Vaughan Lee likely headed to flyweight after TUF China Finale

HONG KONG – Vaughan Lee has spent a lot of time thinking about his inconsistent UFC career, visualizing his primary goals, trying to realize what it takes to get himself over the hump.

He’s tried meditation and self-reflection and critical self-analysis. He’s looked at the big picture and focused on the small details. He’s pondered his “perception of the world and life.”

So what did all that effort help the 31-year-old fighter realize?

“That there’s nothing to realize,” he today told MMAjunkie with a bellowing laugh. “Really, it’s been here all the time. You’ve just got to stopping thinking about it. That’s all. I need to go in there and do what I know I can do.”

Lee (13-9-1 MMA, 2-3 UFC) looks to do that on Saturday, when he meets fellow bantamweight Nam Phan (18-12 MMA, 2-5 UFC) in a main-card bout at the TUF China Finale. The fight, which many have labeled a “Fight of the Night” candidate, takes place at The Venetian Macao’s CotaiArena in Macau and streams on UFC Fight Pass.

However, Lee’s recent career reflection did lead him to one potentially big change in his approach to the fight game. Lee, who’s defeated the likes of Norifumi Yamamoto and Motonobu Tezuka while falling short to contenders T.J. Dillashaw and Raphael Assuncao, realized that the 135-pound weight class probably isn’t his best option.

Instead, he said, he could make a simply lifestyle change and have little difficulty getting down to the flyweight division, where he could find a new life and put his bantamweight inconsistency in the past.

“I’m really thinking about going down to flyweight because I’ve been walking around at like 65 kilograms (143 pounds) for a while now, and I think it’s time to ask if I can go down,” he said. “I think that’s the plan really.”

What would it take?

“Eating cleaner,” he said. “I tend to enjoy my food. I love eating. But if I have a clean diet, I’ll be OK, I think.”

The 11-year pro knows there’s no better way to build momentum for his 125-pound debut than beating Phan, whose 2-5 UFC record fails to accurately reflect what a tough out he is. The two-time “Fight of the Night” winner holds records for both strikes absorbed and also strikes landed. In other words, win or lose, expect a firefight against the 30-year-old “TUF 12? vet.

Lee, though, thinks it’s his fight to win. He’s not so worried about Phan as he is his own focus and mental preparation. Both, he said, have plagued his UFC career until now.

“It’s been rocky,” he said. “I blame it on myself really. It’s my mentality. It’s what makes me lose, really. I’m just not believing in myself and not having the confidence in my technique.

“I’m pretty good in the gym, but in a fight, I tend to lose it sometimes. Sorry, I’m not taking anything away from the guys I’ve fought. I just think with my ability, I haven’t shined the way I should.”

For more on the TUF China Finale, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.