Kevin Lee isn`t particularly surprised that his upcoming return to the cage at the PFL event on Friday is being met with more skepticism than genuine excitement.
During his prime, the now 32-year-old lightweight was a leading contender in the UFC. He even competed for the interim lightweight championship and delivered one of the most memorable knockouts in the promotion`s history, finishing Gregor Gillespie with a head kick in 2019. However, that victory marked his last win in the UFC before a series of injuries, defeats, and a shift in weight class left Lee`s fighting future uncertain.
Following another extended period away recovering from knee surgery, Lee secured a win on the regional circuit last September. Now, he is set to make his debut for the PFL, facing Gadzhi Rabadanov, a fighter currently riding an impressive 11-fight winning streak that includes three consecutive knockouts.
“Many people have counted me out,” Lee stated to MMA Fighting. “Many have forgotten about me, and many have doubted me, so it`s time to silence them.”
“I don`t entirely blame people for dismissing me because it`s been five years since I competed in this division, dating back to the start of the pandemic. For many, the beginning of the pandemic feels like a lifetime ago. Furthermore, the sport has grown so much that a huge number of new fans have joined since the pandemic who don`t recall 2017, 2018, or 2019. It`s time for me to make my mark and remind them who I am.”
Between his last victory and joining the PFL roster, Lee initially sought a return to the UFC. He even offered to participate in The Ultimate Fighter reality show if that was necessary to demonstrate he was truly back in peak condition.
Ultimately, the UFC did not show significant interest in bringing Lee back. Despite his desire to return, Lee holds no resentment towards the promotion for how things unfolded. He admits his main objective was to show he remains one of the world`s best lightweights, and his upcoming PFL debut offers him the same chance.
“No, I’m not disappointed, because this is exactly how things were meant to happen,” Lee commented. “More than anything, I wanted to compete and prove myself as a top lightweight once more. I’m getting an opponent who is currently a top lightweight. The best fighters aren`t always exclusively in the UFC. We`ve seen this over time – with Strikeforce, with WEC back in the day, with PRIDE, with all these major promotions. And some fighters from the PFL are moving on and achieving great things.”
“For me, it`s about the actual fight itself. This guy is a top lightweight. I haven`t fought at lightweight in over five years, and this is an opportunity for me to prove I belong back among the elite. It doesn`t necessarily have to be with any specific promotion. I just wanted the right fight at the right moment, and that`s how circumstances played out.”
While there`s no animosity towards the UFC, Lee definitely holds a grudge against the Global Fight League. He signed with them as a free agent based on promises of substantial payouts and a busy fight schedule.
After waiting months for the promotion to launch, Lee was initially scheduled to compete at their inaugural event. However, the GFL abruptly canceled their shows, and there appears to be little hope that the organization will ever become operational.
Lee had previously hinted at potentially filing a lawsuit against the GFL, and he is clearly still upset about how that entire situation unfolded.
“I’ve been actively seeking a fight for over a year now,” Lee stated. “My knee has been fully recovered for at least the last six months. I’ve been prepared to fight. The GFL situation was a complete disaster. I was associated with them for six months; I gave them six months of my career just sitting on the sidelines. That wasn`t something I was interested in at all. Even before signing with them, I made every effort to ensure they understood that this wasn`t going to happen – that I wasn`t going to sacrifice six months of my career.”
“Sometimes these things just don`t work out, especially in MMA. These other promotions and promoters don`t always have a clear idea of what they’re doing. They don`t always make the correct decisions, and that`s precisely what happened.”
Lee did his best to handle the situation calmly. Then, he got the chance to attend a PFL event where Rabadanov was competing. Watching the Russian fighter quickly dispatch a UFC veteran in just 32 seconds immediately caught Lee`s attention. That night, he informed PFL officials that he would be interested in potentially facing Rabadanov in the future.
An injury to Jay-Jay Wilson, who was originally scheduled to fight Rabadanov, subsequently created an opening for Lee to sign with the PFL and get the matchup he desired.
“I was at the PFL event when they held the first round for the lightweights in Orlando — the only fighter who caught my interest was Gadzhi,” Lee explained. “He quickly knocked out Marc Diakiese, demonstrating significant speed, power, and accuracy. He was the sole lightweight on the card who genuinely intrigued me.”
“So I told them I would be interested in joining the organization, particularly for a fight like that. Lo and behold, about three weeks later, this opponent gets injured, and they called me right away. I said yes without hesitation. It`s what I wanted, it`s what I`m looking for, and it`s time to get to work.”
Percy Harlow