After missing out on UFC 205, Edson Barboza is waiting for his phone to ring

Edson Barboza has picked up back-to-back wins over big-name lightweights in his most recent outings. Now, his career is in a holding pattern while he waits for the UFC to schedule his next bout.

Barboza (18-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) is currently riding a two-fight winning streak after picking up decision wins over former UFC champ Anthony Pettis and ex-Strikeforce titleholder Gilbert Melendez. Those victories have the 30-year-old Brazilian in the No. 5 spot in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings.

While speaking with MMAjunkie Radio, Barboza said he’s healthy and ready to fight – so ready, in fact, his family and coaches have to remind him to calm down in the gym.

“This year has been so pleasant for me,” Barboza said. “I’ve not gotten injured. I’m 100 percent healthy and train hard every day. My wife and my coach talked to me and said, ‘Bro, you have to slow it down a little bit because you don’t have a fight yet. Just slow it down a little bit.’ But thank God, I feel great; I feel better than ever. I’m just waiting for the UFC to call.”

Now training out of New York, Barboza obviously had his eyes set on UFC 205, which takes place Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

While two of his teammates got the call for the event, Barboza will not compete at the UFC’s long-awaited return to The Empire State.

“My training partners are fighting here, Frankie Edgar and Eddie Alvarez,” Barboza said. “I’m not disappointed, but I would love to fight on the same card as my training partners. Everybody tries to push each other in training, and we get better. It’s not happening, but I’m keeping training, focusing and getting better.”

The downside to Barboza’s climb up the division is the lack of available fights to move him further up the rankings. With the fighters ranked above him tied up in future bouts, the list of names with which risk matches reward is short.

When prodded by the MMAjunkie Radio hosts, Barboza refused to call out any of his fellow lightweights. Instead, he deferred to the UFC’s judgment while calling for a big matchup.

“I want to fight,” Barboza said. “I don’t like to say names, but I want to fight. I hope to fight somebody who is close to me in the rankings. I want to fight someone who puts me very close to a title shot. I’ve been in the UFC for a long time. I deserve a big fight.

“I’m just waiting on UFC to call me, man. UFC, call me, give me a fight and make things for me right now. My last two fights I did well. I’m ready for a big fight.”

For more on UFC 205, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show, available on SiriusXM Ch. 93, is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.