Kevin Lee Expects to Go The Distance With Michael Chiesa at UFC Fight Night 112

Kevin Lee spoke with MMAjunkie ahead of his fight with Michael Chiesa at UFC Fight Night 112. Highlights are below:

On Chiesa’s abillity to go the distance: “He’s tough. He’s going to stay in there for 25 minutes. I think that’s going to play even more into my game. It’s going to let me really showcase my skills. I think I’m built for five rounds. When you get into those championship rounds, skill sets everything apart. It’s no longer how fast, how strong you are, because you’re both tired. It’s going to be the skill, and the skills are going to shine.”

On beating Chiesa mentally: “I think he understands that I’m just a better fighter. When it boils down to skill vs. skill, I’m younger, faster, more experienced, stronger. I’ve got all the balls in my court, baby. I think he understands that, and that’s why he gets frustrated. And he’ll get frustrated. After two minutes of the first round, he’ll understand. Mentally, he’ll break. He’s going to stay in there for the long run. He’ll go into a defensive shell. He don’t want to get beat up in front of his mama. So he’s going to go into a defensive shell and try not to get knocked out. But he’s going to be in for a long night, baby.”

On their differences: “We’re polar opposites in every way. He’s a country boy from the middle of the railwoods. He drives an old pickup truck. I’m out here in Las Vegas driving a Benz and wearing a couple of grand on me. We clash in every way, shape and style. The man’s still rocking a mullet, for God’s sakes. So I’m just trying to get the people – one of us has got to have some style in this game. It’s only two of us. I’ve got to pick up the slack for both of us.”

On his beef with Chiesa: “I take it very personally because – Tim Hague just died doing this. It’s serious stuff. It’s not a game, it’s not a joke. I know I’m taking years off my life to do this. I’ve kind of already come to terms with that when I signed that line. Whenever I sign that agreement, I know. It might be a one-in-a-million chance, but if you’re the one, who gives a (expletive)? You’re the one, it’s a 100 percent chance for you. You could die out there. So I take it very seriously. I take every fight very seriously. I take it very personal. When you’re coming after me, when you sign that line to fight me, we ain’t friends. I don’t really (expletive) with you, I don’t really know you, I don’t want really to know you. I don’t watch his interviews, I don’t give a damn about him. I’ll say that to him, I’ll say that to his mama, I’ll say that to his grandmama. I’ll say it to anybody.”