Edson Barboza revealed that Kevin Lee, not Khabib Nurmagomedov, was the physically strongest opponent he ever faced, recalling that Lee simply lifted him off the ground and slammed him down. Barboza explained that Khabib's dominance came from technique rather than raw strength, always staying a step ahead with his grappling. He also discussed his loss to Justin Gaethje, attributing it to not following the game plan by moving into a right overhand he never saw coming. Barboza added that he entered his fight with Khabib only five weeks after shoulder surgery, with no training camp.
Edson Barboza has opened up about his toughest opponents, and the name that surprised many was not Khabib Nurmagomedov — it was Kevin Lee.
Speaking in a recent interview, the 40-year-old Brazilian veteran revealed that Lee was the physically strongest man he has ever shared a cage with, describing how Lee simply picked him up off the mat and slammed him down with raw power. Barboza was clear that Khabib's dominance operated on an entirely different level — not brute strength, but a level of technical grappling mastery that kept him perpetually one step ahead. Barboza also shed light on his loss to Justin Gaethje, saying he abandoned the game plan and walked into a right overhand he never saw coming.
Barboza, who carries a 24-14 record and trains out of American Top Team, is a long-standing lightweight contender known for his striking output. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 75-inch reach, he averages 4.14 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the division's more durable and active veterans over the course of his career.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired undefeated at 29-0, built his legacy on relentless wrestling that produced 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career. Barboza's recollection squares with that picture — a fighter whose strength was disguised inside a system of control rather than showcased through isolated moments of power.
Gaethje, the current lightweight champion at 28-5 and 37 years old, lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, numbers that speak to the danger Barboza was navigating when he strayed from the blueprint. A single right hand was all it took.
Why it matters
- Barboza's candid breakdown offers rare insight into how elite lightweights experience the physical and tactical differences between top-tier opponents
- His admission of entering the Khabib fight five weeks post-shoulder surgery, with no training camp, reframes how that performance should be assessed
- The comments on Gaethje underscore how punishing the champion's striking output can be even for experienced veterans
