Kevin Lee admitts he was jealous of Sean O’Malley

• UFC

Despite his recent dismissal from the UFC, Kevin Lee enjoys a lot of media attention. Once a great UFC potential, he quickly found a new employer and signed a contract with Khabib’s Eagle FC promotion. The 29-year-old Lee was supposed to be one of the longtime top fighters in the UFC lightweight division, but his career took a downhill run in 2017.

Lee then lost to Tony Ferguson, in a match for the interim lightweight champion. Two wins, four defeats, and failure in doping testing are his results after that. He was fired at the end of November, but Kevin Lee claims that he does not regret it.

However, although "Motown Phenom" regrets, the fighter from Detroit does not hide that he would change some things. Lee argues that Sean O’Malley is a great example of how to build a career. '' I have to take my hat off to Sean O'Malley.

He knows how to go up and does it the right way. Honestly, I wish I had copied a few pages from his book and had that skill of choosing matches and making such appearances. He's doing it the right way, '' Lee began as a guest on The Schmozone's podcast, then clarified.

"I am not angry with him. I'm a little jealous and I won't lie to you. He doesn’t have to fight black belts in jiu-jitsu and then in the next match against first-class stand-up fighters, former world champions in kickboxing, and then against wrestlers." "He doesn’t have to do that and I’m a little jealous.

But I'm taking his hat off, '' Lee added.

First-class fighters

Sean O'Malley has often pointed out that he has no plans to fight first-class fighters until the UFC starts paying him that way. "Sugar" has recorded seven wins in eight UFC appearances, but his resume is not filled with ranked opponents and first-class fighters.

Marlon Vera is actually his best opponent in his career so far, but O’Malley lost that match. However, despite the weaker competition and the opponents he won, O’Malley has built great popularity because of the great performances he provides in such matches, but also because of his charisma.

Kevin Lee on the other hand is only two years older than Sean. However, Lee has 18 UFC matches behind him, and he has fought almost all the "killers" from the lightweight category. Charles Oliveira, Tony Ferguson, Edson Barboza, Rafael dos Anjos, Michael Chiesa, are just some of the names with which he entered the cage.

Even as a young and untested fighter, Lee competed with experienced fighters such as Trinaldo, Prazeres, Leonardo Santos, etc. Still, Kevin turned 29 in the ninth month and the best could yet follow for him. The Eagle FC promotion is promising for now, and Lee could become their face. His debut awaits him on March 11, and his opponent will be the legendary but long-spent Diego Sanchez.