Lee hasn’t even hit her peak yet
At 20, Vancouver-born belt holder breaking through in MMA world with ONE Championship
Angela Lee is a citizen of the world. Born in Vancouver and raised in Hawaii by her South Korean mother and Singaporean father, the 20-yearold has lived her short adult life in constant movement around the Pacific Rim and to innumerable points beyond.
When asked how she defines herself geographically, Lee can’t pick just one identity.
“I feel like I’m comfortable in any of those areas, any of those countries,” Lee said. “I think it’s a blessing to have so much mixed culture.”
Lee also doesn’t fit into any particular box as one of the world’s most intriguing up-and-coming mixed martial artists. The daughter of two martial arts instructors is a gifted wrestler, a strong striker and a prototype for the next generation of well-rounded MMA prospects.
And she didn’t need the UFC to reach the precipice of international stardom, either.
Her popularity and success were further solidified Friday when she submitted Brazilian kick-boxer Istela Nunes in the second round via anaconda choke in their ONE Championship atomweight championship fight.
“The anaconda choke is one of our favourites, so I was really happy to win with that submission tonight,” said Lee, who became the promotion’s inaugural 115-pound champion with a unanimous five-round decision over Japanese veteran Mei Yamaguchi in Singapore last May. Friday marked her second successful title defence.
Lee is now 8-0 in the ONE Championship, the Singapore-based promotion that dominates the burgeoning Asian market for professional MMA, and her fame is already remarkable around Asia, where her combination of talent and charisma has inspired comparison to Ronda Rousey. In just two years as a professional, the former Hawaii state wrestling champion is building buzz while expanding non-Asian MMA fans’ UFC-centric perception of the sport.
“I’m maturing as a fighter, but I still have so much to learn,” Lee said. “That’s the exciting part. I feel like I’m not even close to my peak or my potential yet.”
Lee was the first woman to headline a ONE Championship show last year when she won the promotion’s atomweight — called strawweight by the UFC — title. Her show this week was the second ONE event headlined by a woman and she praises both her promotion and Asian fight fans for embracing the women’s game so quickly.
“When I first started my fighting as an amateur, there were still a few critics saying women shouldn’t be fighting, this and that,” Lee said. “Just in these two years, it’s really been amazing to see the mindset change for people and how they’re looking at these women who are stepping into the cage. We definitely get a lot more respect now. We’ve come a long way and I’m excited for all the progress that is still to come.”
The UFC has never found a solid foothold in the Asian market despite numerous attempts over the years. The promotion is trying again next month with a show at Singapore Indoor Stadium featuring several Asian contenders on a card headlined by former champion Holly Holm and ex-title contender Bethe Correia.
Lee isn’t sure whether she will attend the UFC show next month since she might be at home in Hawaii.
“I’m curious to see what the turnout is going to be like in June,” Lee said. “I don’t know too much about how dominant they (could be) on this side, but I know for sure that ONE Championship sells out stadiums every single time they host an event here. So definitely, I’d say ONE Championship has a lockdown on Asia and the Asian market.”
To answer a question posed to her almost weekly for the past two years, Lee thinks she could handle herself against anybody on the UFC’s 115-pound roster. That includes long-reigning champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, widely considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in the women’s game.
“I would be so game to fight Joanna or any of the UFC girls,” Lee said. “I’m very confident in my skill set against theirs. I have no problem stepping into the cage with any of them.”
But ONE is building a stable of world-class talent to compete with Lee and she intends to keep up her pursuit of stardom and sponsorships from her home base in Singapore.
There is a major downside to pursuing a professional fighting career in Singapore, however: One of the world’s greatest food cities isn’t a great place to be in the final days of a weight cut. She believes she can fight off her current cravings for a huge burger until after her bout.
“It’s definitely a struggle for me, especially when my family wants to go out to eat and of course I’m not going to make them suffer with me,” Lee said with a laugh.