Media Will Kevin Lee finally take Khabib up on his offer if he gets past Iaquinta?

[flyingoctoplata]

Kevin Lee isn't getting the next title shot even with a win in his next fight. Ferguson is in front of him and so is Poirier and Khabib is suspended. If Lee wins Islam would make sense for his next fight.

Agreed 100%

Also with Conor, Tony, Floyd and GSP all ahead of a no name like Lee for a title shot against Khabib, I actually think a win over Islam puts him closer to a shot because beating Khabib's brother would make it personal.

Of course, Lee loses to Islam which is why so many are making excuses for him to duck him.

 

[ybot337]

idk who this guy is

 

[flyingoctoplata]

idk who this guy is

He is basically Khabib.

Both trained under Khabib's father, but joined AKA, both the best fighters in the division

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Agreed 100%

Also with Conor, Tony, Floyd and GSP all ahead of a no name like Lee for a title shot against Khabib, I actually think a win over Islam puts him closer to a shot because beating Khabib's brother would make it personal.

Of course, Lee loses to Islam which is why so many are making excuses for him to duck him.

Yeah, Lee would be able to talk shit about beating 2 Russians and beating up Khabib's "brother" which would be good for promoting the fight and if you can get more people interested by talking you get title shots faster. Islam would be a bigger win for Lee than people think because they are ignoring the promotion aspect of MMA. I think Al would be a good fight for Islam too, a fight against either one of them seems like a good fight to make.

If he has to fight someone more like top 15 then Paul Felder would make sense provided he wins his next fight(or it gets scrapped/changed since UFC 233 might get cancelled), I think all of those match ups would be entertaining, I just want Islam to get a solid step up in competition.

 

[ybot337]

He is basically Khabib.

Both trained under Khabib's father, but joined AKA, both the best fighters in the division

oh wow did not know that. thanks. is he the one who got into the brawl and was arrested as well?

 

[flyingoctoplata]

oh wow did not know that. thanks. is he the one who got into the brawl and was arrested as well?

He was in Khabib's corner but was in the crowd during the altercation and not involved.

 

[xP]

He's 16-1, why go so slowly, he probably should have already fought a top 10 guy or someone on the fringe. Lee got ranked in the top 10 by getting a big jump up in competition, I don't see why Islam can't do the same.

Ferguson probably won't fight anyone other than Khabib or Poirier same for Poirier and with Khabib out Ferguson vs Poirier makes the most sense so Lee likely doesn't have the option to fight any of them but would still need a few more wins for a title shot. Islam being Khabib's training partner would probably be one of the fights that does the most for him because we all know that drama sells and beating Islam would be something Lee could use to market himself to get the Khabib fight a bit sooner.

I don't see what's wrong with letting Islam prove himself against Lee besides I don't see a big difference in skill between Trinaldo, Tibau, Lentz and Johnson. They all seem in the same ballpark as one another and Trinaldo was the best guy Lee got before fighting a top 10 guy. Seems like Islam would be making a very similar jump in competition level that Lee did.

I agree that Islam should have stepped up in competition already, i'm not sure why he hasn't. Hes been pretty inactive though with the suspension and what not. Lee had nearly twice as many fights and wins in the UFC before he got Trinaldo. This would be a jump to a top 5 guy, a much larger jump than to a lower top 10-15 guy in Trinaldo.

The drama point is fair, but I just don't think its worth it. Fighting a guy who isn't ranked when you're close to a title shot is high risk low reward. You said there was a third guy who may be ahead of him, i'm not sure who that is but he could fight him or even just a guy in the top 10.

Trinaldo was on a 7 figh winstreak at was pretty much at the peak of his career. That is a much better win than any Islam has. Tibau was coming off a 2+ year layoff and looking at his fights after Islam sparked him, he is pretty clearly past it in 2018. Like I said, Kajan is a good win. Doesn't have the name of Chiesa but pretty close in quality.

All in all it would be a good fight but it doesnt exactly make sense and Islam hasn't really earned it.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

I agree that Islam should have stepped up in competition already, i'm not sure why he hasn't. Hes been pretty inactive though with the suspension and what not. Lee had nearly twice as many fights and wins in the UFC before he got Trinaldo. This would be a jump to a top 5 guy, a much larger jump than to a lower top 10-15 guy in Trinaldo.

The drama point is fair, but I just don't think its worth it. Fighting a guy who isn't ranked when you're close to a title shot is high risk low reward. You said there was a third guy who may be ahead of him, i'm not sure who that is but he could fight him or even just a guy in the top 10.

Trinaldo was on a 7 figh winstreak at was pretty much at the peak of his career. That is a much better win than any Islam has. Tibau was coming off a 2+ year layoff and looking at his fights after Islam sparked him, he is pretty clearly past it in 2018. Like I said, Kajan is a good win. Doesn't have the name of Chiesa but pretty close in quality.

All in all it would be a good fight but it doesnt exactly make sense and Islam hasn't really earned it.

Conor was the third guy as the UFC might just make the rematch for $$$. Lee's jump in competition level was similar to what it would be for Islam, not quite as much but they would both be going from fighting guys in the 15-25 range to top 10 and I don't think Chiesa was too far outside of the top 5 at the time.

It just seems to me that if Lee wants a title shot soon taking a fight with Islam might get him there sooner while Ferguson, Dustin fight and Khabib is suspended. IMO if he beats Al then Islam and the UFC makes Ferguson vs Dustin he's the clear next contender and the whole I beat two Russians from your region of Russia thing would raise Lee's profile. It is a dangerous fight though because Islam is better than his rank indicates.