Edson Barboza revealed that Kevin Lee, not Khabib Nurmagomedov, was the physically strongest opponent he ever faced, recalling that Lee simply lifted him into the air and slammed him down. Barboza said Khabib won through superior technique rather than raw power, always staying a step ahead in grappling exchanges. He also reflected on his loss to Justin Gaethie, saying he failed to execute the game plan by moving in the wrong direction into a punch he never saw coming. Barboza added that he entered his fight with Khabib with almost no preparation, coming off major shoulder and bicep surgery with only five weeks' notice.
Edson Barboza has offered a candid look back at some of the toughest moments of his career, revealing that Kevin Lee — not Khabib Nurmagomedov — was the most physically dominant opponent he ever shared a cage with.
Speaking in a recent interview, Barboza recalled Lee simply picking him up off the mat and slamming him down with raw strength, a moment that left a lasting impression. By contrast, Barboza described Khabib's dominance as rooted in technique rather than brute force, noting that the undefeated Russian was always one step ahead in grappling exchanges, never allowing him to settle.
Barboza, now 40 years old, carries a professional record of 24-14 and has long been one of the most dangerous strikers in the lightweight division. The Brazilian trains out of American Top Team and has averaged 4.14 significant strikes landed per minute over his career. Despite his striking pedigree, his losses to elite grapplers have underscored the difficulty of his matchups at the top of the division.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired with a perfect 29-0 record, averaged 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career — a figure that speaks directly to the technical grappling mastery Barboza referenced.
On his loss to Justin Gaethje, Barboza admitted he moved in the wrong direction and walked into a punch he never saw coming, calling it a failure to follow the game plan. Gaethje, now the lightweight champion at 37 years old, lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate — among the most efficient output in the division.
Why it matters
- Barboza's account sheds light on Khabib's technical grappling edge, separate from raw athleticism
- His Gaethje admission highlights how quickly fights can turn on a single positional mistake
- The disclosure about entering the Khabib fight with only five weeks' notice and coming off shoulder and bicep surgery adds important context to that performance
