Kevin Lee Feels He’s a ‘More Complete’ Wrestler and Grappler Than Khabib Nurmagomedov

Kevin Lee had something to prove on Saturday night.

Not only did the 25-year old want to bounce back from a loss in his last fight, but Lee also wanted to use his opponent Edson Barboza as a measuring stick to show that he’s ready to take on lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Now Lee has been calling for a fight with the undefeated Russian for more than a year but still hasn’t earned the opportunity to do battle with him inside the Octagon.

Prior to Nurmagomedov becoming champion at UFC 223, he had faced and defeated Barboza in a lopsided fight that ended with him earning a unanimous decision win. Lee hoped to top that performance by stopping Barboza via fifth round TKO and now he’s once again out to prove that he’s the man who will hang the first loss on Nurmagomedov’s unblemished record.

“I feel like I’m a more complete wrestler, a more complete grappler anyway,” Lee said when comparing himself to Nurmagomedov. “[Khabib] just tried to bulldoze [Barboza] but I wanted to show that I could stand up in there and strike with him. Be a little more in and out, not just run at him like a truck.”

Beating Barboza in such dominant fashion only made Lee want the fight with Nurmagomedov even more and he’s not giving up until he finally steps into the cage with him.

“It’s gotta happen,” Lee said about a fight with the UFC lightweight champion. “It’s been a couple years now. It’s Khabib time now, baby, let’s go.”