Kevin Lee returns to action tonight at UFC Fight Night Atlantic City, facing Edson Barboza in the main event of the show.
While Khabib Nurmagomedov is the current UFC Lightweight Champion, a defiant Lee says former UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Tony Ferguson is the real division kingpin.
“100-percent. It’s undeniable (that Ferguson is the real champion),” Lee told MMA Weekly. “Even if they did take the belt away from him, the man’s the champ. I give credit where credit is due. Right now, that’s where it is. I think especially after you see that fight, ‘cause Tony would give it to Khabib. I give credit where credit is due and I know who is the man to chase.”
Ferguson did win the UFC Interim Lightweight Title with a third round submission win over Lee in the main event of UFC 216.
Lee does believe that Nurmagomedov can become the real champion in his eyes, but he must defeat Ferguson first.
“Khabib, if I’ve got to go through him to get to Tony, yeah,” he said. “We’ll see how the whole thing shakes out.”
UFC Fight Night Atlantic City takes place tonight from the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey with Edson Barboza and Kevin Lee headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which airs live on Fox Sports 1.
