Edson Barboza faces Rashid Magomedov in ACBJJ battle match three months after retiring

The 40-year-old retired after a TKO loss to Esteban Ribovics in August, and strikes are allowed standing and on the ground in Rio on 13 November.

Edson Barboza will return to competition on 13 November, three months after retiring from MMA, when he faces fellow UFC veteran Rashid Magomedov in a "battle match" at ACBJJ 23 in Rio de Janeiro, MMA Fighting reported.

Under the ACBJJ rulebook for battle matches, strikes with the hands, legs, elbows, knees and head are permitted standing and on the ground, along with all submissions and chokeholds. Only strikes above the collarbone are prohibited.

Barboza, 40, retired in August after a second-round TKO loss to Esteban Ribovics at UFC 330, his 33rd UFC fight. It was his fourth straight defeat, a run that began with a five-round decision loss to England's Lerone Murphy in May 2024. He has also competed in grappling this year.

The match takes the Brazilian back to Rio de Janeiro, where he knocked out England's Terry Etim with a spinning wheel kick at UFC 142 in January 2012. It was the first wheel kick finish in UFC history.

Magomedov went 5-1 in the UFC between 2014 and 2017 and is 6-4-1 with one no contest since under the PFL and ACA banners.

Andre Galvao and Rousimar Palhares meet under the same battle match rules in the main event, a rematch of their ADCC 2011 contest, while Rodolfo Vieira faces Kelvin Gastelum in a no-gi match in the co-main event. UFC bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr submitted the brother of Zabit Magomedsharipov at ACBJJ 21.

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