Kevin Lee earned a fifth round TKO victory over Edson Barboza in the main event of UFC Fight night 128 this evening after a doctor’s stoppage due to a cut.
Round One:
The main event of the evening is underway in Atlantic City!
Big body kick from Barboza to start the fight. Another kick for Barboza as Lee looks for punches. Head kick attempt from Lee is blocked.
Leg kick for Barboza. Early takedown attempt from Lee and he lands a double-leg against the cage. Lee working to improve his position and is soon in full mount and landing a few strikes.
Barboza manages to get him back to half-guard and then to his full guard, but there’s still over half the opening round remaining.
Lee patiently passing into side control and then to full mount again and this time Lee is hammering him with a series of left hands.
He resets his position on top and then blasts down some big right hands. Now back to the lefts in half guard and Barboza is struggling here. He tries to move and Lee looks to take his back.
Barboza prevents that by getting his back to the cage, but Lee just blasts down some hammerfist strikes instead.
Lee again passing Barboza’s guard easily and into full mount as he chips away with more hard ground and pound. So far Barboza hasn’t shown any sign of being able to get back to his feet and is showing significant swelling to his face where he’s been repeatedly hit.
Round Two:
Punches for Lee and then a head kick attempt from Lee. Barboza attempts a takedown and Lee shoves him away. Now Lee clinches up and tries a trip takedown, but it’s blocked.
Barboza back out to striking range. Big body kick from Lee seems to hurt the already weary looking Barboza. Now Lee gets in close and lands a big takedown.
Lee in Barboza’s guard for now, postured up over him. A few punches start to rain down. Lee spots an opening to move to half guard and then slides into full mount.
Now Lee throws down more punches, but Barboza gets him back to half-guard. A couple of left hands land. Again Lee moves into full mount. Barboza gives up his back for a moment, but then turns back again. Lee thinks about a choke, but leaves it for now as he puts knee on belly and then settles back into half-guard with some big elbow strikes.
More short punches for Lee as he continues to wear down the battered Brazilian, who is very slow to get back to his feet at the end of the round.
Round Three:
Two left hand lands for Lee and then a head kick attempt. Body kick for Barboza. He circles hard to the right hoping to buy some time on the feet.
Barboza tries for another body kick, but Lee is in on a takedown attempt. However, this time Barboza stuffs it.
Back to striking range they go and Barboza lands a massive wheel kick and Lee is rocked badly, with his legs going in all directions as he tries to stay upright.
Somehow, Lee has the wherewithall to dive into a takedown attempt and manages to get Barboza down. That was absolutely crucial for Lee and he’s now bought himself time to recover.
However, this time Lee can’t keep Barboza down and he’s able to stand again. Another spinning kick upstairs from Barboza misses this time.
Lee works behind the occasional jab now. He lands a couple and then a straight behind it. Barboza with a knee to the body. Now he tries for one upstairs, but it doesn’t quite connect.
Front kick to the body from Barboza. Lee with a right hook. Body kick for Barboza. Right hand for Lee. Good body kick from Lee. Leg kick for Barboza. Now another body kick.
Head kick attempt from Lee is partially blocked, but Barboza still staggers back against the cage. He’s just extrmely tired and hurt out there, but is still throwing dangerous techniques.
Round Four:
Lee firing a few punches. Good body kick for Barboza. Barboza lands hard, but Lee is ok. Lee into the clinch and manages to take Barboza down. That’s big for him as things were looking very dangerous for him at striking range.
Lee in Barboza’s guard against the cage, looking to posture up and land a few strikes. Body punches for Lee. Lee moves into side control, but then back to full guard again.
Three right hands land in succession for Lee. He continues to chip away with punches. Lee in half-guard an dropping down some hard shots.
Lee in side control and lands elbow strikes. One minute to go and Barboza has him back in half-guard, but Lee is continuing to work hard on top.
Lee steps into full mount and lands hammerfists. Back to half-guard and considering a choke attempt, but he decides against it and the round comes to a close.
Round Five:
Lee works the jab and then Barboza catches him with a right hook. Lee with a god jab. Both men trading punches. Barboza with a spinning kick to the body.
Barboza now bleeding from his right eye. Good right hand for Barboza. Now a hard kick. Lee tries for a takedown attempt, but Barboza stuffs it.
Lee continuing to work for a takedown against the cage. Barboza does a good job of fending that off and separates, with someone losing a mouthpiece as they do so.
The ref takes that opportunity to call in a doctor to look at a bad cut to Barboza’s right eye and the doctor’s rule that he’s not fit to continue. The fight is over – Lee wins by TKO at 2.18mins of the fifth round.
