Ex-Title Challenger Eyes UFC Return with Contender Series Fight

Former title challenger Kevin Lee says he'd be willing to lose money on Contender Series to prove he can still compete at a high level.

Sarah Stier-Imagn Images

Kevin Lee seems to be a free agent once again.

The former UFC title challenger put an end to a brief retirement following his loss to Rinat Fakhretdinov in July 2023 and announced he'd return to MMA earlier this year, not knowing which promotion it will be for.

On the Anik & Florian Podcast, Lee revealed he was in negotiations with ONE Championship to fight on short notice after a fighter withdrew from their Denver event last week. The the deal never went through, leaving the door open for other opportunities for Lee, whether they're in the Octagon or not.

Former UFC star Kevin Lee. / Jason Silva-Imagn Images

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Why Lee Wants To Fight On Contender Series

Ready to fight since July, Lee has entertained the idea of a UFC comeback and wants to prove his worth on this season of Dana White's Contender Series, which features MMA prospects fighting for contracts in the premier promotion.

“My real love is MMA. I want to compete again and just to show how serious I am," Lee continued. "I even told Sean Shelby that I’m willing to go on Dana White’s Contender Series to show how serious I am about competing on a high level. This next fight will be not about money or anything else, but to show that I can compete and my body can hold up against the tension I’m putting it under."

Kevin Lee hasn’t been able to kick a heavy bag in 3 years but now he can

“Still not full speed or power yet but in a month I’ll be ready to start fighting the best lightweights again” pic.twitter.com/dAhplrCTMz

— MMA Mania (@mmamania) May 26, 2024

"We're Losing Money... But, I'm Still Willing To Do It"

The former title challenger has only fought twice since his first UFC release in 2021, dealing with a number of injuries he's finally got past in the last few months.

So, what did UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby have to say about Lee's interesting offer for Contender Series?

“He said no but I was willing to do it. It’s $5K flat, that’s all you get," Lee said of the Contender Series payout. "With $5K, we’re losing money. But I’m still willing to do it."

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

Contender Series wasn't around when Kevin Lee signed to the UFC at 21 years old in 2014. A decade later, Lee can say he fought the likes of Charles Oliveira, Rafael Dos Anjos, Edson Barboza and Tony Ferguson, who he fought for the interim lightweight title in 2016.

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