Kevin Lee is ready to prove everyone wrong.
Lee is set to return to the cage on Friday at PFL World Tournament 6 against Gadzhi Rabadanov. Lee stepped into the tournament to face Rabadanov in the main event of the card in the lightweight semifinal.
Heading into the bout, Lee is a massive +850 underdog, but he has confidence he will shock the world and prove he’s still a top fighter.
“A lot of people have written me off. A lot of people have forgot about me and a lot of people have doubted me so it’s time to shut them up,” Lee said to MMAFighting. “I don’t even really blame people too much for the write off because it’s been five years since I’ve been in this division, the start of the pandemic. For a lot of people the start of the pandemic feels like a lifetime ago. Not only that, but this sport has grown so much that there have been so many new fans that have come in since the pandemic that don’t remember 2017. They don’t remember 2018, they don’t remember 2019. It’s time that I make my stamp and remind them who I am.”
Lee hasn’t fought since September when he submitted Thiago Oliveira on the regional scene after he was finished in 55 seconds by Rinat Fakhretdinov in his one-fight return to the UFC.
Kevin Lee manifested Gadzi Rabadanov fight
After the fight on the regional scene, Lee did sign with GFL, but the promotion never held an event.
Once the events didn’t happen, Lee went to a PFL fight and says Rabadanov caught his eye. After the event, he said he’d be interested in that bout, and shortly after, an injury happened and he stepped into the tournament to face him.
“I went to the PFL when they did the first round of the lightweights in Orlando. The only guy who interested me was Gadzhi,” Lee said. “He knocked out Marc Diakiese real quick, showed a lot of speed, a lot of power, good accuracy. He was the only lightweight on there to really interest me.
“So I told them I would be interested in joining the organization and especially for a fight like that. Lo and behold like three weeks later, this guy gets hurt. And they call me right away and I say yes. I don’t hesitate, no nothing. It’s what I wanted. It’s what I’m looking for and it’s time to rock and roll.”
Kevin Lee is 20-8 as a pro.
