By beating Khabib Nurmagomedov, Edson Barboza can move from the shadows to a title shot

Because he lacks a trash-talking game, Edson Barboza might be floating under the radar as he enters Saturday’s UFC 219 co-main event against unbeaten Khabib Nurmagomedov.

It’s not because of Barboza’s knockouts, which can fill a highlight reel.

The UFC’s fourth-rated lightweight, Barboza (19-4) has produced some of the UFC’s most electrifying moments, including the first wheel-kick knockout — at UFC 142 in 2012.

Barboza owns three consecutive victories — over Anthony Pettis, Gilbert Melendez and Beneil Dariush — since being narrowly beaten by current interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson.

The Brazilian’s sensational victory against Dariush, in front of a home crowd at UFC Fight Night 106 in March, came when he landed a flush knee to the jaw as Dariush shot for a takedown attempt.

That stunning finish earned Barboza another step in his quest for a title shot as he faces Nurmagomedov (24-0), but the mauling grappler from Russia is a formidable obstacle.

Nurmagomedov, who trains at San Jose’s American Kickboxing Academy, was slated to face Ferguson for the interim title at UFC 209 in March, but he withdrew after being hospitalized due to a strenuous weight-cut.

“I feel this is a big fight because it’s the next one,” Barboza said. “I’m happy for the opportunity. I’m ready to go. This fight, if I win, puts me in line for the next title shot.”

Most of the attention on this fight concerns Nurmagomedov’s weight issues, which have prevented him from reaching the upper echelon of the UFC, but Barboza said he isn’t fazed by the situation.

“I don’t worry about him. Zero. I keep the focus on me — what I have to do with my own weight-cut,” Barboza said.

Nurmagomedov’s nutritionist reported that the fighter weighed 165 pounds on Wednesday; he needs to be at 156 pounds by Friday morning’s official weigh-in. Barboza said he normally cuts 10 to 15 pounds for each fight.

Most believe that a victory over the favored Nurmagomedov would secure a title shot for Barboza.

“I don’t have any promise of a title shot, but if you see the line, I see myself as next in line. I hope the UFC will give me a chance if I win [Saturday’s] fight,” Barboza said.

Nurmagomedov has stated several times that he views Ferguson as the real champion of the division, not the actual titleholder, Conor McGregor.

Barboza agrees with Nurmagomedov’s given that McGregor has not made one title defense since claiming the belt with a knockout of Eddie Alvarez in November 2016.

“I agree with him 100%. He hasn’t defended the belt and he’s only had one fight in this division,” Barboza said. “I have almost 20 fights in the division. Ferguson has almost 20 fights in the division. Khabib has about 10 fights. Conor has the one fight. Do you think he’s the champ? He has the belt … but he’s not the champ.”

Barboza said he hopes to get an opportunity to avenge his loss to Ferguson.

“I definitely would prefer to fight Ferguson next,” he said. “I hope to come out of this fight with no injury and be ready to fight again early next year. I would prefer Ferguson next, but whomever the UFC puts next in line, I will be ready,” he said.

With the large shadow of McGregor hovering over it, the lightweight division certainly has plenty of plot lines to develop.

McGregor’s antics and social media presence are attention-grabbing and though the division is loaded with some of the UFC’s premier fighters, they don’t seem to share his affection for boisterous claims and trash-talking — with Barboza one of the division’s most humble.

“I’m a fighter, not a talker,” he said. “The UFC pays me to fight in the octagon, not to talk. I like to show respect. I must be an example for other people. A lot of people in the world look up to me.

“These guys talk a lot and if I’m watching TV with my son and I see these guys talking, I probably have to change the channel and turn the TV off. These guys are not good examples. I’m a fighter. I’m a martial artist. I’ve learned my whole life about respect from my parents. They taught me the right things. I won’t change, because this is the most important thing to me, to show an example to others.”