Kevin Lee signs with Khabib's Eagle FC

"The Motown Phenom" has a new home.

Former UFC fighter Kevin Lee has signed with Eagle FC, the promotion founded by Khabib Nurmagomedov, it was announced Wednesday.

Lee joined the roster on a multi-fight deal, sources told MMA reporter Ariel Helwani. He's set to debut on March 11, but his opponent hasn't been finalized.

The 29-year-old will compete in Eagle FC's newly launched 165-pound division, per the promotion.

The UFC released Lee from its roster in November, three months after the former interim lightweight title challenger suffered his second straight loss.

Days after his release, Lee said signing with Eagle FC was a possibility, but he was in talks with multiple promotions and planned to accept the most lucrative offer.

Lee is currently serving a six-month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission after testing positive for the amphetamine Adderall, which he uses to treat ADHD.

Lee was once a promising up-and-comer in the UFC and reached an interim title fight with Tony Ferguson in 2017, which he lost by third-round submission. That loss marked the beginning of a slump for the Detroit native, as he went 2-4 to end his Octagon tenure. Lee's biggest UFC wins came against Gregor Gillespie, Edson Barboza, and Michael Chiesa.

Lee signing with Eagle FC is a bit ironic. For years, Lee expressed interest in fighting Nurmagomedov - and later the Russian's protege Islam Makhachev - and believed he'd be the one to hand Nurmagomedov his first professional defeat. The matchup never came to fruition.

Nurmagomedov, a former UFC lightweight champion who retired from active MMA competition in October 2020, purchased an MMA promotion late last year and rebranded it as Eagle FC.

His promotion is set to make its United States debut on Jan. 28 with a heavyweight bout between Tyrone Spong and Sergei Kharitonov. The event is also expected to feature the return of UFC Hall of Famer Rashad Evans, who retired in 2018.