Kevin Lee Not Afraid to Wrestle With Khabib
If MMA fans thought that Kevin Lee would shy away from wrestling with Khabib Nurmagomedov, they can think again. At least in the eyes of Kevin Lee himself. Lee recently stated that not only would he engage in wrestling with Khabib, but he also wouldn’t be afraid of trying to take him down as well.
Previously, Lee stated that one of the primary reasons for his move back down to lightweight was to eventually have a chance to face Khabib. After a one-fight stint at welterweight against Rafael Dos Anjos, Lee decided to drop back down to 155. Not only does Lee want to face Khabib, but he also believes the fans want to see the matchup as well.
The Motivation to Move Back to Lightweight
Lee spoke with MMA Junkie’s Farrah Hannoun for a phone interview. During the conversation, Lee mentioned Khabib as the motivating factor to move back down to lightweight.
“That’s a big factor in me going back down, is that fight with Khabib,” Lee said. “It’s something that’s been on my mind for years now. I like a big challenge – like, the biggest challenge possible. I’m not Superman. It’s not even saying I’m going to go out there and defeat the world. But the biggest challenge, that’s the one that kind of gets me up. That’s what separates me from a lot of these dudes.” (via MMA Junkie)
Lee also mentioned his wrestling background. Recognizing that many fighters shy away from wrestling Khabib, “The Motown Phenom” suggested that he would be willing to engage. Not only in scrambles but also Kevin mentioned attempting to take down Khabib offensively.
“I think I’m going to be somebody who’s unafraid to engage in the wrestling. I’ll even go offensive. Nobody has even threatened to take Khabib down, so once you factor all that in, it changes the whole game.” (via MMA Junkie)
Getting Past Gregor Gillespie
Lee is slated to face Gregor Gillespie on November 2nd at UFC 244. The bout will serve as his re-introduction back down to the lightweight division. If Lee can successfully get past Gregor, he’ll be one step closer to getting a fight against Khabib.
Is Kevin correct in his evaluation with thinking the fans want to see him fight Khabib? Or, is Lee just trying to hype the potential of the fight?
Let us know in the comments below.
