Felder-Barboza III Must Be Five Rounds

After running back their classic 2015 confrontation in the co-main event of UFC 242, Paul Felder is down to have a rubber match with Edson Barboza.

While Barboza and his team look to file an appeal with the athletic commission to get the very slim decision win for Felder overturned to a “no contest,” Felder has other plans.

View this post on Instagram

I’ve been spending the last few days with my little girl. These fight camps take me away from her and I notice after every fight she has grown up a little more. I’m thankful that I can do what I love and provide for her… she is my “why”. As for my fight and what seems to have turned into a controversial decision amongst fans.. It was a war… a close fight between 2 skilled people that wanted to finish each other. I have nothing but respect for Edson. We both go out and put on fights to entertain the fans… With that said, I will say this… I walked him down the entire fight, I threw at him the entire fight, I never stalled the entire fight, if he landed, I landed… the entire fight. When he took me down, he took the damage… the entire fight. I never gassed or slowed my pace the entire fight. I got cut due to a head butt, Edson got cut due to strikes. Both of us put our bodies through so much during that fight that whoever came out with the loss would understandably be upset but the numbers don’t lie. If we need to run it back I would be happy to, but this trilogy needs to be 5 rounds because someone was about to break and that someone was not me. If the fans and Edson need a clear ending to this then it’s main event or bust. #irishdragon @mhpstrongusa @gymkingfightdivision @coachdukeroufus @suckerpunchent

A post shared by Paul Felder (@felderpaul) on Sep 11, 2019 at 8:11am PDT

“As for my fight and what seems to have turned into a controversial decision among fans, it was a war,” Felder wrote on Instagram. “A close fight between two skilled people who wanted to finish each other. I have nothing but respect for Edson. Both of us put our bodies through so much during that fight that whoever came out with the loss would understandably be upset but the numbers don’t lie. If we need to run it back I would be happy to, but this trilogy needs to be five rounds because someone was about to break and that someone was not me. If the fans and Edson need a clear ending to this then it’s main event or bust.”

With their first two fights already fan favorites, along with their placement on last week’s card, the argument can easily be made that the third fight between Felder and Barboza can headline an ESPN+ or ESPN card later this year or early 2020.

Strengthening the case is the judging, where Howie Booth judged the fight 30-27 for the Brazilian, while Maria Makemutova saw the same score for Felder, and Dave Lethaby having the fight for Felder at a razor-thin 29-28.