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Keith Lee is the younger sibling of renowned UFC lightweight contender Kevin Lee, and carved his own path in the world of mixed martial arts. Having previously competed as a professional fighter in Bellator, Keith has now found a new and unexpected passion that has propelled him to become an influential figure in the food review world.
Upon his departure from Bellator, Lee ventured into a realm outside the world of professional fighting, where he has found remarkable success and garnered a massive following on the popular social media platform TikTok.
Keith Lee embarked on his mixed martial arts journey in 2017, facing a setback with a loss against Tony Laramie. Lee continued to pursue his passion, competing in various promotions such as Brave FC and Global Legion FC. The Michigan native eventually signed with Bellator in 2020. He held a record of 2 wins and as many losses at the time.
'Killa' faced his most recent Bellator bout in 2021 against Jornel Lugo, resulting in a loss due to submission. Lee's last professional fight took place at Urijah Faber's A1 Combat 5, where he competed in a featherweight bout against Jeremiah Labiano. When considering his overall professional record, Keith Lee holds a respectable tally of 8 wins and 5 losses.
Keith Lee recounts how he ended up on TikTok
Keith Lee has experienced an extraordinary surge in popularity on social media, particularly on the platform TikTok, where he has amassed a staggering following of 22.9 million as of the present. The timing of this rise in fame aligns closely with Ariel Helwani's acknowledgment and discussion of Lee's ascent to TikTok stardom. This acknowledgment from Helwani came precisely when Lee's following reached its peak.
In an insightful interview with MMA Fighting, Lee candidly shared the motivation behind his pursuit of social media success. The loss of his contract with Bellator served as a turning point, compelling 'Killa' to seek a more stable foundation for his career:
"I felt very expendable after I lost my contract with Bellator. I promised myself I’m going to build something that no one can take away from me, and that’s me being me. Completely separate from anything else I do. It’s just me and you can’t take away who I am.”
He added:
"I originally started doing TikTok to get more comfortable with doing interviews for MMA... Within that, it was about me learning how to slow myself down... I usually speak this slow anyways but when I get excited or I get nervous, I talk real fast."
