Kevin Lee
Active 2014–present · rated in 2 editions · peak overall 83.0
Scouting report
Double-leg takedowns and ground-and-pound propelled Kevin "The Motown Phenom" Lee into an interim lightweight title shot after a run of consecutive stoppage wins. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Lee scored a head-kick knockout of Gregor Gillespie, his wrestling and power reflected in an 88 Wrestling rating, 84 Strength, and 83 Overall score.
Peak ratings
By edition
Lee put together a winning streak between 2016 and 2017 that included a submission win over Magomed Mustafaev, a rear-naked-choke submission of Francisco Trinaldo and a technical submission of Michael Chiesa in Oklahoma City, earning him an interim title bout against Tony Ferguson at UFC 216 in Las Vegas. His NCAA Division II wrestling base, explosive takedowns, and back-take prowess are reflected in an 88 Wrestling and 82 Boxing.
In April 2018 in Atlantic City, Lee dominated Edson Barboza with wrestling and ground-and-pound before scoring a head-kick knockout of undefeated prospect Gregor Gillespie at UFC 244 in Madison Square Garden, after losing to Al Iaquinta on a decision and to Rafael dos Anjos by submission. His athleticism, top rides, and right hand are captured in his 88 Wrestling and 82 Boxing.
Kevin Lee, the Detroit wrestler who went 37 and 0 as a sophomore
Kevin Lee was raised in Detroit and started wrestling in his junior year at Southfield High School. At Grand Valley State he went 37 and 0 as a sophomore before dropping out with two years of eligibility left to chase MMA. That decision led to a lightweight run that included an interim title fight against Tony Ferguson in 2017.
Lee, what each rating says
Boxing. Good, not spectacular. His knockout of Gregor Gillespie in 2019 came in the first round and earned a bonus.
Kickboxing. His lowest number. His finishes named above came by submission or punches, not kicks.
Wrestling. The centre of his skill set. That college background is why he was so effective at grinding opponents down.
BJJ. Strong. He submitted James Moontasri, Magomed Mustafaev, Francisco Trinaldo and Michael Chiesa.
Strength. Solid, and it matches the wrestling base.
Durability. Reasonable. Rinat Fakhretdinov submitted him inside the first minute in 2023 and Leonardo Santos stopped him in 2015.
Cardio. Good enough to go five rounds. He beat Edson Barboza in 2018 when the doctor stopped the fight in round five.
Fight IQ. Solid. He rallied against Barboza after being rocked by a spinning heel kick in round three.
Wrestling is the base of everything
His 88 in wrestling is the highest number he has, and it lines up with his college record. Strength at 84 backs it up. His run of submission wins over Chiesa and Trinaldo in 2017 shows how he turned position into finishes, and his interim title shot came off that momentum. A draft that needs a controlling fighter can find that here.
Kickboxing is the thinnest part of his game
At 80, kickboxing is the lowest figure on his card, with boxing, durability and fight IQ all sitting at 82. Against a striker like Edson Barboza, who rocked him with a spinning heel kick in 2018, he had to survive before he could win. Al Iaquinta also beat him by decision in a 2018 rematch.
Keep exploring
Closest lightweight profiles to Kevin Lee, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Francisco Trinaldobest boxing 84 · weakest fight iq 80
- Jim Millerbest cardio 88 · weakest kickboxing 76
- Gilbert Melendezbest cardio 90 · weakest strength 80
- Paddy Pimblettbest bjj 88 · weakest wrestling 78
- Lightweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Kevin Lee's strongest attribute, Wrestling.
Draft Kevin Lee into your build
Kevin Lee enters the pool on any spin landing on lightweight between 2016 and 2019. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Kevin Lee is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Kevin Lee's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.