Edson Barboza has spent the bulk of the past several years just inches away from being considered elite at 155 pounds. But every time he gets a chance to prove himself, he runs into a brick wall. This time, that brick wall could be named Kevin Lee.
There is no doubt that Barboza, the slight +110 underdog, is one of the most lethal strikers in MMA today. The Brazilian is an athletic marvel who combines lightning-fast movement with his diverse, expert striking arsenal – Barboza is a black belt in taekwondo and a black prajied in Muay Thai. However, this means that Barboza needs space to properly utilize his best weapon, something opponents have taken away by pressuring “Junior.”
That seems to play into Lee’s wheelhouse, as “The Motown Phenom” is first and foremost a grappler. Lee has competent, solid technical striking but it is there to supplement his explosive and powerful takedowns. That being said, Lee is still relatively young at 25 years old and can make some ill-advised decisions in the Octagon – particularly shooting for a takedown from a long distance.
For all the stats and numbers behind Lee vs Barboza, check out OddsShark’s FightCenter.