The UFC APEX facility was there to “save the day” when the promotion needed a place to stage fight cards during COVID-19. But what started as a temporary fix has slowly evolved into a full-time solution for the world’s largest (and richest) MMA promotion, which can save boatloads of cash by eliminating travel costs.
Just don’t expect any high fives or butt slaps from combatants like Kevin Lee.
“I wish it was in front of more fans,” Lee said during the UFC Vegas 76 media day (watch the replay here). “I don’t know how many people are gonna be at APEX but it’s kinda stupid, I don’t know what we’re doing, you know what I mean? The pandemic’s over, I don’t know if people got the message, if they sent out the telegram. I don’t know what we’re still doing here. I get there’s money to be had but it’s kinda stupid.”
Lee (19-7) parted ways with UFC back in late 2021 and made a quick pit stop at Eagle FC, claiming a decision victory over fellow UFC export Diego Sanchez. “Motown Phenom” would later re-sign with the Endeavor-owned promotion and will make his return against Russian welterweight Rinat Fakhretdinov this Sat. night (July 1) at — you guessed it — APEX in Las Vegas.
Home to “rich-ass motherf*ckers” like Mark Zuckerberg.
“It’s a different energy when it’s thousands and thousands of people screaming, it’s a different level of feeling,” Lee continued. “It’s why when I want fights like the Charles Oliveira fight again, it’s a different feeling. I wish that was happening but I’m gonna make do with what I do. I’m gonna go out there on Saturday in front of the two, three hundred rich-ass motherf*ckers who wanna see me bleed and we gonna get it in.”
To see who else is fighting at UFC Vegas 76 click here.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
