Report | UFC looking to make Kevin Lee vs Gregor Gillespie

The last time we saw ‘The Mo-Town Phenom’ Kevin Lee (17-4) in action he was headlining the very last UFC card on the Fox network, UFC on Fox 31 in Milwaukie, Wisconsin.

Unfortunately for Lee, he wouldn’t end up walking away as the last person to win on the Fox network.

Lee would drop a unanimous decision in a rematch with Al Iaquinta. Thus making him 1-2 in his last three outings.

Now it’s onto the next for the 26-year old and he’s been quite vocal about his willingness to face anyone.

For a while, it was looking like he may be matched with the rising Islam Makhachev for his next bout, perhaps even in the UFC’s return to Russia in St. Petersburg on April 20.

However, the UFC has other plans as according to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani they’re looking to set him up against the undefeated Gregor Gillespie (13-0).

“UFC hoping to book Kevin Lee x Gregor Gillespie, sources say. According to sources, Lee was pushing to fight Islam Makhachev on the Russia card, but UFC was more interested in the Gillespie fight. Hasn’t been finalized yet, but current plan is to book it in May, if all goes well.” Helwani tweeted.

As his record shows, Gillespie has been flawless to this point in his career. A very dominant and humble wrestler with striking skills to boot, no one has been able to solve the puzzle that Gillespie has become.

Now 5-0 inside the Octagon following his complete shutout against Yancy Medeiros at UFC Brooklyn, a fight with Lee would undeniably be Gillespie’s biggest to date and his first crack at someone in the top 15 let alone the top 10.

Even though he and Makhachev had verbally agreed to fight, Lee also specifically mentioned that he would be open to the idea of the Gillespie fight. Therefore it’s just coming down to which match-up the UFC likes better.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 2/27/2019