Video: Edson Barboza discusses shaky first round, 2014 title shot

SACRAMENTO – Edson Barboza knows he needs to work on his wrestling and jiu-jitsu to become a title contender in the UFC, but he feels confident he’ll be ready for a title shot in 2014.

“I’m going back to the gym to learn more and train more for my next fight,” said Barboza (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC), who outpointed lightweight Danny Castillo (16-6 MMA, 6-3 UFC) after a rough first round at tonight’s UFC on FOX 9 event.

Castillo rocked the Brazilian striker with a punch in the fight’s first round. But Barboza surged back to batter Castillo with leg kicks and punches en route to a majority-decision win on the event’s preliminary card, which aired live on FOX Sports 1.

Although Barboza appeared to be on the verge of going unconscious in the fight’s first five minutes, he said he was never in danger.

“I remember everything,” he told MMAjunkie. “Everything. It was a really good punch, but I was fine. I didn’t feel bad, and I just looked for the time in the second round to finish this fight.

“My corner said, ‘You need the next two rounds to win this fight.’ I came back hard and focused because it was my fault he caught me with the punch. I thought I won the next two rounds.”

Barboza didn’t throw any of his powerful leg kicks in the opening frame, but he said there was a strategy behind his choice.

“The first round, I wasn’t scared, but I tried not to kick hard because I know he’s a good wrestler,” he said. “I didn’t want to give him a chance to take me down. In Round 2, I started kicking and saw he didn’t try to counter it. I think with one more round, I would have finished the fight.”

Now, Barboza, who earned two scores of 29-28 (one judge scored a draw at 28-28), wants a top-10 opponent and is ready to fight as soon as the UFC gives him a bout.

But first, the 27-year-old fighter will celebrate the way he always does.

“I celebrate by going to my room, praying to God and saying thank you for everything in my wife, and staying with my wife,” Barboza said.

For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 9, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.