Kevin Lee is the latest ranked contender to move up to a heavier weight class.
The No. 5-ranked lightweight contender is set to make his welterweight debut against former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of a May 18 UFC Fight Night card in Rochester, N.Y., as first reported by the Democrat and Chronicle.
Lee (17-4) stands five-foot-nine, which is short for the 170-pound weight class, but the cut down to 155 pounds became too difficult for him. The 26-year-old has dropped two of his last three outings with losses to Al Iaquinta and Tony Ferguson sandwiching a thrilling victory over Edson Barboza.
In recent years, lightweights-turned-welterweights Jorge Masvidal, Donald Cerrone, Michael Chiesa and dos Anjos are among those who had immediate success upon moving from 155 to 170 pounds.
Dos Anjos (28-11) went 3-0 in 2017 in his first three welterweight bouts after leaving lightweight and was one win away from earning a title fight. However, dropping back-to-back unanimous decisions to No. 2-ranked Colby Covington and current champion Kamaru Usman in 2018 has the Brazilian looking to avoid the first three-fight losing skid of his MMA career.
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