‘This is Not Only About Kevin Lee’- Khabib Nurmagomedov Says He Has Created a Completely New Weight Division

Former UFC champion turned MMA promoter, Khabib Nurmagomedov spoke to Brett Okamoto from ESPN about his new venture, Eagle FC. Nurmagomedov is looking to expand his MMA organization to the U.S and he has some massive expansion plans in store. One such plan will be the inclusion of the 165-pound weight class, a revolutionary change in MMA.

Several marquee MMA promotions like UFC, Bellator, etc have refrained from setting up a 165-pound division. However, it has been the need of the hour for a while now considering the 15-pound gap that exists between lightweight and welterweight. It seems as though Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC has decided to be the first to bring such a massive change.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC signs Kevin Lee

Khabib Nurmagomedov announced the acquisition of Kevin Lee along with the unveiling of a new weight class. Chiefly, it’s fitting that both these factors play out together since Kevin Lee has always been vocal about a 165-pound weight class. However, Nurmagomedov clarified that the change was implemented to benefit not only Lee, but other fighters as well.

“We sign him [Kevin Lee] and we make new division 165. I think it’s going to be big news for a lot of fighters around the world. I know many fighters they want 165 because there’s a lot of fighters who cannot make 155 and they little bit small for 170…. Now we’re going to move 165, 175, 185.”

“This is not only about Kevin Lee, this is about a lot of fighters. 15 pounds between like 155 and 170 is a little bit big. I know when I was fighter how it was feeling… we’re going to be first and I think a lot of fighters are going to be happy with us.”

The aforementioned move is massive for the MMA world given the magnitude of fighters who want a new weight class. Kevin Lee will most certainly benefit from this change considering his long-standing difficulty in finding the weight class that works for him. It remains to be seen if other MMA promotions follow suit with the installation of a 165-pound weight class.

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