Six months after retiring, UFC veteran Kevin Lee announced plans to return to MMA fighting in 2024, though he has not yet specified when or against whom he will fight.
Kevin Lee’s having a change of heart. He’s been retired for half a year, but now he’s got a comeback in mind.
His retirement followed a bitter defeat to Rihat Fakhretdinov last July. It was a tough pill to swallow, especially since it was his first fight back in the UFC. He’d been let go from the promotion in 2021, only to return less than two years later.
He took to Twitter, announcing, “I’m coming out of retirement. I’ll fight MMA again.” He’s not sure about the details yet, but he’s getting ready. He’s shedding pounds and getting in shape.
His focus? “I’m gonna get in the best shape of my life,” he tweeted. He admits he’s missed the sport since his retirement six months ago.
Not too long ago, Lee was a hot prospect in the UFC. He’d racked up a five-fight winning streak, which led to an interim lightweight title shot in 2017. He lost to Tony Ferguson that night, but he remained a fighter to watch.
The next few years were a rollercoaster for Lee. He struggled to make the lightweight limit, which led to a move to 170 pounds. His welterweight debut ended in defeat to Daniel Rodriguez, followed by his release from the UFC.
Outside the UFC, he fought at 165 pounds and scored a win over veteran Diego Sanchez. Then he returned to the UFC, only to lose to Fakhretdinov in his comeback fight. Knee surgeries and other issues led him to retire.
Now, he’s planning another comeback. He’s not setting a timeline yet, though. If he dropped out of the UFC’s anti-doping program during his retirement, he’ll need at least six months of drug testing before he can fight again.