The UFC Atlantic City main event features top lightweights facing off, with Edson Barboza and Kevin Lee in a five-round fight.
UFC Atlantic City is headlined by top lightweights Kevin Lee and Edson Barboza in what should be an interesting clash of styles. While both fighters did lose their last time out, (Edson to Khabib and Lee to Ferguson) a win over the other could put them right back in title contention. It’s worth noting that Kevin Lee missed weight by one pound for tonight’s main event. It’s proceeding as a 157 pound catchweight fight.
Lee came out working southpaw throwing lots of strikes. Attempting to keep Barboza on the backfoot, Lee shoots for a takedown and gets it with a big slam. Lee staying in Barboza’s guard is landing lots of ground and pound. Lee gets into full mount and starts landing big punches! Giant elbows from Lee as well! Lee traps the wrist and lands giant elbows and punches. Barboza tried to shift but Lee again made his way back into full mount and landed more big shots. Absolute domination from Lee in round one.
Lee came out and threw two headkicks. Lee continued to pressure and showed that if you go up, you must come down, as he slams Barboza. Barboza has shown he’s as tough as they come, but that’s not always a good thing as he continues to take heavy ground and pound in the second round. Lee traps Barboza and lands more elbows and punches as the ref tells Barboza to move. Barboza survives but again, domination from Lee.
Barboza opens round three with a couple of really nice body kicks. Lee looks for a takedown and Barboza stuffs it. Barboza looks for a spinning head kick and rocks Lee! He’s on wobbly legs as he shoots for a takedown and gets stuffed. Lee scrambles back to his feet and takes down Barboza again. Barboza gets back to his feet and looks for more spinning kicks. The two stand and trade as both look for kicks. They both look hurt and tired as the third round comes to a close.
In round four they open trading leather, Lee backs Barboza up to the fence and slams him once again. The chants of “stand them up” from the New Jersey crowd ring out as Lee stops punching Barboza in the face for a couple of seconds. Lee stops the chants by punching him in the face some more. Lee postured up and landed big hammerfists and elbows. Lee lands more ground and pound as the round ends. Another dominant round for Lee.
Barboza starts the fifth exhausted and bloodied. But he’s still throwing some insanely hard kicks. Lee shoots and Barboza sprawled, Lee pushed him up against the fence and tried to get the takedown but couldn’t get it. The two separate and referee Keith Peterson calls in the doctors to look at Barboza’s big cut over his eye. The doctors look at him for about ten seconds and then call it off.
Kevin Lee def. Edson Barboza by TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage) in Round 5 (2:18)
