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. Barboza described Khabib as a technician who was always one step ahead in grappling exchanges, saying he feared submissions rather than strikes from Khabib. He also noted that his preparation for the Khabib fight lasted only five weeks while he was still recovering from major shoulder and biceps surgery.
Edson Barboza has singled out Kevin Lee, not Khabib Nurmagomedov, as the most physically powerful opponent of his career, sharing the candid assessment in a recent interview.
Barboza, now 40 years old and carrying a 24-14 record across his long lightweight career with American Top Team, made the distinction carefully. He recalled that Lee simply picked him up off the mat and slammed him down, a raw display of strength that left a lasting impression. His memory of Khabib was altogether different — he described the undefeated Russian as a grappling technician who was perpetually one step ahead, always positioning and controlling rather than overpowering. Barboza said his primary concern against Khabib was being submitted, not hurt by strikes. He also disclosed that his camp for that fight lasted only five weeks and was hampered by his recovery from major shoulder and biceps surgery.
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired with a perfect 29-0 record and built much of his legacy on relentless pressure wrestling, averaging 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes across his UFC career. The 37-year-old Russian's grappling system was built on control and position, which aligns precisely with how Barboza characterized their exchange.
Why it matters
- Barboza's account draws a meaningful distinction between brute physical strength and technical grappling mastery, rare candor from a fighter about what actually troubles elite competitors.
- It sheds new light on Barboza's UFC 219 performance against Khabib, revealing a shortened and compromised camp that the public was largely unaware of at the time.
- For lightweight history discussions, placing Lee above Khabib in raw physicality challenges a common assumption about what made Nurmagomedov so difficult to face.
