"There are some guys in Russia that will beat the f** out of you" - Kevin Lee says best fighters aren't always in the UFC
Kevin Lee has taken time out to praise fighters who are outside the MMA spotlight.
Since leaving the Octagon behind, Lee has found himself fighting under Eagle FC, a company owned by another former UFC employee, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Lee's arrival in the EFC has opened his eyes to the amount of talent Russia produces. However, many of them will fail to get their dues, simply because they're not gaining the publicity they would get if they were fighting under the UFC banner.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie about his move over to the European MMA promotion, Kevin Lee gave props to the somewhat unknown Russians. He suggested that he pushes himself to be the best he possibly can be, in order to compete with the best.
"We know that the best fighters aren't always in the UFC. There are some guys out in Russia that would beat the f*** out of you. So, my competitiveness in me drives me to be even better than them," said Lee.
Kevin Lee added his thoughts on Francis Ngannou's situation with the UFC, his upcoming fight with Diego Sanchez, and what his future in the sport looks like.
Check out the full interview below:
Kevin Lee is set to make his Eagle FC debut
'The Motown Phenom' was on a tough run of form before leaving the UFC. He now finds himself fighting in Eagle FC's new 165lb division.
The competitor in Kevin Lee is desperate to prove his doubters wrong and go on to pick up the title in his new weightclass. His road to success starts when he faces MMA legend Diego Sanchez.
The two are set to headline Eagle FC 46 at the FLXCast Arena next month, as the Russian-based promotion looks to extend its popularity worldwide.
The EFC 46 main card is filled with big name fighters who are all eager to impress on the big stage once again.
Despite losing his Eagle Fighting Championship debut, 28-fight veteran Anthony Hamilton has stepped up to face the dominant Rizvan Kuniev. The latter is looking to make his second defense of the heavyweight title.
Ray Borg and Ricky Bandejas look certain to put on a show in a bout that promises to be a contender for the fight of the night honors.
Impa Kasanganay will also make his promotional debut when he comes in to fight the 9-1 finisher, Raimond Magomedaliev.
Eagle FC 46: Lee vs. Sanchez airs on March 11 and will be available to watch on FLXCast.