When ONE Championship returns with ONE: Battleground, Victoria Lee will be one to keep an eye on
It can be quite difficult to break through when you come into an industry like MMA and are known as, or labeled as, the relative of someone highly successful. In fact, it can be even more challenging when you’re from a family of success.
But ONE Championship seems highly confident in the skills and potential of Victoria Lee, the 17-year-old sister to ONE lightweight champion Christian Lee and ONE atomweight champion Angela Lee. Victoria Lee will be competing at ONE: Battleground on July 30, taking on Wang Lu Ping.
Victoria Lee made her MMA debut at ONE: Fists of Fury in February, scoring a second-round submission of Sunisa Srisen.
Victoria Lee may have the pressures of her last name, but can she break into her own spotlight?
Victoria Lee is still learning, both in the classroom and in the martial arts, and yet there is a big hope that she can soon obtain her own success like her siblings have found.
Victoria Lee was a wrestling champion in Hawaii, and her highly skilled wrestling was on display in the win over Srisen. After a slow start to that bout, Lee found her groove and looked sharp for someone so young and making their professional (not amateur) MMA debut.
Lu Ping is an alumnus of China’s Wu Lin Feng (WLF) promotion, so expect plenty of striking from her. This will be an interesting test to see how Lee does against a striking specialist with a kickboxing background.
And above all, there’s one to remember. The level of competition might be questionable to some, while others may question what a 16-year-old is even doing in professional MMA in the first place.
She will have her challenges and hardships; she is still learning the game. Perfecting this craft is a lifelong experience. But if Lee shows she can compete with some of the best ONE has to offer now at her age while she’s still developing, then imagine how she could look in about a decade when she’s in her athletic prime.