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UFC lightweight Kevin Lee shares Justin Gaethje’s enthusiasm for a fight later this year.

Lee (17-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) on Tuesday told MMAjunkie Radio he’s leaning toward Gaethje (19-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) over other opponents, including former opponent Al Iaquinta (13-4-1 MMA, 8-3 UFC), whom he called “too finicky.”

“I like the Gaethje fight,” said Lee, who in April rebounded from a loss to Tony Ferguson with a lopsided TKO of Edson Barboza (19-6 MMA, 13-6 UFC). “I think that’s the one I’m leaning toward. Gaethje wants to fight. Gaethje doesn’t give a (expletive). We talk about it ourselves.”

Gaethje is just a few days removed from a quick knockout of James Vick (13-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 135. Although he said afterward that a break from competition (and a raise) is his first priority, he objects to the fight between Lee and Iaquinta, who withdrew from this past Saturday’s headliner for undisclosed reasons.

“I better fight @MoTownPhenom or @ALIAQUINTA before they even think about fighting each other,” he wrote. “Al backed out and Kevin is next.”

Lee said he met with Gaethje in Las Vegas and got a picture with the standout lightweight. The two were friendly and talked up a fight.

“It’s just on what timing it’s going to be,” Lee said.

The rapport contrasts with a long back and forth on social media between Lee and Iaquinta. Although Lee indicates he entertained a rematch with the onetime lightweight title challenger, who beat him via decision in 2014, he appears to have moved on.

“He’s too back and forth, and I’m not about to sign a contract with anybody that I don’t think is going to show up, or is going to give me a bunch of hassle and back and forth,” Lee said. “He wants to go back and forth on Twitter more than anything.

“It’s like, look, bro, I’m working. Don’t bother me. Quit (expletive) tweeting me. If you want me, then there’s two or three people you have to go through to get to me for a reason.”

Lee anticipates when he does return to work, it will be in a headlining fight.

Today, though, Iaquinta tweeted at Gaethje that he’s fighting Lee next. And the merry-go-round continues.

For more on the upcoming UFC schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.