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Kevin Lee intends to move back up to welterweight for his comeback fight in the UFC. 'The Mowtown Phenom' announced on social media that his next fight would take place at 170 pounds, after spending most of his UFC career in the lightweight division.
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Kevin Lee has had difficulty managing his weight in recent years. He has gone over the lightweight limit twice, including in his most recent fight against Charles Oliveira.
Potential fights for Kevin Lee at welterweight
Kevin Lee's move to welterweight is a welcome development. The 170-pound weight class needs new talent after Kamaru Usman vanquished every challenger who posed a legitimate threat.
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However, Kevin Lee needs to collect a few notable wins before coming close to the welterweight title picture. That starts by picking up a victory in his comeback fight.
Here are five potential matchups for Kevin Lee on his return to the 170-pound division.
#5 Mike Perry
Other than his intention to move up in weight, Kevin Lee hasn't revealed much about his next fight. But what he already has is a couple of target opponents.
Kevin Lee has called out 'Platinum' Mike Perry and challenged him to a July 10th showdown. The 29-year-old hasn't yet responded to Lee, though.
Perry was once a rising star in the UFC. However, he's been floundering as of late, losing four out of his last five fights in the welterweight division. Perry last saw action in the octagon at 'UFC on ABC 2', losing to Daniel Rodriguez via unanimous decision.
Due to his recent performances, Perry can't afford another loss as he's getting closer to getting cut by the UFC. With that in mind, welcoming a former lightweight into the 170-pound division might appeal to Perry's interests.
#4 Robbie Lawler
Former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler is another fighter that Kevin Lee has shown interest in.
Lawler last saw action in August 2020, losing to top contender Neil Magny in a lopsided unanimous decision after three rounds. 'Ruthless' Robbie is also in a four-fight slump; the last time he tasted victory inside the octagon was almost four years ago.
Lawler is obviously way past his prime, but he's still a threat against Kevin Lee, especially as 'The Mowtown Phenom' moves into a new division. And while the 39-year-old ex-champ isn't as durable as he once was, his knockout power makes him a dangerous opponent for anyone.
#3 Santiago Ponzinibbio
Santiago Ponzinibbio was one of the hottest prospects at welterweight before injuries derailed his career. Earlier this year, Ponzinibbio returned from a lengthy layoff against Li Jingliang at UFC Fight Island 7.
Unfortunately for the Argentinian, his seven-fight winning streak came to an end when Jingliang knocked him out in the first round.
Ponzinibbio would be an ideal opponent for Kevin Lee's first fight back at welterweight. A matchup between the two would be an interesting clash of styles between a well-rounded Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist and a technical counter striker.
Pairing Lee and Ponzinibbio against each other would also answer a couple of questions; Lee could answer doubts about his capability to perform at welterweight, while Ponzinibbio could showcase how well he's recovered.
#2 Carlos Condit
In recent years, Carlos Condit has turned into a high-level gatekeeper in the 170-pound weight class. He's previously lost to some of the top welterweight contenders but is 2-0 in his last two outings against fellow veterans.
'The Natural Born Killer' should be the perfect bellwether for how Kevin Lee would fare at welterweight. Condit has been out of the rankings for quite some time, but he's still good enough to pose a challenge to younger fighters like Lee.
On top of that, Condit's name value still draws interest from die-hard UFC fans. If Lee wants a big name for his return to welterweight, fighting the 37-year-old former interim champ should be a viable option.
#1 Khamzat Chimaev
Facing a young star like Khamzat Chimaev is a tall order. But if 'The Mowtown Phenom' wants to get in the mix of the welterweight rankings, taking 'Borz' on is the way to go.
Chimaev will have a substantial size advantage as he's a borderline middleweight, while Lee has spent most of his career in the lightweight division.
But not too long ago, Chimaev contemplated retiring after feeling that he wouldn't make it back into top shape. The Russian-born Swede has pulled out of his last three fights and has recently been dealing with COVID-19 complications. If Chimaev can't make it back to 100%, Lee could definitely pull off an upset.
Right now, Chimaev is focused on fighting Neil Magny for his return fight. But Magny has recently been non-committal regarding a potential fight with Chimaev. If a matchup with Magny falls through, Lee could make himself available for Chimaev's return fight.
