Edson Barboza 'very motivated' for Kevin Lee with hopes for Khabib Nurmagomedov rematch after

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – UFC lightweight Edson Barboza suffered a big career setback when he lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov this past December.

Barboza (19-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) hopes a win over Kevin Lee (16-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) convinces the UFC he should get another shot at the undefeated lightweight champion.

“Of course, it’s very, very motivating,” Barboza told MMAjunkie in advance of his FS1-televised meeting with Lee, which headlines UFC Fight Night 128 on Saturday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic, City, N.J. “I really, really hope to fight with this guy again, as soon as possible. I don’t know if he stays champ, but definitely I’m very motivated.”

Nurmagomedov (26-0 MMA, 10-0 UFC) bullied Barboza around the octagon when they met at UFC 219. Yet Barboza managed to survive until the final bell and earned praise for his toughness despite a lopsided loss.

Nurmagomedov struggled a bit more in his title-winning fight against Al Iaquinta, leading several potential opponents to dismiss his performance. Barboza’s teammate, Eddie Alvarez, was among the loudest detractors, telling ESPN.com that Nurmagomedov looked “terrible.”

Barboza hopes Alvarez gets the next shot at Nurmagomedov, even though an Alvarez win would put him in an awkward situation. But Barboza is focused first on reversing his fortunes in the octagon after his high-profile loss.

With a highlight-reel win over Lee, Barboza knows the current buzz surrounding top contenders like Alvarez and Dustin Poirier could shift in his favor.

“I hope on Sunday, everybody is talking about me, about my performance and the fight,” Barboza said. “I know that if people talk about me, I’ll be close to the title.”

To hear more from Barboza, watch the video above.

And for more on UFC Fight Night 128, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.