UFC 244 results: Kevin Lee knocks Gregor Gillespie cold with head kick

Kevin Lee is clearly ready for another run in the UFC’s lightweight division.

Fighting in his opponent’s home territory at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, Lee (17-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) knocked previously unbeaten Gregor Gillespie cold with a vicious head kick. The time of the knockout in the main-card opener was 2:47 of the opening round.

“I needed to make (a statement) tonight,” Lee said. “Coming in here, my back was against the wall, I was taking on the most decorated wrestler in the division, I needed to put on a show.”

Lee, a former interim lightweight title challenger, was coming back down to 155 after a one-fight stint at welterweight, and he seemed no worse for wear after all his changes. The fight seemed to be contested at a feeling-out pace until Gillespie (13-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) whiffed with a left hand, which prompted Lee to land a solid right to the temple.

Gillespie barely knew what hit him when Lee followed up with a perfectly-placed left kick to the face, which knocked Gillespie cold. It took a minute or two for the Long Island native to come around.

The victory was Lee’s second in his past four fights and his 11th career finish.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 244 results include:

• Kevin Lee def. Gregor Gillespie via KO (head kick) — Round 1, 2:47
• Corey Anderson def. Johnny Walker via (TKO) punches – Round 1, 2:07
• Shane Burgos def. Makwan Amirkhani via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:42
• Edmen Shahbazyan def. Brad Tavares via knockout (punches – Round 1, 2:27
• Jair Rozenstruik def. Andrei Arlovski via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:29
• Katlyn Chookagian def. Jennifer Maia via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Lyman Good def. Chance Rencountre via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 2:03
• Hakeem Dawodu def. Julio Arce via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)