Rafael dos Anjos and Kevin Lee will main event UFC Rochester this weekend (Sat. May 18, 2019) from the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York. The fight will take place at 170 pounds, but “The Motown Phenom” had recently suggested the pair weigh in at 165 pounds. This would be in an effort to send a message to the UFC, that fighters are behind adding a 165-pound division to the promotion.
However, “RDA” doesn’t seem willing to make a “deal with the enemy” before stepping into the cage with Lee this weekend, as he told MMA Fighting:
“I saw that, man, but there’s no deal with the enemy on fight week,” dos Anjos said. “It’s war now. There’s no deal. I’ll make the weight I signed to make, 171 with the extra pound. If he wants to make 165 to show he can do it, it’s up to him.
“I think it would be great to have this division, but I trained for 170 pounds and that’s what I’m going to do. Am I going to make deals with the enemy? No way. It’s war now. You make deals later, become friends later.
“Right now, he’s the man standing in front of me, he’s the man trying to take my dreams, and he won’t succeed.”
Dos Anjos comes off a two-fight losing streak to the likes of Colby Covington and now-champion Kamaru Usman. He hopes to get his first win since December of 2017 when he meets Lee. Lee was defeated by Al Iaquinta via unanimous decision in December.
That was seemingly his last fight at 155 pounds, as Lee now tries his hand in the welterweight division. A win over dos Anjos in his division debut could mean some early opportunities at welterweight for the former interim lightweight title challenger.
What do you think about “RDA” refusing to meet Lee at 165 pounds?
