Ex-UFC Title Challenger Gets Opponent for Bareknuckle MMA Debut

Former UFC title challenger Kevin Lee books his second fight of 2024 against Saul Almeida.

Christopher De Santiago | Sep 24, 2024

Sarah Stier-Imagn Images

Kevin Lee is making up for lost time.

The former UFC title challenger has only fought twice in the last two years, once in Khabib Nurmagomedov's Eagle FC and then the UFC, where an injured Lee returned against Rinat Fakhretdinov but was submitted by the top prospect inside of a minute.

Ex-UFC Title Challenger Gets Opponent for Bareknuckle MMA Debut

Former UFC title challenger Kevin Lee. / Jason da Silva-Imagn Images

Ex-UFC Star Finds New Fighting Home after Failed DWCS Proposal

Lee's Next Steps Post-UFC

A free agent once again after his second UFC stint didn't go his way, Lee (19-8) finds himself double-booked, taking on Thiago Oliveira (17-12-1) at Lights Out Championship this weekend in his home state of Michigan.

Of course, that's not all that awaits Lee, as it was recently announced that "The Motown Phenom" had signed to Jorge Masvidal's Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA promotion and would be making his debut on Nov. 15.

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Who Is Kevin Lee Fighting In Bareknuckle MMA?

On Tuesday, Gamebred FC announced Lee's opponent: Saul Almeida (20-14), a Brazilian MMA fighter (and boxer) who has fought for Bellator, WSOF, LFA, ACB and many more promotions.

Almeida hasn't won since 2018 and is currently on a three-fight losing streak, suffering a loss his last time out against former UFC fighter Nick Fiore in August.

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Between boxing and MMA, Almeida's on a 8-fight skid altogether and hopes to turn things around in arguably the biggest fight of his career against Lee. Almeida is no stranger to facing UFC stars, meeting the likes of Calvin Kattar, Rob Font, and Manny Bermudez on New England's regional scene.

This Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA event will be held on Nov. 15 at the Mississippi Coast Colosseum in Biloxi, Mississippi, featuring 14 former UFC fighters with Lee there top it all off.

At 32 years old, Kevin Lee has fought at both lightweight and welterweight in the UFC, trading wins and losses to Tony Ferguson, Edson Barboza, Charles Oliveira and Gregor Gillespie just to name a few.