Kevin Lee has announced his return to the UFC after being released by the promotion two years ago.
Monday, ESPN reported that Lee has signed an exclusive deal with the UFC. Lee released the following statement to announce the news:
“I met with [president] Dana White and [chief business officer] Hunter Campbell, and I feel like I’m going back home,” Lee told ESPN in a statement. “I’m grateful for them welcoming me back and looking forward to the next chapter of my career.”
Lee competed on MMA’s biggest stage between 2014 and 2021, adding names like Michael Chiesa, Francisco Trinaldo, Edson Barboza, and Gregor Gillespie to his record’s win column. “The Motown Phenom” had one failed bid for gold in 2017, with Tony Ferguson submitting him for the interim belt.
Following back-to-back losses to Charles Oliveira and Daniel Rodriguez, Lee was released despite having multiple bouts remaining on his contract.
The 30-year-old Michigan native has competed just once since. After signing with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC, Lee debuted against fellow former UFC veteran Diego Sanchez in the new super lightweight (165 pounds) division.
While Lee has his hand raised last March, outpointing “The Nightmare” across three rounds, the performance was seen by some as underwhelming.
In the aftermath of his sudden UFC release two years ago, Lee’s frustrations were visible. He noted that he was “pissed” about what he described as a lack of respect, and even called out the promotion’s Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell for ‘feeding him bullsh*t’ over the phone.
Kevin Lee Teased UFC Return Over The Weekend
In a Facebook post, Lee uploaded images of him alongside the two UFC higher-ups, seemingly following a meeting of some sort.
“I’m grateful for every moment in my life. Allhamdulillah,” Lee wrote.
This move perhaps comes as a surprise given Lee’s limited exploits since his UFC departure.
Upon joining Eagle FC, “The Motown Phenom” agreed to a multi-fight deal that he claimed would net him more than most UFC champions. But ever since his debut, talk of a return has been largely absent, with Lee even calling out owner Khabib in a now-deleted tweet.
Just last month, during an interview with ESPN MMA, Lee noted that he was looking to compete in other promotions as Eagle FC is currently unable to host events. While he left the door open should the UFC come knocking, he named the Professional Fighters League as a possible destination.
Are you excited to see Kevin Lee back in the Octagon?