Throughout his fighting career, Kevin Lee has experienced numerous surgeries and faced many difficult injuries, but he states that none compare to the broken jaw he sustained during his Professional Fighters League (PFL) debut against Gadzhi Rabadanov.
Lee, a seasoned lightweight who joined the PFL roster as a late entrant for the 2025 tournament, was defeated within the first round. Rabadanov overwhelmed him with strikes, resulting in a first-round knockout loss. Following the bout, Lee revealed that the damage he took included a fractured jaw.
To assist with his recovery, Lee`s jaw was wired shut, a process he admits is by far the worst injury experience of his career.
Sharing his thoughts on Instagram, Lee listed his extensive injury history: “Listen, I`ve had all sorts of injuries before… I`ve broken most of my fingers, my toes, bones in my foot. Twisted my ankle, shin splints, three knee surgeries — three ACL surgeries. Messed up my meniscus, MCL, a grade three hamstring tear. My hip. Tore my groin. Had an ulcer. My shoulders… I could go on.” He then sharply contrasted these past issues with his current state: “This probably doesn`t need saying, but seriously, do not break your jaw. Do not get your jaw wired. This is the absolute worst. Nothing else even comes close. It`s miserable, twenty-four-seven. It just f*cking sucks. There`s no other way to put it.”
Lee had previously returned from a brief retirement with aspirations of eventually competing in the UFC again. He first secured a victory on the regional circuit before signing a multi-fight contract with the PFL.
Unfortunately, his PFL debut didn`t unfold as planned. Rabadanov finished the fight in the first round via knockout, marking another dominant performance for the 2024 lightweight champion in the 155-pound division. Rabadanov has now achieved four straight knockout wins, including impressive victories over former Bellator champion Brent Primus and UFC veteran Marc Diakiese.
In the aftermath of the defeat, Lee commented that he feels he “can`t absorb shots anymore” and stated he was still unsure about whether he would continue his fighting career.
