Khabib Nurmagomedov: Kevin Lee ‘Wants to Be Tough, But He Has Very Small Heart’

Khabib Nurmagomedov has probably become quite familiar with Kevin Lee’s last Octagon appearance in recent months.

After all, it was Lee who came up short against Tony Ferguson in an interim lightweight title bout at UFC 216 last October, submitting to a triangle choke at the 4:16 mark of round three. Now, Nurmagomedov will square off with Ferguson in the highly-anticipated UFC 223 headliner at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on April 7.

Nurmagomedov offered his assessment of Lee during an interview with Megan Olivi on “The Exchange.”

“He wants to be tough, but he has very small heart,” Nurmagomedov said. “Very small heart. When he fought with Tony Ferguson, between second and third round, you guys can watch his face and understand everything. Face never lie. His eyes -- when Tony Ferguson talks about, ‘This is my night,’ his face agrees with this.”

WATCH: @TeamKhabib speaks to @MeganOlivi in an all-new episode of #TheExchange on #UFCFIGHTPASS! https://t.co/wp5S6JZLrt pic.twitter.com/2xAwYqLhdA

— UFC Fight Pass (@UFCFightPass) March 18, 2018

The exact stakes of the Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov fight are currently unclear. Ferguson is still the interim titlist, but there are rumors that reigning lightweight king Conor McGregor could be stripped of his belt if he doesn’t soon come to terms to return to the UFC.

Meanwhile, Lee will look to get back into the win column when he locks horns with Edson Barboza in the UFC Fight Night 128 headliner in Atlantic City, N.J., on April 21. During a recent media scrum, Lee Said Nurmagomedov ”looked terrible” in his own victory against Barboza – a triumph that ultimately netted “The Eagle” a shot at Ferguson.