Kevin Lee's next opponent officially announced as headliner for UFC Brasilia on March 14th

R. Nath
UFC 244 Lee v Gillespie
UFC 244 Lee v Gillespie

Kevin Lee has a new opponent and it might surprise some. The #8 ranked fighter had been calling out Islam Makhachev for a while since UFC 244 and the Russian seemed equally interested in the bout.

However, Makhachev stated that he was still waiting for the contract to be offered, with many wondering why the deal wasn't done yet. Had it happened, UFC 249 in Brooklyn would have been the time and place, but that seems to be off.

The reason has been revealed - Lee was offered a headliner spot at UFC Brasilia on March 14th. His opponent? The #13 ranked Charles Oliveira. It was first reported by Combate, confirmed by MMA Fighting and made official on UFC's social media

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It's certainly an interesting match-up, even if most fans wanted Lee to face Makhachev. Surprisingly, Makhachev is still ranked #15 despite picking up a string of victories. Either way, the main event of UFC Brasilia is going to be an exciting one.

Oliveira is currently on a six-fight win streak - having finished all six opponents. The crazy part is that this streak has only emerged in the last one and a half years - making Oliveira one of the more active fighters on the roster.

It's a must-win for Kevin Lee if he wants to continue climbing the rankings and it's a huge opportunity for the Brazilian Oliveira to beat an opponent ranked five places higher than him.

The card will also feature the returns of Johnny Walker (who also fought last at UFC 244, being finished by Corey Anderson) and Paige VanZant, who will be taking on a dangerous up-and-coming contender in Amanda Ribas.

It's shaping up to be one of the better Fight Night cards and it's a big opportunity for both Lee and Oliveira. Who will walk out on top at the end?

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Edited by Kingshuk Kusari
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