'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABeAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABhAAAgICAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAgMBBAAFBhEHEiExAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBBEAAwACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIRACEDEkH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AIPW+N9TyfTbvZKoa+oirStgyuIs6ZKRFkl3Bd/YCI6/MhKvgfjeyqpuqdZUuysXAsmCUgLI9oGZ9MYwBFUKRawN2fDl/Y8jMrQhZNDVFz//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Kevin Lee just re-signed with the UFC after spending a year away from the octagon. During this time, 'The Motown Phenom' signed with Khabib Nurmagomedov's promotion, Eagle FC. While he managed to secure a win over Diego Sanchez, his time outside the UFC didn't amount to much.
The one-time UFC interim title challenger has had an up-and-down career with no clear direction at times. He was once hailed as a future champion by welterweight legend Georges St-Pierre. Unfortunately, Kevin Lee never seemed to fulfill the potential that many believed he possessed.
However, after a run of four losses and only one win in his last five UFC fights, 'The Motown Phenom' seemed as far from fulfilling his potential as he's ever been. While his return to the octagon might signal a change, this list details all of the reasons why it might end in failure.
Trending
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
#5. Kevin Lee and Firas Zahabi are not a winning pair
After Kevin Lee knocked out Gilbert Gillespie with a thunderous head kick, the former interim title challenger credited Joe Rogan with his newfound success due to the latter's suggestion that he join Tristar. Both hoped that under Firas Zahabi's guidance, he'd rediscover his potential as a title challenger.
Unfortunately, 'The Motown Phenom' didn't succeed as he had hoped to. On paper, the pairing initially seemed to make sense. Kevin Lee has a 77-inch reach. Thus, a coach who specializes in perfecting the jab as a weapon should be a match made in heaven. Instead, the pairing wasn't productive.
'The Motown Phenom' didn't learn much besides sharpening his jab during his time with Zahabi. A jab is a weapon of attrition and requires a follow-up like a right cross to deter opponents from fearlessly marching forward. By hyper-focusing on his jab and little else, Lee's striking stagnated.
Now, all he throws is a jab without much substance behind it. This won't suffice in the UFC, least of all due to calf kicks becoming part of the MMA striking meta. Calf kicks are the perfect counter to jabs due to how jabs overexpose the lead leg.
#4. Kevin Lee's cardio
While Kevin Lee is athletic, he lacks in one department. His cardio, or lack thereof, means he isn't the most efficient fighter. His conditioning often fails him. Due to his experience as a wrestler, 'The Motown Phenom' is well aware of the dangers posed by not scrambling for better positions after failed takedowns.
This awareness, however, vanishes once he begins tiring. Once he's tired, his discipline and overall technique undergo a sharp decline, and he stops initiating scrambles after failed takedowns. This often results in Kevin Lee exposing the back of his neck to a myriad of chokes.
During striking exchanges, he frequently drops his hands once fatigue sets in, making him vulnerable to dangers that cost him wins against opponents he was previously doing well against. A classic example of Kevin Lee's cardio failing him is his past loss to Tony Ferguson.
#3. Kevin Lee is in no man's land when it comes to his weight class
Kevin Lee hasn't enjoyed consistent success at either lightweight or welterweight. 'The Motown Phenom' has missed weight twice in his last four lightweight bouts in the UFC. Furthermore, he has lost two of his four lightweight bouts. As one of the largest 155'ers in the world, he has always struggled with weight management.
The more time a fighter spends cutting weight, the less time they have to improve as mixed martial artists. The former interim title challenger was also depleted by the time he stepped inside the octagon due to his weight-cutting troubles. His cardio and ability to absorb blows are both negatively impacted.
This rendered him unable to compete with elite 155'ers, with his highest profile win coming against Gregor Gillespie. Meanwhile, he lost to Tony Ferguson, Charles Oliveira, and Al Iaquinta (twice). The welterweight division is no better, as he lost all of his 170-pound matchups in the UFC due to being too small.
He's in a difficult position as he's too big to fight comfortably at lightweight but not big enough or skilled enough to succeed at welterweight, having lost to the likes of Daniel Rodriguez.
#2. The idea regarding his potential causes him to be mismatched
Kevin Lee is in a difficult position. He was the subject of significant hype during his early UFC run. The former interim title challenger was once proclaimed a future champion by Georges St-Pierre. This was taken as gospel by several MMA figures, including 'The Motown Phenom' himself.
For years, he spoke about his self-belief when it came to hypothetical matchups against Khabib Nurmagomedov. As an athletic MMA fighter with a wrestling background and serviceable striking, many overestimated the former interim title challenger's potential.
But fighters who lost twice to Al Iaquinta are not title contenders or future champions. The former NCWA wrestler has lost to every elite 155'er he has ever faced. The misguided idea of his potential leads to him being matched up with fighters who are beyond his ability to defeat.
Unless Lee has a more realistic take on his limits as a fighter, his UFC return will only lead to him accumulating more losses against opponents he's ill-equipped to defeat. He's not a top-five lightweight, and possibly not even a top-ten lightweight, given his performance against Diego Sanchez.
#1. Kevin Lee has torn both of his ACLs
Injuries are a part of every fighter's life. However, there's a difference between a minor injury that most mixed martial artists can push through and devastating injuries that cause permanent changes to their abilities. Between 2020 and 2021, Kevin Lee tore both of his ACLs.
He had surgery on both of his knees, which doesn't bode for a fighter who relies on wrestling and explosiveness as much as he does. In 'The Motown Phenom's last bout, which was under the Eagle FC banner, he faced Diego Sanchez. During that matchup, he felt his knee buckle, but it was little more than a slight ACL movement.
If his knees are, in any way, compromised, then the former interim title challenger will be in no position to compete against the top-level fighters he'll encounter in the UFC. It appears that his knees are still suffering from lingering issues. If his knees aren't what they used to be, neither will his wrestling and explosiveness.
