| UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Lee | |
| Promotion: | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
| Venue: | Boardwalk Hall |
| City: | Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| Attendance: | 9,541[1] |
| Gate: | $923,720 |
| Followingevent: | UFC 224: Nunes vs. Pennington |
UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Lee (also known as UFC Fight Night 128) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on April 21, 2018, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.[2]
The event marked the promotion's ninth visit to Atlantic City, the first since July 2014. The promotion last contested an event at Boardwalk Hall in June 2005.
A lightweight bout between Edson Barboza and former interim UFC Lightweight Championship challenger Kevin Lee served as the event headliner.[3]
A light heavyweight bout between light heavyweight winner Corey Anderson and Patrick Cummins was originally scheduled for UFC 217. However, Cummins pulled out due to a staph infection.[4] The bout took place at this event.[5]
Paulo Costa was expected to face Uriah Hall at the event. However, Costa pulled out of the fight in mid-March with an arm injury.[6] In turn, promotion officials elected to pull Hall from the event and reschedule the pairing for a future event.[7]
Augusto Mendes was pulled from a bout against Merab Dvalishvili due to a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collected on March 7, 2018.[8] He was replaced by promotional newcomer Ricky Simón.[9]
Former WSOF Flyweight Champion Magomed Bibulatov was expected to face Ulka Sasaki, but he pulled out a day before the event, citing back injury and the bout was cancelled.[10]
At the weigh-ins, Lee weighed in at 157 pounds, one pound over the lightweight non-title fight upper limit of 156 pounds. As a result, the bout proceeded at catchweight and Lee was fined 20% of his purse which will go to his opponent Barboza.[11] Aspen Ladd weighed in at 137.8 pounds, 1.8 pounds over the bantamweight non-title fight upper limit of 136 pounds. Ladd supposedly offered Leslie Smith an additional $5,000 on top of her 20% purse deduction. However, the fight was removed from the card after Smith refused to fight at catchweight.[12] Subsequently, the UFC paid Smith her show and win money but then released her from the promotion.[13]
The following fighters were awarded $50,000 bonuses:[15]