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12th-ranked UFC lightweight Kevin Lee has officially announced that he will be making the move up in weight to 170-lbs and has already called out two potential opponents.
Kevin Lee also added that he still wishes to run the fight with Olivera back sometime in the future. He the following on Twitter:
"I’m moving to 170lbs for the foreseeable future. Oliveira can have the lightweights, we’ll get that back later."
Who will Kevin Lee face at 170-lbs?
Kevin Lee has already called out two staples of the welterweight division. The first was Mike Perry, who was once seen as a future contender at 170-lbs. However, after initially making a successful start to his UFC career, Perry has since been on a poor run of form. He holds a record of 1-4 in his last five fights.
Perry most recently dropped a decision loss to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ABC 2. Lee is also coming off a loss. However, he is still ranked at 155-lbs, and it is unlikely a win over Perry would see him crack the top-15 of the welterweight division. Kevin Lee called Perry out on Twitter, writing:
"@PlatinumPerry we fighting July 10 or what @seanshelby @danawhite."
Could Kevin Lee face Ruthless Robbie Lawler?
Lee's second call-out was aimed at Robbie Lawler, a former UFC welterweight champion. Lawler is a true veteran of the sport and has fought against some of the best fighters at welterweight, including Rory MacDonald, Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit.
However, Lawler is very much in the twilight of his career and is currently on a four-fight losing streak. It should be noted that each of his four losses have been against high-level opposition: Neil Magny, Colby Covington, Ben Askren and Rafael Dos Anjos.
Lawler also still holds a ranking at 170-lbs, in the 14th position. This may well be a perfect introduction to the division for Lee. Both men are looking to get a much-needed win on their records.
Mike Perry's response to Kevin Lee
Whilst Lawler is yet to react to Lee's callout, Perry has since responded via an Instagram story. 'Platinum' Perry stated the following via Instagram:
"Idk if the time works for me but maybe you should stay in your weight class."
This prompted a small back and forth between the two fighters and Lee replied:
"I'm coming to take your weight class so wassup."
This led to Perry agreeing to the fight, but not until Lee has notched a win at 170-lbs:
"Go get the win July 10th, and later this year, I'm up for it," Perry replied.
