Kevin Lee has revealed his decision to end his retirement from professional fighting. Lee (19-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) made the announcement to return to the octagon just six months after stepping away from the sport following a quick submission loss to Rinat Fakhretdinov in July. The 31-year-old fighter shared that a conversation with his mother was the catalyst for his comeback.
According to Lee, the idea of returning to the sport had been on his mind for the past couple of months. However, it was his mother’s words that ultimately pushed him to make the decision. She expressed concern that the joy had disappeared from her son’s soul. Lee reflected on the conversation, realizing that he needed to fight again. He had already felt the urge to return, and his mother’s words solidified his resolve. At 31 years old, he understood that if he wanted to make a comeback, now was the time. He didn’t want to live with any regrets and wanted to feel fulfilled in his life.
Lee admitted that he regrets accepting the fight against Fakhretdinov. He acknowledges that he had been dealing with a torn knee throughout his training camp and ended up needing surgery in September. Looking back, he acknowledges that it was a foolish decision driven by his pride and ego. He had been cut from the UFC and wanted to prove himself. However, in hindsight, he realizes it was a terrible choice.
After competing in catchweight and welterweight divisions, Lee plans to return to the lightweight category. It’s the weight class where he has experienced the most success, including challenging for the interim lightweight title in 2017 and delivering a stunning head-kick knockout against Gregor Gillespie at UFC 244. Lee believes that cutting weight is a necessary part of the sport, and he is confident in his ability to do so. He recognizes that trying to move up to the welterweight division was detrimental to his performance and overall health. He is content to leave that behind and focus on lightweight moving forward.