Veteran mixed martial artist Kevin Lee is poised for a return to a headlining position.
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) announced on Wednesday that Lee (20-8) has officially joined the promotion. He is scheduled to compete in the main event of PFL 5 on June 20, where he will face Gadzhi Rabadanov (25-4-1). Lee steps in as a replacement fighter for the injured Jay Jay Wilson.
This upcoming bout marks Lee`s debut with the PFL. His signing follows an earlier announcement in December that he had joined GFL. However, after GFL cancelled its planned launch events scheduled for May 24 and 25, Lee was apparently free to explore opportunities with other organizations.
The 32-year-old Lee is a former interim lightweight title challenger from his time in the UFC. He later departed the UFC after a period of inconsistent results, concluding his run there with a record of 11-8. He aims to build momentum from his last fight, a regional bout in September where he secured a first-round submission victory over Thiago Oliveira at a Lights Out Championship event.
His opponent, Gadzhi Rabadanov, 31, is the reigning PFL lightweight champion. He earned the title by winning the league`s previous season tournament, defeating Brent Primus in the final. Rabadanov enters this fight riding an impressive 11-fight winning streak stretching back to 2020.
The PFL 5 event card is also expected to feature other lightweight action, including a matchup between Brent Primus and Alfie Davis. Davis is coming off a first-round finish in his last outing.
PFL 5 is set to take place on June 20 at the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
Murray Blackwood