Why Evan Dunham isn’t worried about Edson Barboza’s leg kicks at UFC Fight Night 45

Edson Barboza is one of the most prolific kickers in the lightweight division, but UFC Fight Night 45 opponent Evan Dunham isn’t flustered in the slightest.

“I try not to focus too hard on what the other guy is going to do – (and instead) more on what I’m going to do,” Dunham recently told MMAjunkie Radio. “I’m going to go in there and fight my fight instead of getting wrapped up in his.”

Barboza has struck fear into several opponents due to his kicks, and for good reason. The Brazilian is the only fighter in UFC history to stop two opponents with kicks to the legs. Plus, he owns one of the most devastating high-kick finishes in MMA history with his spinning-wheel-kick knockout of Terry Etim in 2012.

Kicks are unquestionably Barboza’s (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) most feared weapon. When he meets Dunham (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) on Wednesday night, though, he’ll be paired up with an opponent who’s notorious for his toughness and willingness to take damage to dish out some of his own.

“The way I look at it is, if you’re counting the leg kicks, you’re already screwed,” Dunham said. “I haven’t taken a whole lot of leg kicks in fights. I’ve taken a few for sure, but I usually don’t feel them until the next day when I wake up to go and get on the plane.”

Dunham and Barboza co-headline Wednesday’s card at Atlantic City’s Revel Casino Hotel. The event airs on FOX Sports 1 following a lone prelim on UFC Fight Pass.

It’s a pivotal bout for both lightweights, but Dunham in particular needs the victory. He enters the contest on the first two-fight skid of his career and has dropped three of his past four overall.

Getting back in the win column against an opponent like Barboza is no easy task, but when looking at the matchup, Dunham feels he has the necessary advantages.

“I think it’s a great fight for both of us,” Dunham said. “The fight’s going to come down to who can dictate the fight and push the pace and maintain that pace. We know what his strengths are; I know what my strengths are. I just got to use my strengths. I’m a stronger wrestler than he is. He’s got devastating leg kicks, and we’ve all seen that. I’ve got to be careful of those. Just work as usual. Get in there and scrap.”

At 32, Dunham knows his development phase should be over, and now’s the time to make a run at the title. After starting his MMA career with a flawless 11-0 record, Dunham has hit hard times in recent years, going a mere 3-5, albeit against high-quality opposition.

Underwhelming performances, controversial decisions and outright superior competition contributed to those losses. The most recent one came to Donald Cerrone, who now headlines Wednesday’s card. However, with a dangerous foe like Barboza up next, Dunham hopes he can reclaim his former status as a top contender.

“You definitely can’t say I get fed, that’s for sure,” Dunham said. “I’ve got five losses now, but I only feel like I’ve lost a couple of them. The rest I was on the short end of the stick on some judge’s decisions, and I let that beat me up for a while.

“Now I’m just over it and ready to compete and have some fun. My last fight was not my best performance at all. Hats off to Cerrone. He took it to me that night. As far as the other fights, I felt I won those fights. I’m just out to prove where I really should be.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 45, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.