Rabadanov spoils Lee's PFL debut with 1st-round TKO

Gadzhi Rabadanov made quick work of Kevin Lee in the PFL 6 main event, defeating him via TKO at the 2:37 mark of the first round Friday night in Wichita, Kansas.

Lee, a former UFC interim lightweight title challenger, was making his PFL debut.

With the victory, Rabadanov advances to the PFL lightweight final against Alfie Davis, who beat former Bellator champion Brent Primus in the other semifinal bout earlier on the card. The PFL finals are scheduled for August.

Rabadanov, the 2024 PFL lightweight champion, delivered a devastating performance. He dropped Lee with a jab 45 seconds into the fight and maintained heavy pressure on the feet. Rabadanov dropped "The Motown Phenom" again with a right hand and then face planted him with a barrage of punches against the fence, forcing the referee to intervene.

Rabadanov is riding a 12-fight winning streak. The 31-year-old Russian earned a 32-second win over former UFC fighter Marc Diakiese in the opening round of the PFL lightweight tournament in April. Rabadanov, who improved to 6-0 in the promotion, hasn't lost a fight since 2020.

Lee is 1-1 since coming out of retirement and 1-2 in his last three fights. The 32-year-old Detroit native signed with the PFL in May and agreed to face Rabadanov on short notice, replacing Jay-Jay Wilson. Lee was coming off a win over Thiago Oliveira at Lights Out Championship 17 last September.

Lee, once one of the top lightweights in the world, retired from mixed martial arts after a July 2023 loss in the UFC. He announced early last year he was returning to the sport.