Kevin Lee wants to run things back with Tony Ferguson.
Lee hasn’t competed since a third-round submission defeat to Charles Oliveira at UFC Brasilia in March last year.
He has since undergone two surgeries after tearing both his left and right ACL and is currently undergoing physical therapy. And with how recovery is going, he hopes to start a training camp after two months.
“I’d say I’m about 80 percent,” Lee told MMA Junkie. “I’m nine months out on my first ACL (surgery) and six months from my second ACL. They normally say, you know, in the past it used to be a year before guys were back and 100 percent, but I think I’m healing like Wolverine.
“By working out at the (UFC Performance Institute), it’s hard f**king work. But I’m speeding up the recovery process a lot. I say maybe in two months I’d be ready to start a training camp.”
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Ferguson vs. Lee II?
The long layoff might make most fighters want a tune-up opponent, but that’s not how mixed martial arts works.
And Lee — ranked No. 12 — is targeting a big opponent in the number five-ranked Ferguson as he feels it makes sense given where they are.
“That’s what they do in boxing – you ease your way back in. But the way I’m feeling, I don’t think it’s necessary,” Lee added. “I’m going to fight Tony Ferguson. I think that fight makes sense from all angles. I don’t see anybody else that’s out there for him to fight.
“It just makes sense and it puts us back where it should be. A fight with me and him is going to kind of show one of us has to win, one of us is going to have to leave. So that’s a fight that interests me this summer. We’ll see what he talking about on his end, but he’s No. 1 in my book.”
Ferguson is on a two-fight losing streak following losses to Justin Gaethje and Oliveira. He notably submitted Lee when they fought for the interim lightweight title at UFC 216 back in October 2017.
However, it remains to be seen whether “El Cucuy” will take a backwards step by facing someone he has already beaten and who is currently ranked outside the top 10.
