Since it’s not uncommon for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to award title shots to fighters coming off a loss, it should also be acceptable for combatants in the “L” column to call for “marquee fights” against two of the best fighters in the division.
That’s according to Kevin Lee, who is slated to throw hands with lightweight headliner Edson Barboza at the UFC Fight Night 128 mixed martial arts (MMA) event next month in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
From his conversation with Submission Radio:
“I think me and Khabib (Nurmagomedov) are the fight to make after this. I think I’m still the marquee fight in this division for anybody. You know, me and Khabib will sell big, me and Tony got a rematch that will sell big, me and McGregor will sell big. So, it’s a lot of big fights left on the horizon. I’ll beat Edson in New Jersey and then I’ll go out there and beat Khabib in Russia. And then, who knows, maybe we’ll throw a stadium show with Conor McGregor in the future in Ireland.”
Lee (16-3) has not competed since last fall’s submission loss to Tony Ferguson at UFC 216, one that cost him the interim lightweight title. Prior to that, “Motown Phenom” captured five-straight victories, including finishes over Michael Chiesa, Francisco Trinaldo, and Jake Matthews.
Barboza (19-5) is coming off a one-sided beatdown at the hands of Nurmagomedov at UFC 219 this past December. Losing to “The Eagle” — who moves on to fight Ferguson at UFC 223 — snapped a three-fight win streak in which the Brazilian turned away former lightweight champions Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez, as well as divisional standout Beneil Dariush.
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