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MMATorch Interview: 21-year-old Kevin Lee targeting first round finish over Al Iaquinta at UFC 169
Jan 12, 2014 - 3:25:28 PM
MMATorch Interview: 21-year-old Kevin Lee targeting first round finish over Al Iaquinta at UFC 169
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By: Kale Havervold, MMATorch Contributor

21-year-old lightweight Kevin Lee makes his UFC debut in a few weeks at UFC 169, taking on Ultimate Fighter Live runner-up Al Iaquinta. Lee took some time out to speak with MMATorch this weekend ahead of the event, discussing the run that brought him to the UFC, the fight with Iaquinta, and more.

KALE HAVERVOLD: How did you first get into the sport of MMA?

KEVIN LEE: I got into MMA immediately following my first year of College. I was 18 years old at the time and just went and signed up for an amateur MMA fight, without any previous training and only wrestling. I won that fight with a second round TKO, and caught the attention of a coach at a local gym and was there on Monday morning. The rest just took off from there, but MMA was just something that I thought I could do and something I had a real passion to attempt, even at a young age.

HAVERVOLD: When did you know that professional MMA is what you wanted to do with your life?

LEE: I pretty much knew I would be involved in some way with the sport after seeing my first fight on TV way back in 2009 or so, at that point I went and tried wrestling at my high school and took to it very well. I took my first amateur fight in 2011 to start my MMA career, but it actually wasn't until my third professional fight in November of 2012 that I really decided that professional MMA would be what I would be doing with the rest of my life.

HAVERVOLD: For those who don't know your fighting style, tell us a little bit about what a Kevin Lee fight means to you.

LEE: I don't consider myself to have a specific fighting style at all really. When I wrestled, I wrestled with the intentions of going into MMA some day, so I would say that I just try to be as well rounded as possible. I am very aggressive, but I can also counter aggression well. I am just always looking for a way to end a fight, either by knockout, chokeout, or tapout. I'm an MMA fighter and when you're in there you should expect a real fight, win, lose, or draw.

HAVERVOLD: How did it feel to finally get the call to the UFC, and were you expecting the call?

LEE: It definitely felt [like] a huge relief. I was fielding offers from other major promotions left and right but the UFC was my only goal. I was expecting the call at anyday, because it was getting hard to ignore those other dollar signs being thrown at me too.

HAVERVOLD: You are going up against TUF alum Al Iaquinta in your Octagon debut at UFC 169, how do you feel you match up with him? And what do you think of him as a fighter?

LEE: I think Al is a great opponent for me. He's in-your-face and knows he can push a pace for the entire fight. But I'm very confident I can fight any style of fighter out there, regardless of their style. When you have a guy like Al, in his hometown, it makes for a very exciting fight for everyone.

HAVERVOLD: You have had four straight submission victories and your last two have been early first round stoppages. Are you looking to continue the trend at UFC 169?

LEE: Yeah, of course. I plan to finish him in the first round. I'm always working for the KO but if he leaves his neck or an arm or leg out there I'll take the submission too. Most of my submissions have actually [been] caused by my striking first, and I'm always willing to use my entire skill-set to end a fight.

HAVERVOLD: If you could fight any past or present fighter, who would it be?

LEE: I would have to say Georges St-Pierre; not only because he's an idol of mine, but how complete and smart a fighter he is. I would love to see if I can solve that riddle, even if I would be giving up a little bit of style.

HAVERVOLD: At just 21 years old, you are among the youngest competitors in the UFC; what and who has helped you throughout your career to be so talented and successful at such a young age?

LEE: I've had some great coaches here at Triumph MMA in Grand Rapids, Mich. to help me and have stuck by me since early in my career. But I really have to give some credit to all the support and all the lessons I have gotten from my home city of Detroit.

HAVERVOLD: Also, many of your opponents have been highly touted fighters ranging from black belts to Division I All-Americans, what have been some of the key factors to becoming so adept at multiple disciplines a such a young age?

LEE: I think I lot of is just having passion for the sport. When I first saw it, I knew that I wanted to be a part of this sport. I set out early to learn from all the different types of disciplines that I could: grapplers, wrestlers, boxers, muay thai fighters, you name it. I try to be as well rounded as possible and its just none of my past opponents have been able to put it all together better than I can.

HAVERVOLD: You've mentioned that one of your biggest idols is Jose Aldo, who just happens to also be fighting at UFC 169. What about Aldo makes him someone you really look up to?

LEE: I'm definitely excited to see that. I've been a big fan of Jose Aldo since 2009 when I first started watching MMA; I really think that he has been the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world for a long time now. I think people get confused what P4P means, and I don't think there is anyone else who can match up skill for skill with Aldo. He's the most well rounded and one of the most dominant fighters today. I really don't think American fans give the man the respect he deserves, but he never changes his fighting style based on the fan's opinions, which is hard. If I had to pick my three idols would be my childhood idol Floyd Mayweather Jr, Georges St Pierre, and then Jose Aldo.

HAVERVOLD: Anything else you'd like to say to your fans and our readers?

LEE: February 1, Live and Free on Fox Sports 1. Get ready to enjoy.


I'd like to thank Kevin Lee for his great answers and the smooth interview process. Follow him on twitter @MoTownPhenom.


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