UFC Atlantic City live blog: Edson Barboza vs. Kevin Lee

This is the UFC Atlantic City live blog for Edson Barboza vs. Kevin Lee, a catchweight bout at Saturday night’s UFC event at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.

The bout will be contested at 157 pounds after Lee failed to hit the lightweight mark at Friday’s weigh-ins.

Barboza, who has won three of his last four fights, takes on Lee, who has won five of his last six, in the main event.

Check out the UFC Atlantic City live blog below.

Round 1: Overseeing the main event is referee Keith Peterson. Barboza with lots of lateral movement to start, he’s letting Lee go after him. After a couple of uneventful exchanges, Lee gets deep on a double leg takedown and he has Barboza down on the mat against the cage. Barboza trying to kick Lee off of him, but Lee is staying heavy. He drops down and lands some hard hammer fists from top position. Lee controlling the fight from half guard. Barboza shakes him off momentarily, but can’t stop Lee from controlling his legs an getting back into top position. Lee into the mount and he lands a bunch of unanswered shots as Barboza tries to turn away and give up his back. Elbows now from Lee. He has Barboza’s right arm trapped now and is punching away at him. Back into half guard, then full guard. Lee landing clean punches repeatedly during the transitions. He postures up for more ground and pound.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-8, Lee.

Round 2: Surprisingly, Barboza shoots for a takedown first, though it’s easily avoided by Lee. Lee responds with a takedown of his own and now it’s Barboza with the solid defense. He lands a knee to the body as they separate. Body kick lands for Lee, then a right hook. Double leg by Lee and he picks up Barboza for the slam. He stands to try and break Barboza’s closed guard. Barboza tying him up, looking for the referee to reset them. Lee gets his hands free for some ground and pound. He briefly gets mount and fires off more punches, then settles back into half guard. Lee controlling Barboza’s arm again, landing punches with his free hand. Lee gets mount. Barboza working hard to get into half guard, though this leaves him open to more ground and pound. Elbows to the side of Barboza’s head. He’s covering up and defending just enough for Peterson not to wave off the fight.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-8, Lee. Overall 20-16, Lee.

Round 3: Barboza with a couple of nice kicks to the body. He’s shuffling around the cage as Lee stalks him. Lee eats a kick to the body as he goes in for a takedown, Barboza manages to stay on his feet. Spinning kick clips Lee and he is wobbled badly. Lee shoots on instinct and holds on for dear life, he’s not giving Barboza any chance to follow up. He eventually drags Barboza down. Lee looking to advance but he can’t get past Barboza’s guard this time. Barboza kicks him off and they’re back on the feet. Spinning kick by Barboza catches nothing but air. Jabs by Lee are scoring. Barboza with a knee to the body, then a jumping knee that misses. Front kick halts Lee momentarily. He’s still moving forward and he lands a solid kick of his own to Barboza’s body. Barboza answers with a stiff body kick. Lee checks a kick and jabs Barboza.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Barboza. Overall 29-26, Lee.

Round 4: Lee eats a body kick and a hard left, but he keeps moving forward and lands punches of his own. They exchange, testing each other’s chins, and Lee gets down low to score a double leg takedown. He’s got Barboza down against the fence. Lee working from Barboza’s guard, posturing up to find leverage to throw punches. Barboza trying to control Lee’s hands. Lee into half guard momentarily. Barboza has to be warned about grabbing the fence. Lee almost in full mount, he’s racking up the points with ground and pound. Short elbows by Lee as Barboza gets back to half guard. Barboza staying active on the bottom but he is just eating punches. Lee gets to full mount and chips away with hammer fists. Lee looking for a D’Arce choke, but Barboza defends and makes it out of the round.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Lee. Overall 39-35, Lee.

Round 5: Right hand over the top from Barboza, but he eats a straight right from Lee. Jabs are scoring for Barboza. Lee blocks a spinning head kick. Barboza snaps a body kick at Lee. He counters a Lee shot with an uppercut. Lee stays on it. Barboza keeping his stance wide, but Lee is digging in against the fence. Barboza is struggling and he actually escapes. Peterson halts the action so the physicians can take a look at Barboza’s eye, which is bleeding and swelling. The call is made to wave this one off.

Official result: Kevin Lee def. Edson Barboza via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 2:18 of Round 5