Gilbert Melendez was looking to turn his first fight in more than a year into his favored dirty brawl.
Barboza brutalized the former Strikeforce lightweight champion in the co-feature bout of UFC on FOX 20 on Saturday night. He used punishing leg kicks to keep Melendez off-balance and eased his way to victory at Chicago's United Center.
The judges scores were 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28, for a unanimous decision.
Melendez, who was fighting for the first time since a PED-related suspension last summer, had his best round in the first, as he managed several times to get in close and land during the fight's closest round.