Kevin Lee

Kevin Lee (Kevin Jeese Lee Jr., born September 4, 1992) is an American professional mixed martial artist known for his aggressive style and nickname The Motown Phenom. Raised in Detroit after being born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Lee grew up playing basketball before discovering wrestling in his junior year at Southfield High School, later becoming a national tournament qualifier at Grand Valley State University with a perfect 37–0 sophomore record. He left college with two years of eligibility to pursue MMA, moving to Las Vegas in 2014 to train at Xtreme Couture and later at Tristar Gym under Firas Zahabi. Lee debuted in the UFC at UFC 169 against Al Iaquinta, and despite an initial loss he quickly amassed notable victories over fighters such as James Moontasri, Magomed Mustafaev (earning his first Performance of the Night), Michael Chiesa, and Gregor Gillespie, the latter a first‑round knockout that was voted the 2019 Knockout of the Year. He fought for the interim lightweight title against Tony Ferguson at UFC 216, a bout he lost by submission. Throughout his career Lee competed across lightweight, welterweight, and even super‑lightweight divisions, capturing performance bonuses three times and a TWC Lightweight Championship. After a series of weight‑miss issues and a suspension for a positive Adderall test, he was released by the UFC in late 2021, signed with Eagle FC, briefly returned to the UFC in 2023, and announced his retirement later that year, citing financial frustrations. Lee converted to Islam in 2021, has a son born in 2022, and remains active in the sport with appearances in the Professional Fighters League and other promotions as of 2025.