Kevin Lee released from the UFC off the back of two-fight skid and suspension
Kevin Lee has been released from the UFC, according to MMA Fighting reporter Guilherme Cruz.
He faltered in his last fight in the world's biggest MMA promotion, losing a welterweight clash via unanimous decision to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Chikadze in August this year.
Following the contest, 'The Motown Phenom' tested positive for the banned substance Adderall and was suspended for six months. He has now been removed from the UFC roster.
"Kevin Lee was released from the UFC, sources told myself and @DamonMartin. Story coming to @MMAFighting," said Cruz.
Here is Guilherme Cruz's tweet confirming Kevin Lee's departure from the UFC:
Kevin Lee was released from the UFC, sources told myself and @DamonMartin. Story coming to @MMAFighting.
Lee is a former lightweight champion at the Total Warrior Combat (TWC) promotion. He has also won three 'Performance of the Night' bonus awards in the UFC.
Kevin Lee fought Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight championship back in October 2017
When lightweight champion Conor McGregor hadn't defended his belt for close to a year, the UFC decided to set up an interim title matchup between top 155-pound contenders Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee.
Ferguson and Lee locked horns at UFC 216 on October 7th, 2017, inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. 'El Cucuy' won the encounter using a triangle choke to tap out his opponent at a time of 4:02 in the third round.
When Tony Ferguson took gold! 🏆
#OnThisDay in 2017 @TonyFergusonXT submitted Kevin Lee to become the interim lightweight champ
📺📱 Watch all of his fights back with @UFCFightPass https://t.co/sk7ft6iGTC
It was the first submission defeat of Kevin Lee's career. The loss was the beginning of Lee's downfall. He followed it up with a loss in a rematch with Al Iaquinta. In the years since, he then faltered in his welterweight debut against Rafael Dos Anjos, and a submission defeat against the current UFC lightweight champ Charles Oliveira.
Meanwhile, the final two victories of his UFC career came against featherweight contender Edson Barboza and lightweight contender Gregor Gillespie in 2018 and 2019, respectively.