UFC: Edson Barboza expects a 'big war' against Kevin Lee

UFC Fight Night 128 in Atlantic city will features a pivotal main event against ranked lightweights as #5 ranked contender Edson Barboza (19-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) takes on former interim title challenger #6 ranked Kevin ‘the MoTown Phenom’ Lee (16-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC).

Both of these talented lightweights are coming off of losses against current champions as Lee lost his last fight against interim champion Tony Ferguson at UFC 216 in October 2017 whereas Barboza was defeated by current UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 219 in December 2017. Hence, both these fighters would be hungry to get their win columns going.

Barboza on his loss against Nurmagomedov said,

“Nothing surprised me, I’m just very disappointed and I’m very disappointed because nothing surprised me. I trained very well, my coach did a perfect game plan – we did everything right – but in the fight, I kept getting put on the cage. I was very, very, very sad about that fight, but it’s over. I have a fight coming up. I’m more motivated than ever and I’m very happy with the opportunity to fight again.”

When asked if his opponent, ‘the Motown Phenom’ was on his radar, he said,

“Yeah, definitely. All those guys – thank God that in my last couple fights, the UFC has given me the best guys in the world. All the guys in the Top 10, Top 15 are really, really good and I’ve got my eye on all those guys. I need to be ready for all those guys. It makes me very happy (to keep getting booked against elite fighters) because, like I said, I’m one of the best guys in the world. It makes me very happy and I feel very motivated. I feel like a kid. Every camp, I feel better and better.”

On his headliner against Kevin Lee he added,

“All the time that I step inside the Octagon, I expect a big war and this fight is no different. I’m ready for war. I’m ready for a 25-minute war. You’ve got to expect it.”