So who is the real king of UFC lightweight division?
Khabib Nurmagomedov, a Russian grappler, spent 25 minutes in the Octagon and picked up unanimous decision verdict over a late replacement Al Iaquinta at UFC 223, officially crowned as the new undisputed UFC lightweight champion. But one top lightweight contender Kevin Lee refuses to acknowledge this.
However, there were two small problems with that—both former two-division champion Conor McGregor and interim champion Tony ‘El Cucuy’ Ferguson already claimed the honor of being the world’s best lightweight. Both fighters had their own title belts to prove it, but Mcgregor didn’t defend the title and Ferguson’s injury cost that honor.
Now Khabib Nurmagomedov claimed the undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Lee, here believes, Ferguson is still the real owner and top dog in the division regardless he holds the belt or not.
“100-percent. It’s undeniable,” Lee told MMAWeekly. “Even if they did take the belt away from him, the man’s the champ. I give credit where credit is due. Right now, that’s where it is. I think especially after you see that fight, ‘cause Tony would give it to Khabib.”
“I give credit where credit is due and I know who is the man to chase.”
“Khabib, if I’ve got to go through him to get to Tony, yeah,” he added. “We’ll see how the whole thing shakes out.”
Kevin Lee who last fought at UFC 216 last October, where he lost the bout via third-round submission to Tony Ferguson. Lee blames that due to staff infection he wasn’t entirely in the fight, but vows to bounce back in a fight against Edson Barboza this Saturday at UFC Fight Night 128 in Atlantic City, NJ.
“I take full responsibility for that not showing up healthy against Tony last October,” Lee said. “That confused people even more. We’re going to see how things shake out.”
Do you agree with Kevin Lee’s recent statement on Tony Ferguson?
