Las Vegas’ Kevin Lee makes point with mouth, fists

After Sage Northcutt successfully made his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut to much fanfare at UFC 192 on Oct. 3, the 19-year-old Texas A&M student was all the rage in the mixed martial arts world.

Not everyone is impressed.

Las Vegan Kevin Lee was listening as Northcutt was interviewed on MMAJunkie Radio on Monday and he immediately called into the show to try to derail the hype train.

Lee, a lightweight with four straight UFC wins, wants to fight Northcutt on the UFC 194 card at MGM Grand on Dec. 12. He doesn't think it would be a very difficult fight, despite Northcutt's 57-second victory over Francisco Trevino.

"As soon as I get in there and hit him a couple times, I think he shuts down," Lee said of Northcutt. "I don't think the kid's ever been through anything. I don't really know the kid, I just know he's a rich, privileged, white boy. As soon as he gets in there with a real fighter and gets some adversity thrown in his face, I think he's going to crumble."

Lee appeared to take exception to the public relations push for Northcutt, which has often lauded the fact he has been attending classes while training for his fight.

Lee, 23, was quick to point out he had earned a degree in bio-medicine while enjoying a very successful wrestling career at Grand Valley State (Mich.), while training in mixed martial arts before entering the UFC.

He feels Northcutt is getting pushed by the organization because he's perceived to be incredibly marketable and he's a "young, suburban rich kid." Lee has previously referred to Northcutt as "pretty" on Twitter.

Lee, who grew up in Detroit, is already scheduled to fight Leonardo Santos at UFC 194. He doesn't believe the UFC will actually allow him to switch opponents to Northcutt and jeopardize his future.

"He'll live the shortest career that the UFC has known," Lee said of Northcutt if the fight is booked.

Lee feels he is speaking for a lot of fighters who won't speak up.

"I think a lot of other fighters feel that," he said. "They won't say (expletive), but I will."

JONES RETURNS TO SOCIAL MEDIA: Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, an active user of social media, has been almost completely silent online since his arrest and eventual suspension in April.

He has on very rare occasions practiced his old habit of posting a quick video or comment and almost immediately deleted it. Jones also posted a link to an official statement after entering a plea deal in an Albuquerque, N.M., courtroom that allowed him to avoid jail time for a hit-and-run accident.

But Jones, who is awaiting word from UFC officials on when his suspension will be lifted, actually posted a tweet this week and kept it up.

"I'm gonna show you how great I am," he posted early Saturday morning, his first actual entry on the social media site in 174 days.

Jones is expected to get an immediate title shot against Daniel Cormier as soon as he is reinstated.

RFA 31 RESULTS-Resurrection Fighting Alliance welterweight champion Gilbert Smith dropped the second and third rounds of his main event bout on a card at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center on Friday night, but rebounded to break Bristol Marunde's jaw in the fourth round to retain the belt.

Smith connected on a left hook and Marunde backed away, prompting the referee to step in.

Also, Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger won all five rounds of a women's strawweight bout over Zoila Frausto to take the organization's vacant title.

WSOF 24: Las Vegas-based World Series of Fighting will host an WSOF 24 in Mashantucket, Conn., on Saturday, headlined by former UFC contenders Jon Fitch and Yushin Okami squaring off in a welterweight bout.

Also, heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov will defend his belt for the first time against Derrick Mehmen.

Lightweight Nick Newell who was born without a left arm below the elbow, will fight Tom Marcellino and UFC veterans Matt Hamill and Vinny Magalhaes will meet in a light heavyweight bout.

The event airs live on NBC Sports Network (Cable 38) at 5:30 p.m.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj