Kevin Lee

The Motown Phenom

USA

Coming out of retirment
WelterweightUFC
January 31, 2024
Lee announced Wednesday that he is coming out of retirement.
ANALYSIS
Lee announced his retirement on July 11 but is planning to come back to fight in the MMA. He will attempt to drop weight, likely to compete in the lightweight division. There is no timeline for Lee's next competition.
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Calls it a career
WelterweightUFC
July 11, 2023
Lee announced his retirement Tuesday, MMA reporter Ariel Helwani reports.
ANALYSIS
Lee will end his 9-year career in the UFC with an 18-8-0 record. Despite losing to Rinat Fakhretdinov in his most recent fight, Lee will leave the sport with an impressive resume, winning five straight bouts between 2016 and 2017. The Motown Phenom will retire at the age of 30.
Lasts 55 seconds in UFC return
WelterweightUFC
July 1, 2023
Lee lost to Rinat Fakhretdinov via technical submission (guillotine choke) at 0:55 of Round 1 at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
Lee signed a new multi-fight deal with the UFC this past February following one fight away from the company. He returned here against Fakhretdinov and it was an unmitigated disaster. Lee was knocked down right off the hop, allowing Fakhretdinov to clamp on the guillotine against his dazed opponent. Lee never tapped out, instead preferring to go to sleep. Now, Lee's performance was obviously awful, but there's a chance Fakhretdinov is really good, so that must be taken into consideration. Either way, "The Motown Phenom" better respond with a better effort his next time out.
Return fight booked
WelterweightUFC
May 17, 2023
Lee is set to face off against Rinat Fakhretdinov at UFC Vegas July 1, John Morgan of The Underground reports.
ANALYSIS
Lee. who recently signed a deal to return to the UFC after he was dropped by the company late in 2021, will face off with Rinat Fakhretdinov in his return. The 30-year-old American fighter will look to improve upon his 1-4 record in his return to the UFC.
Back with the UFC
WelterweightUFC
February 7, 2023
Lee has signed an exclusive deal to return to the UFC, Brett Okamoto of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
Lee is a well-known name that has faced some of the best lightweights the division has to offer, but he was released by the promotion in November of 2021 following a 2-5 run. Since then, he's competed in a grappling match and defeated an over-the-hill Diego Sanchez last March, so it's not like Lee has been racking up quality wins on smaller circuits. Still, he'll be awarded another opportunity and will presumably fight at welterweight, where he had last competed prior to his release. Lee doesn't currently have a fight booked but is hopeful to compete sometime this spring.
Released by UFC
WelterweightUFC
November 30, 2021
Lee (suspension) was released by the UFC on Tuesday, Guilherme Cruz of MMAFighting.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Lee was already facing a suspension after testing positive for Adderall. He'll now leave the UFC entirely, which may have more to do with his 1-4 record over his last five fights than his failed test.