Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
Kevin Lee said he loves a challenge—which is why he agreed to fight Gregor Gillespie at MSG in November.
Some fans were puzzled by the booking of Kevin Lee vs. Gregor Gillespie for next month’s UFC 244. Lee has lost two in a row and is returning to lightweight after an unsuccessful bid at welterweight, while Gillespie is undefeated and on the cusp of being a top contender in the division.
Those fans are not alone.
Lee himself has admitted that it may not have been smart to agree to a fight with the ‘Gift.’
“To be honest with you, this is the dumbest fight I could’ve took,” Lee told theScore. “A guy who’s incredibly tough, he can take a hell of a shot, he can keep coming forward, and he can make a fight really boring, he can make it really frustrating for you. And he’s got a hell of a gas tank, too. So, this is the most dangerous fight I could’ve took. It really don’t make much sense, but I love a challenge, I love doing sh-t like this.”
In 2017, Lee fought for the interim lightweight title against Tony Ferguson, but lost by submission. He rebounded from that loss with a brutal, one-sided win over Edson Barboza, and at that point it seemed as if Lee was nearly ready for another shot at the championship.
But a December loss to Al Iaquinta – and recent struggles to make 155 pounds – sent Lee to 170, where he fell short to Rafael dos Anjos in May. Now, Lee is headed back down to lightweight in hopes of getting back on track.
That won’t be easy to do against Gillespie, a four-time NCAA Division I All-American in collegiate wrestling at Edinboro University. Since transitioning to pro MMA in 2014, the 32-year-old has recorded a 13-0 record. He owns UFC finishes of Yancy Medeiros and Vinc Pichel.
Lee said when offered the lesser known Gillespie, he discussed the potential matchup with his new coach, Firas Zahabi of Tristar. They took the current state of Lee’s career into consideration, but ultimately opted to take the fight.
“We know what we’re up against,” Lee said. “We know what type of fight this is. That’s why I’m so focused. That’s why it’s given me a little bit more extra motivation to stay in the gym.”
Lee meets Gillespie in his first non-main event in his past five fights, meaning it’s been a while since the ‘Motown Phenom’ has been in a three-round fight. That makes the Gillespie matchup even more challenging, Lee said.
“Against a guy like Gregor, you can’t give up one round, you can’t give up one takedown,” Lee said. “I gotta be on my Ps and Qs the whole time. He gets a takedown, he’s somebody who’s just going to try to hold me down the whole time. And with a three rounder, he’s only gotta do that twice. It makes a fight very, very dangerous.”
UFC 244 takes place Nov. 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York. In the main event, Jorge Masvidal is expected to meet Nate Diaz in a highly-anticipated welterweight contest.