Kevin Lee’s PFL debut ended in disaster, and the aftermath may have brought his fighting career to a breaking point, literally.
After getting knocked out cold by Gadzhi Rabadanov in just 157 seconds, Lee now finds himself recovering with his jaw wired shut and his future in MMA in serious doubt.
Rabadanov, a heavy favorite and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s teammate, delivered a vicious beatdown in the main event of PFL 6, overwhelming Lee with relentless strikes before putting him out face-first. The loss came in the first round of the lightweight tournament semifinal in Wichita, Kansas, and left Lee not only unconscious but injured.
The 32-year-old broke his silence on social media the following day, sharing a raw and sobering message that hinted at retirement.
“I’m not a coward. At least I can say that I tried. I shot for the stars,” Lee wrote on X.
“My legs just aren’t what they used to be. I can’t absorb shots anymore and honestly I don’t know if it will come back.”
The post included a picture of Lee with his jaw wired shut. The extent of the injury wasn’t detailed, but the image said enough. Lee didn’t just lose a fight—he may have reached the end of the road.
It’s been a rough stretch for Kevin Lee, once considered a future UFC champion and marketed as a rising star. Since 2020, he’s dropped four of his last six bouts, including stoppage losses to Charles Oliveira, Rinat Fakhretdinov, and now Rabadanov. His only wins in that stretch came against Diego Sanchez under Eagle FC and a regional scene finish for Lights Out Championship.
Fans have been voicing concern for Lee’s durability since a viral training knockout surfaced earlier this year. That footage already raised questions about whether he could continue absorbing punishment from elite-level fighters. Rabadanov answered that question with brutal clarity.
Adding insult to injury, Lee was dropped multiple times before the final knockout, which marked another violent chapter in what has become a hard-to-watch decline. As for Rabadanov, he moves on to face Aflie Davis in the $500,000 lightweight championship bout.
Kevin Lee’s silence post-fight didn’t last long, but his words didn’t sound like those of a man plotting a comeback. After years of battling injuries, setbacks, and increasingly dangerous opponents, the former UFC standout now finds himself questioning if he belongs in the cage anymore.
“I can’t absorb shots anymore,” Lee said. “And honestly, I don’t know if it will come back.”
For a fighter once seen as one of the most promising lightweights in the world, this may be the hardest reality of all.
