UFC: Khabib should vacate lightweight title and ‘be missed for a bit’ says Kevin Lee
- Lightweight contender Lee supports Nurmagomedov’s decision, but says he needs to ‘go ahead and retire’ instead of holding up division
- ‘Motown Phenom’ thinks Poirier vs Oliveira ‘makes all the sense’ for a vacant title fight
No 12-ranked UFC lightweight contender Kevin Lee supports Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement plans, but doesn’t think they will stick.
Lightweight champ Nurmagomedov (29-0) announced his retirement after a submission victory over Justin Gaethje (22-3) at UFC 254 last October, but promotional president Dana White remains optimistic the 32-year-old Russian will continue fighting.
“I think the man should go ahead and retire,” Lee, who has previously campaigned for a fight with Nurmagomedov, told SCMP MMA from Las Vegas.
“[The UFC] should let him retire, let him enjoy himself, and let him take his mind off the sport. Dana has said this before: once a guy starts talking about retirement, this isn’t a sport you want to stick around with. You should go ahead and do it and let the division go on.
“Let us keep working,” Lee said. “Let somebody else hold that belt for a little bit. He’ll be back – there’s no doubt about that – but let him be missed for a little bit. I think that’s the best option.”
