A pair of former lightweight standouts will square off at welterweight in the main event of UFC Rochester.
The Las Vegas-based promotion confirmed to the Democrat and Chronicle on Wednesday that Rafael dos Anjos will meet Kevin Lee in a 170-pound affair at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y., on May 18. UFC Rochester airs in its entirety on ESPN+ and will also include a women’s bantamweight tilt pitting Aspen Ladd against Sijara Eubanks.
A former UFC lightweight champion, dos Anjos began his welterweight tenure with successive triumphs against Tarec Saffiedine, Neil Magny and Robbie Lawler. Since then, the Brazilian has encountered some struggles going against the division’s top wrestlers, dropping five-round decisions to Colby Covington and current champ Kamaru Usman in his last two Octagon appearances.
Lee will be making his 170-pound debut on the heels of a unanimous decision defeat to Al Iaquinta at UFC on Fox 31 this past December. “The Motown Phenom” went 10-3 during his lightweight tenure, suffering a third-round submission loss to Tony Ferguson in an interim title bid at UFC 216 in October 2017.