounds, while Barboza's striking power and athleticism make him a dangerous opponent in the first round and early second. Given Barboza's recent struggles, Quarantillo is the rightful favorite to win this fight and should be able to continue his impressive run of finishes. I'm backing Bill Q to do it one more time and continue his trajectory up the featherweight rankings in the biggest fight of his career.

Billy Quarantillo vs. Edson Barboza Pick

Pick: Billy Quarantillo By Knockout @ (+230) Bet $100 to collect $330 FanDuel has the best odds; click here to bet

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