Kevin Lee isn’t accusing the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) of racism, but he feels African-American fighters haven’t been promoted well.
Lee, who has recently earned the 11th spot on the official UFC lightweight rankings, is set to do battle with seventh ranked 155-pounder Michael Chiesa. The two are going to share the Octagon on June 25 inside the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The lightweight scrap will be the main event of UFC Fight Night 112.
During a recent appearance on “The MMA Hour,” Lee admitted he verbally spars with UFC officials on his feelings towards promotion when it comes to African-American fighters (via MMAMania.com):
“Look, I had these same conversations with UFC, and I’m just letting you know because I’m talking to you right now. But I’ve let them know how I feel, that’s just how I am. I’m not one of these fighters that is going to pussy-foot around. Me and Joe (Silva) have had arguments, he’s called me a whole bunch of names, and I called him a whole bunch of names.
“But, I understand, the same reason you do it, is the same reason UFC does it, it’s hard to promote a black fighter. They haven’t broken into the African-American market. So, they don’t want to go all in on it because they don’t know if they are going to get their return. It’s a business just like any other.”
They are not racist, they are not this other sh*t, they are just about the money. Detroit, Philly, Chicago, St. Louis, they just don’t bring the money in for the UFC to go all in on it, which I understand and is fully respectable. So that could be part of it. And like I said, I will get into a few arguments. It’s probably a mix of everything, you know.”
Do you agree with Kevin Lee?
