Kevin Lee expresses deep regret over his decision to fight Rinat Fakhretdinov last year, citing it as a rash move driven by pride rather than prudence.
Following a triumphant decision victory over Diego Sanchez in Eagle FC, Lee was swiftly re-signed by the UFC. However, his debut fight pitted him against Fakhretdinov, where he entered as the underdog and suffered a swift defeat via submission in just 55 seconds.
Reflecting on the bout, Lee acknowledges his physical state was far from optimal, with a severely injured knee plaguing him throughout the entire training camp. Despite this, he admits succumbing to his ego and the desire to reclaim his status after being cut from the UFC, ultimately leading to a regrettable decision.
“In hindsight, it was a dumb fight, it was stupid. I mean, I knew my knee was torn to shreds the entire time, it was the worst training camp that I ever had. I couldn’t even spar or go hard in the training camp at all,” Lee confessed to MiddleEasy. “That fight was purely out of pride and ego of me being cut from the UFC, and not on the terms that I would have liked and me kind of getting this opportunity and letting my pride take over and say I would do it. Yeah. in hindsight, it was a terrible decision.”
Subsequent to the loss against Rinat Fakhretdinov, Lee underwent knee surgery and decided to retire from MMA, prioritizing his health after sustaining consecutive knee injuries. However, his retirement was short-lived, as he recently announced his comeback on social media.
“I’m coming out of retirement. I’ll fight MMA again. Idk when, where, or who yet but I’m dropping weight and getting into shape now,” Lee stated. “I’m gonna get in the best shape of my life that’s my focus right now. It’s been 6 months since I retired and I miss being around the sport.”
As of now, Lee hasn’t scheduled any fights but plans to return to the lightweight division upon his comeback.
Kevin Lee boasts a professional record of 19-8, with his last fight being the brief 55-second submission loss to Rinat Fakhretdinov in July. Prior to this, he secured a decision victory over Diego Sanchez in his sole bout for Eagle FC.
Lee’s career highlights include challenging for the interim lightweight title and notable wins against the likes of Edson Barboza, Michael Chiesa, and Gregor Gillespie.
