Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC
Kevin Lee is looking at a lengthy lay-off after his submission loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC Brasilia
After his highlight reel KO win over Gregor Gillespie last November, Kevin Lee was looking to carry on a new win streak in his return to lightweight. But unfortunately for the “Motown Phenom,” disappointment once again came his way in the form of a third-round submission loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC Brasilia on Saturday night.
Now 1-3 in his last four fights, the 27-year-old fighter out of the famed Tristar Gym in Montreal is heading back to the drawing board. According to him, that may mean taking a lengthy hiatus to reassess things.
“I think I’d evaluate some things,” Lee told reporters in a post-fight scrum. “I feel like my camp was great, my coaches told me all the right things to do. I abandoned it. It’s all on me on this one.
“It’s going to be a few years or so.”
Three out of Lee’s four losses ended via submission from different choke variations. This statistic is a bit bothering for him, and it is one of the things he wants to figure out.
“A lot more jiu-jitsu, for sure,” he said when asked what he intends to work on. “I’m losing a lot of these fights by choke, and these guys ain’t even choking me as me getting choked. I think I’m choking myself. So I’ve got to figure out why.”
Lee also gave up 20% of his purse to Oliveira for coming in two and a half pounds over the limit. With the loss, he drops down to a record of 18-6 (with 11 wins by stoppage).