Former interim UFC lightweight title challenger, Kevin Lee is set for his retirement-snapping return to mixed martial arts just later this month — taking on Thiago Oliveira at a Lights Out Championship event on September 28. from Wayne, Michigan.
Lee, a former top-contender at the lightweight limit during his tenure with the UFC, called time on his mixed martial arts career following a dominant opening round guillotine choke submission loss to Rinat Fakhretdinov back in July of last year at the UFC Apex facility.
And linked with a return to combat sports in the time since amid voicing his interest in fighting again, Grand Rapids native, Lee has now been booked to feature at a Lights Out Championship event later this month in a showdown against the above-mentioned Oliveira — returning to the welterweight limit.
Kevin Lee books return as UFC alum snaps year-long hiatus from MMA
News of Kevin Lee’s return to mixed martial arts against the previously mentioned, Thiago Oliveira was first reported by MMA Junkie.
Without a win since a brief cameo with Eagle FC back in 2022, Lee had turned in a unanimous decision win over fellow UFC alum and former title challenger, Diego Sanchez in a once-off super lightweight clash at 165lbs.
As for Brazilian opponent, Oliveira, the 30-fight professional veteran has been sidelined since he snapped a lengthy losing run earlier this year in a draw against Adam Assenza at BTC 24.
During his tenure in the UFC, Kevin Lee competed for an interim lightweight crown in a main event fight against Tony Ferguson back in 2017, suffering third round triangle choke submission loss to the Oxnard veteran in his sole pay-per-view headliner with the Dana White-led organization.
Over the course of his storied career, Lee, 32, has beaten the likes of Michel Prazeres, Efrain Escudero, Jake Matthews, Magomed Mustafaev, Francisco Trinaldo, Michael Chiesa, Edson Barboza, and Gregor Gillespie to name a few.