Kevin Lee was released from the UFC back in November 2021 after suffering setbacks in four of his final five Octagon appearances.
The former UFC interim lightweight title contender had multiple fights left on his contract, but the UFC chose to release him.
Following his departure, ‘The Motown Phenom’, (18-7 MMA) signed a multi-fight deal with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC promotion.
In speaking with ‘MMA Junkie Radio’, Lee advised that his debut fight against UFC veteran Diego Sanchez will see him earning more money than some UFC champions.
“We know that the best fighters aren’t always in the UFC. There are some guys out in Russia that will beat the f*ck out of you, so my competitiveness in me just drives me to be even better than them – and that’s just a never-ending process. It’s not like now I can chill, now I’m making a bunch of money, now I can go out there and just have fun. No – this is a fight. This is a fight for your life at the end of the day.
People lose their life doing this type of sh*t, so the competitor in me is still up there and still driving. I’m making a bunch of money, though. That’s the part I’m not upset about. My contract will make more than most UFC champions see, so that part is kind of nice. But the competitor in me still thinks it’s the same game. … I’m going to make more than UFC champions in my first fight, so we’re having fun.”
Continuing, Kevin Lee said:
“The best part is getting to make history – getting to be able to be the one to pioneer this division. I think it’s going to be something that we can look back on and say, ‘Oh, OK – this is where it all started.’ The rumblings kind of started in 2017 when we started talking about it first, and it took us five, six years to actually do it, and I think it’ll be another three, four years before it’s really implemented. It’s like the time before where there was no 155, there was no 145, there was no 135 and now you’re seeing all these things start to implement. So to be on the forefront of the 165, it gives me a little more drive in order to get it done.”
Eagle FC 46 will take place on March 11th in Miami, Florida. It will be Kevin Lee’s debut in the 165-pound division. When fighting in the UFC, Lee moved around from lightweight to welterweight.
Diego Sanchez last competed in September of 2020 at UFC 253. The former title challenger (30-13 MMA) has won three of his last five fights.
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