Kevin Lee has been calling out current lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov for years. Constantly claiming that the undefeated Nurmagomedov would be an easy fight for him, Lee he has never been short on confidence. As recently as last week, Kevin Lee continued to vocalize why he is a nightmare matchup for Nurmagomedov:
“Everybody’s afraid to wrestle with the man and that’s what kinda lets him shine through,” Lee told TMZ in a recent interview. “All of the sudden he thinks he’s a good boxer cause he kinda clipped Conor a little bit, but it was really the wrestling threat. Conor was so afraid to wrestle with him. I’m bigger, stronger and I ain’t afraid to wrestle with no man.”
Kevin Lee’s confidence was also on display during the buildup to his UFC Milwaukee main event against Al Iaquinta, with Lee calling Al Iaquinta a “stepping” stone to his long-desired bout against Nurmagomedov and that he felt it was his “personal duty” to send Iaquinta back to the prelims.
Being the reigning lightweight champion, Khabib was an attentive audience for the UFC Milwaukee main event. Nurmagomedov also has something of a background with both fighters, with Al Iaquinta being the short-notice opponent for Nurmagomedov at UFC 223, which saw Khabib win the vacant lightweight champion with a unanimous decision over Iaquinta, and also a less direct history with Kevin Lee, who has possibly been Khabib’s most vocal critic. The UFC Milwaukee main event would result in an “embarrassed” and “devastated” Kevin Lee losing to Iaquinta via unanimous decision, and Khabib was quick to offer Lee advice following the tough loss:
Stay humble Kevin lee.
Humble is the key.— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) December 16, 2018
“Stay humble Kevin lee. Humble is the key,” Nurmagomedov wrote.
What do you think of Khabib’s advice for Kevin Lee?
