Khabib Nurmagomedov: Lee Was Fighting Ferguson Like a Chicken

Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t impressed with Kevin Lee’s performance at UFC 216.

Lee fell short in his bid to capture the interim UFC lightweight title. “The Motown Phenom” was submitted by Tony Ferguson in the third round. Lots had been made about Lee’s staph infection and his weight cut.

During a recent appearance on MMAFighting.com‘s “The MMA Hour,” Nurmagomedov had some unflattering words on Lee’s performance:

“I think [Ferguson] won because Kevin Lee was fighting with him like chicken. That’s why he won. [Lee] talked too much. He was not focused on the fight; he was focused on, I think, promoting the fight. When the fight was beginning, first round, [Lee] beat [Ferguson], and second round, [Lee] stayed with him in his distance, he ate a lot of jabs, and third round, he gave up, because he doesn’t have conditioning. That’s why.”

“The Eagle” went on to explain why Rafael dos Anjos and Lee struggled against Ferguson.

“(Rafael) dos Anjos and Kevin Lee fought with him at his distance. That’s why these guys [lost to] him. But what happens if Ferguson fights a fighter like me, who all the time tries to take him down, smash him on the ground, and never, never stop? All my life, in my amateur career, professional 24 fights, I never tire. Never, ever. In training, amateur fights, and professional fights, I never get tired.”

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