Kevin Lee has recently joined the PFL, but he states his issues with the GFL promotion are far from resolved. The former interim UFC title contender was initially slated to be a part of GFL`s anticipated launch this year.
The new league had announced its debut events for May 24 and 25, featuring prominent fighters such as Tony Ferguson, Anthony Pettis, Holly Holm, Urijah Faber, Benson Henderson, Paige VanZant, Sage Northcutt, and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, among many other well-known names from the MMA community.
While Lee wasn`t scheduled for those specific dates, his inclusion on the GFL roster was announced in December. Just six months later, he is now signed with PFL and is preparing to compete against Gadzhi Rabadanov at PFL 5 on June 20.
Speaking on SiriusXM, Lee claimed that GFL took advantage of fighters by making financial promises they failed to uphold. He revealed that he and his team plan to pursue legal action.
“Over the past year or so, we engaged in significant discussions with GFL,” Lee stated. “They presented themselves as the new emerging promotion, aiming to be the next major force. I fully supported them. The conversations were promising, but there was no follow-through.”
Lee added, “I cannot elaborate too much on the situation as we are now involved in legal proceedings. I will be suing them for defamation and extortion. I believe they exploited fighters like myself, using our names to establish themselves as a prominent entity in the MMA promotion world, yet nothing materialized.”
GFL founder Darren Owen attributed the event cancellations to a primary investor who failed to fulfill their funding commitment. He maintained that he still intends to launch the promotion in the future. However, Alan Belcher, another veteran combat sports athlete signed by GFL, publicly labeled the league a “scam.”
Lee now appears to be on more stable footing as he prepares for his fight against Rabadanov, an opponent boasting an 11-fight win streak and undefeated since 2020. Lee is stepping in as a replacement for the injured Jay Jay Wilson. An upset victory against the current 2024 PFL lightweight tournament champion could potentially fast-track him directly to the finals.
When asked if he views this fight as a chance to make a statement, Lee responded, “That is precisely the case, and it`s my sole focus. My entire attention is on this. For the past six or seven months, my only goal has been to return to the top and compete against a premier lightweight. And this opponent fits that description.”
“Some believe the UFC holds all the best fighters, but this guy is an elite competitor,” Lee continued. “So, when I step in there and defeat him on June 20, I will prove that I remain among the world`s best lightweights. I sense that many people have dismissed me. They either forget about me or simply write me off. I`m unsure what they`re thinking, but it`s irrelevant to me.”
Lee concluded, “I see the doubt, and I hope it persists. I hope they continue to overlook me. I will demonstrate it emphatically on June 20 when I face a lightweight who has repeatedly proven his worth. By decisively stopping him, I will show that I am still a top lightweight, just as I was years ago.”
