Kevin Lee will make his PFL debut Friday in a semifinal bout in Wichita, Kansas, and his opponent Gadzhi Rabadanov has blended emotions about that.
Rabadanov ran over Marc Diakiese in simply 32 seconds in his quarterfinal match in April and was getting ready to face Jay Jay Wilson on June 20 when Lee stepped in as a alternative. Antonio Caruso and Vinicius Cenci had been initially paired in an alternate bout for the 155-pound grand prix, however Lee got here in later and is eligible to win the belt.
“For me, personally, he’s nice opponent. I wish to struggle him,” Rabadanov advised MMA Preventing by way of a translator. “It’s simply I believe perhaps it’s a bit bit unfair that he jumped in straight into semifinals. It is perhaps simply unfair to different guys who had been within the event, however general I’m wanting ahead to this struggle.”
Regardless of what he considers an unfair privilege, Rabadanov will deal with this struggle as another.
“For me, it’s not about what’s truthful with the opposite guys, for me it’s about my subsequent opponent,” Rabadanov mentioned. “And I’m gonna take all of them out, regardless who’s in entrance of me. I simply deal with myself, on my greatest efficiency, and simply taking out my subsequent opponent. … To be open about it, to be sincere, I believe Kevin Lee is a greater matchup for me due to his identify, as a result of I’m going to get the additional media consideration for that. So name-wise, I believe it’s a terrific matchup for me.”
Lee first left the UFC in 2021 after shedding 5 of seven fights, three of these by stoppage, and went again after defeating Diego Sanchez in March 2022. Lee was tapped by Rinat Fakhretdinov in July 2023 and once more launched by the promotion, then returning to the successful column with a first-round submission over Thiago Oliveira within the third quarter of 2024.
“Possibly he bought relaxation, perhaps he bought new motivation, perhaps new aspirations,” Rabadanov mentioned. “We’re gonna see how he’s ready for the struggle once we’re gonna be within the cage. I haven’t seen all of his newest fights. I’ve simply watched some highlights of his UFC efficiency. I’ve seen his final struggle with Sanchez in Eagle FC. I haven’t seen the newest one, however I do know the talents are nonetheless there. It’s the query of his motivation, clearly, the place he stands proper now.”
Rabadanov scored 14 finishes in 25 MMA wins, 9 of these by knockout, and goals to make it fast once more to earn his ticket to the $500,000 light-weight event last.
“Positively, given the chance. I’ll attempt to knock him out within the first spherical,’ Rabadanov mentioned. “I’m in search of spectacular fights. And I believe my viewers, my followers, already perceive that. They like my model and I have to ship to them.”
The Russian expertise enters PFL 6 driving an 11-fight successful streak, 5 in PFL and 5 below the Bellator banner, and is a teammate of light-weight greats Usman Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. Rabadanov “all the time consider that I’m among the finest lightweights on the market,” and protecting the group’s identify on the prime of the division is one thing that drives him to perfection.
“It’s exhausting to inform whether or not it’s stress or slightly motivation,” Rabadanov mentioned. “I really feel accountability. I’m accountable to showcase myself, to go there, to symbolize our group, all the talents. So if something, I really feel answerable for going on the market and exhibiting my greatest.”
