The “easy route” that Kevin Lee thought he would be afforded under the Professional Fighters League (PFL) banner may prove to be anything but, as “The Motown Phenom” has drawn 2024 lightweight tournament winner, Gadzhi Rabadanov, as his first assignment inside the promotion’s Smart Cage.
Get all the details on that matchup here.
“It’s official,” Lee said. “I’m stepping into the PFL lightweight tournament against the No. 1 ranked guy on June 20th.
Fans on social media were respecting Lee’s “gangsta” move but also expressed concern that he was being fed to the “wolves” by way of “bad matchup” at 155 pounds. No doubt Lee is betting on himself and winning the 2025 lightweight tournament would be the best possible way to prove his doubters wrong.
The former UFC lightweight title contender will step in to replace Jay-Jay Wilson in the semifinal round of the 2025 tournament. Lee signed with the promotion earlier this month after Global Fight League (GFL) went up in smoke. Lee was last seen competing under the Lights Out Championship umbrella, defeating Thiago Oliveira via first-round rear-naked choke in Sept. 2024.
That performance followed a brief return to the Octagon, where he lost to Rinat Fakhretdinov via first-round submission.
As for Rabadanov, he punched his ticket to the second round after knocking out Marc Diakiese at PFL 3 just two months ago (see it again here). Rabadanov won the 2024 tournament with a stellar run which includes knockout wins over Michael Dufort and Brent Primus. Now, he will attempt to go back-to-back in an effort to up his stock (and his bank account).
In the co-main event, former Bellator Flyweight Champion Liz Carmouche will face undefeated (8-0) Elora Dana in a women’s flyweight seminal fight.
