Kevin Lee, self-proclaimed UFC champ without 'hunk of metal': I'll fill Conor McGregor's shoes

OKLAHOMA CITY – Kevin Lee is on a mission to become UFC champion.

No, scratch that.

Ahead of his UFC Fight Night 112 lightweight showdown with new rival Michael Chiesa, Kevin Lee believes he’s already UFC champion.

“For me, every fight is like a championship level fight,” Lee told MMAjunkie before Sunday’s FS1-televised main event from Chesapeake Energy Arena. “I’m a championship level fighter with or without that belt. The belt don’t really mean much to me. … That’s just a hunk of metal.

“To me, I’m a champion with or without it. I’m going into this with the mindset of being a champion. I’m going to fight like a champion. And afterwards I’m still going to be a champion.”

That type of bold talk sounds a little like the current, actual UFC lightweight champion. And that’s not by accident.

Speaking of Conor McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC), Lee (15-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) sees an opportunity for himself and the UFC. With McGregor out of the picture as he prepares for a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, Lee figures somebody needs to step up and be the guy who draws attention to the company.

So the middle finger in Brazil, the flashy clothes and trash-talking physical encounter with Chiesa (14-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) at the UFC’s Summer Kickoff last month, none of it was by accident.

“After (McGregor-Mayweather), I think the sport is going to go into a new genre, and they need somebody to fill them shoes,” Lee said. “I don’t think McGregor is going to come back for a minute anyway. They’re going to be looking for someone new. …

“He’s going to make some money. He’s going to do his thing. He should sit back, enjoy himself. But when he gets back, I’m still here. … So when he gets back, he’s going to have some trouble. But, in the meantime, we’ve got to fill some shoes some way.”

If anyone has a problem, Lee doesn’t much seem to care.

“People going to love you, people going to hate you,” he said. “Eventually they’ll all respect me, though. That’s all I’m looking forward to.”

Check out more of our interview with Lee above.

And for more on UFC Fight Night 112, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.