Kevin Lee doesn't worry about UFC rankings, because 'they don't mean sh*t'

Khabib Nurmagomedov, Tony Ferguson, Eddie Alvarez, Edson Barboza, Justin Gaethje, and Nate Diaz – in that order.

Those are the six fighters ahead of Kevin Lee in the official UFC lightweight rankings, and he’s fought none of them. In fact, Lee holds a victory over just one current fighter in the top 10, Michael Chiesa, who he defeated via controversial submission in June.

With that, No. 7 Lee (16-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) has been granted an interim lightweight title shot against No. 2 Ferguson (22-3 MMA, 12-1 UFC) in the main event of UFC 216, which takes place Oct. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The fact that Lee has “beaten nobody” is a point Ferguson continues to harp on as their fight draws near. To Ferguson, Lee has talked his way into this shot at a belt, which Lee counters that he’s done more than talk, with 11 fights since his UFC debut 3 1/2 years ago.

And besides, Lee doesn’t see the big deal with rankings anyway.

“It don’t really matter,” Lee said during Thursday’s UFC 216 conference call. “Like, I don’t see even why other fighters are putting … them rankings, they don’t matter. Y’all make the rankings. I don’t give a f*ck about the rankings. The only thing everybody above me in this division got on me is some years, is some time. That’s it.”

Taking a look at the rankings, the current landscape of the division is intriguing. It appears McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) likely will forego a unification bout with the Ferguson-Lee winner in favor of a trilogy with Diaz (19-11 MMA, 14-9 UFC). Alvarez and Gaethje are slated to culminate their time as opposing coaches on “The Ultimate Fighter 26” with a showdown. And Nurmagomedov (24-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is in limbo, though he’s said he expects to fight either Ferguson or Lee.

None of that matters to Lee, though. He’s already proclaimed himself UFC champ over McGregor, who is coming off his boxing loss to Floyd Mayweather and hasn’t defended his belt – even without a “hunk of metal.” That should’ve already relayed Ferguson’s beliefs on the rankings.

But just in case it didn’t …

“When you look at the rankings, they don’t mean nothing,” Lee said. “Some of these dudes that’s in the top 25, top 30, they’ll beat any of the guys in the top five. They got Nate Diaz, who’s got plenty of losses, in the top five. It don’t make sense. They got Justin Gaethje, who only got one (UFC) fight against … apparently beating Michael Johnson in this game is really something, because you got Khabib up there at No. 1, and you got Gaethje with one fight up above me.

“The rankings don’t really mean shit. You could say I’m No. 7. You could say whatever you want to say. I think I’m No. 1, and I’m just going to prove it on October 7th.”

For more on UFC 216, visit the UFC Rumors section of the site.