That bout was Lee’s welterweight division debut and now the fighter is going to be returning to the lightweight division.
“I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t feel like that a little bit,” Lee said to ESPN (via Jed Meshew of MMA Fighting). “But I think 155 has always been kind of that home for me. It’s where I started. That’s the title I first wanted. I said, ‘OK, I’ll bounce up to 170.’ It made more sense. I could be healthier and show up to fight more, but I didn’t factor these guys don’t want to fight at 170. There’s a whole lot of muddiness that happened at 170. Kamaru doesn’t want to fight Colby and now they’re making some other weird title that’s going on. It’s a lot to throw into the mix, and for me, I just want to get back to my winning ways. I just want to fight.”
Lee has found some success before when competing at 155 pounds, as he has previously fought Tony Ferguson for the then vacant UFC Interim Lightweight Title at UFC 216.
The fighter isn’t just returning to lightweight, but has an opponent in mind for his divisional return.
“I hear they’re going to Moscow and I hear Islam (Makhachev) might want a fight,” Lee said. “Me and Islam on a co-main in Moscow sounds good to me.”
There has been no word yet from either the UFC or Makhachev as to whether or not the bout with Lee will happen at UFC Fight Night Moscow.