UFC releases Kevin Lee after seven years, 18 appearances
Kevin Lee has been let go from the UFC roster.
Lee, who competed 18 times for the promotion since his February 2014 debut and once fought for the interim lightweight championship, was informed of his release from the company.
MMA Junkie confirmed the news of Lee’s release Tuesday with a person close to the situation following an initial report from MMA Fighting.
Lee (18-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC), 29, has lost four of his past five fights to top-tier competition in Daniel Rodriguez, Charles Oliveira, Rafael dos Anjos, and Al Iaquinta. His lone win in the past three years came at UFC 244 in November 2019 when he knocked out Gregor Gillespie with a highlight-reel head kick.
During his octagon tenure, Lee recorded notable victories over Michael Chiesa and Edson Barboza. He also fought Tony Ferguson for the interim 155-pound belt at UFC 216 in October 2017 but lost by third-round submission.
Following his most recent defeat to Rodriguez in August, Lee vowed he “won’t stop until I figure this sh*t out.” Now he’ll be forced to try to rebound outside of the UFC.
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