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 said Khabib's dominance came from technique rather than raw power, and that he never feared Khabib's strikes — only his submissions. He also reflected on his loss to Justin Gaethje, admitting he failed to follow the game plan and moved into Gaethje's overhand right near the fence.
Edson Barboza has opened up about the toughest opponents of his career, singling out Kevin Lee as the physically strongest man he ever shared a cage with — a distinction many might have assumed belonged to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Barboza, now 40 years old and carrying a professional record of 24-14, is a longtime Brazilian lightweight and featherweight veteran training out of American Top Team. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 75-inch reach, he has been one of the more dangerous strikers in the division across his career, averaging 4.14 significant strikes landed per minute. In the interview, he recalled that Lee did something Khabib never managed to do in quite the same way — simply picking him up off the canvas and slamming him with raw physical force.
That distinction speaks volumes given who Khabib was. The retired Russian champion finished his career at a perfect 29-0 and remains one of the most dominant grapplers in UFC history, averaging an extraordinary 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes with a striking accuracy of 48 percent. Barboza clarified that Khabib's greatness was built on technical mastery rather than brute strength, and that his own fear facing Khabib was never about getting hit — it was about the submission threat.
Barboza also reflected on his defeat to current lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, a 37-year-old American who trains out of Genesis Training Center and holds a 28-5 record. Gaethje is among the most relentless pressure fighters in the sport, landing 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. Barboza admitted the loss came down to a tactical failure on his own part, saying he abandoned his game plan and drifted toward the fence directly into Gaethje's overhand right — essentially walking into the punch that hurt him most.
Why it matters
- Barboza's comments reframe how fighters experience Khabib: feared for craft, not physicality
- The Gaethje admission offers a rare candid look at how game-plan breakdowns happen at the highest level
- Kevin Lee's physical reputation gets a notable endorsement from a seasoned 24-fight UFC veteran
