Edson Barboza retired from MMA, but he's not done competing

Edson Barboza has hung up his MMA gloves after 17 years as a professional but is staying active in combat sports. The Brazilian veteran, who retired in August following his fourth consecutive loss—a second-round TKO defeat to Esteban Ribovics at UFC 330 in Philadelphia—has signed with Absolute Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (ACBJJ), the grappling promotion announced.

With a record of 24-15 in mixed martial arts, Barboza has transitioned to competing in gi and no-gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments, superfights, and mixed grappling events. He has already tested the waters in pure grappling, facing UFC middleweight Sharabutdin Magomedov under the Hype FC banner in March, with that match ending in a draw.

In an interview with MMA Junkie, the 40-year-old explained his decision to continue competing despite stepping away from the UFC. "I did the right choices in this part of my life about investments," Barboza said. "But I'm still 40. I'm still young and very excited about the future. I have a lot of things to do in the future. Thank God I did the right choices on the financial side."

Barboza's move exemplifies a growing trend among veteran MMA fighters who shift to grappling after their octagon careers wind down, allowing them to remain competitive while reducing the cumulative toll of multi-sport training.