Kevin Lee: ‘McGregor the interim champ, Nurmagomedov turned fight down’

Kevin Lee considers McGregor interim champ, says Nurmagomedov turned fight down (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

UFC lightweight Kevin Lee listens to media questions during a scrum at the UFC headquarters in Las Vegas on Monday, June 19, 2017. Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal @HeidiFang

UFC lightweight Kevin Lee, left, trains for his five-round fight at UFC Fight Night 112 with the founder of Black Kobra Striking Systems, Dewey Cooper, at One Kick's Gym in Las Vegas, Tuesday, June 6, 2017. Heidi Fang /Las Vegas Review-Journal @HeidiFang

UFC lightweight Kevin Lee, left, performs heavy bag drills with his striking coach Dewey Cooper at One Kick's Gym in Las Vegas, Tuesday, June 6, 2017. Heidi Fang /Las Vegas Review-Journal @HeidiFang

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UFC superstar Conor McGregor sets return bout in Las Vegas

By Heidi Fang Las Vegas Review-Journal

August 18, 2017 - 12:43 pm

UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor has only fought once in the lightweight division. Kevin Lee, who will battle for the interim lightweight championship on Oct. 7, says that’s why he considers McGregor the interim champion and his challenger, Tony Ferguson, as the real number one fighter of the 155-pound weight class.

Many had expected that Ferguson would face Khabib Nurmagomedov for the interim title. Lee says Nurmagomedov was offered the fight, but turned it down.

Training out of Las Vegas, Lee says Ferguson is the toughest competitor he will face to date. They will lock horns for the interim UFC lightweight championship at UFC 216 in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena.

Check out the full video interview above.

More MMA: Follow all of our MMA and UFC coverage online at CoveringTheCage.com and @CoveringTheCage on Twitter.

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