Kevin Lee (photo via UFC)

By FCF Staff

Kevin Lee failed to secure the interim lightweight title last night at UFC 216, and Tyron Woodley believes the rising fighter may have been too amped up for his bout with Tony Ferguson.

Lee outscored Ferguson in the opening round of their bout, but the latter rebounded, and eventually won the interim belt with a nicely executed, triangle choke. During the FOX Sports 1 post-fight show, Woodley had this to say about Lee’s performance (quote via FOX Sports 1 press release):

“Kevin was too pumped up and was too emotional. Tony kept calm. Lee fought well in the first round, and maybe he exerted too much in the first round. If I was his coach, I wouldn’t tell him to do the double leg takedowns that take a lot of energy when you’re tired. You keep with the jab and stay on your feet. When you’re standing in the traditional stance, you don’t move as much, while Tony was standing with his hands down and being very lose and fluid. When Kevin stood in front of Tony and started missing, he got fatigued and then it gets in your head and you start getting hit in the face.”

Ferguson extended his winning streak to 10 with the submission win. Lee, meanwhile, had won five straight prior to last night.