Kevin Lee trashes “weird” and “not smart” UFC 216 opponent Tony Ferguson

Earlier this month, we learned that top lightweight contender Tony Ferguson would be fighting Kevin Lee – not the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov – for the UFC interim lightweight title at UFC 216 this October 7. It did not take long for Lee to start bashing his surprising UFC 216 opponent – and Nurmagomedov.

“I’m going to beat the fuck out of Tony,” Lee said on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour (h/t MMAMania) “Look, we can take away all the vision, all that, I am going to beat the fuck out of Tony. The man disrespected me, I don’t take that shit. The dude is weird, he’s not that smart. I’m going to crush him in every press conference — or conference call — that we got because the man is really not that smart.”

“I don’t know what his deal is,” he continued. “He’s been hanging out with Eddie Bravo. I listen to Joe Rogan’s podcast, too, and I know what them dudes is in to. They in to some weird old shit. There is a reason why he keeps wearing them sunglasses. I ain’t going to put his business out there like that, I’m going to let him do his own thing. But, I’m just saying I ain’t moving to L.A., I will keep it here in Vegas where the grass is greener.”

Lee then went off on undisputed lightweight champ Conor McGregor, and Nurmagomedov, saying neither is really worthy of being in championship conversations.

“This is for the real lightweight championship because we have the most fights and we’ve already been through all of these top contenders. Look at Conor, he’s only beaten one guy at 155. Khabib hasn’t beaten anybody in the Top 10. So, this is for the real Lightweight championship and I think that’s what the folks wanted to see.”

“You want to see [the division] move on, new blood and new generation,” Lee continued. “UFC is on their way and they know I’m the new generation in this motherfucker and I am going to put Tony down and show the rest of them, too.”

Do you think Kevin Lee can take out Tony Ferguson at UFC 216?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 8/22/2017.