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Angela Lee celebrates after submitting Stamp Fairtex at ONE X. Photos: ONE Championship

ONE X: Angela Lee says Ham Seo-hee is next on her hit list at ‘beginning of a new era’

  • Atomweight queen declares ‘it’s the beginning of a new era’ after submitting Stamp Fairtex – and reminding the world she is going nowhere
  • ONE Championship’s ‘mom champ’ says she is ‘looking forward to making history’ with eyes on another tilt at Xiong Jingnan’s strawweight title

ONE Championship’s atomweight queen Angela Lee declared “it’s the beginning of a new era” after submitting Stamp Fairtex on Saturday night in Singapore.

The 25-year-old “mom champ” reminded the world she is going nowhere by retaining her title with a stellar display in the main event of the Asian martial arts promotion’s 10th anniversary spectacular, ONE X.

It was a winning return from a two-and-a-half year absence, which included giving birth to her first child Ava Marie, whom she clutched in her arms while giving a post-fight media scrum backstage at Singapore Indoor Stadium around midnight.

“This was by far my best performance and I just trained really, really hard for this fight,” Lee said. “Having my daughter and coming back, I just wanted to show everybody it’s very possible and it’s doable.

“The physical training was very important, but more than anything, getting myself mentally prepared, just remembering what it’s like to be in that cage again and performing at the highest level. I just wanted to show the world what I could do. You have good days and not so good days, but today was a good day.”

Lee (11-2) admitted she has “unfinished business” with ONE strawweight MMA champion Xiong Jingnan, having suffered her first professional defeat the hands of the Chinese star 3 years ago.

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“That [the strawweight title] sounds good to me,” she said. “I’m so happy to be back. But I’m far from done. This is just the beginning of a new era, a new reign. I’m just looking forward to making history. Mom champ.”

First on her hit list, though, will be South Korean veteran Ham Seo-hee, who secured a second straight win over Filipino Denice Zamboanga on Saturday. This time there was no controversy, after their first fight last September went to a review with the result ultimately upheld.

“I think she did a great job,” Lee said. “I was worried after the first round [when the fight was paused because of an eye injury to Ham], because I was like, ‘Oh no, it’s gonna go to a third one’ or something like that.

Ham Seo-hee takes some time out after an eye injury in the first round against Denice Zamboanga.

“But I was glad she was able to get the win over Denice. She fought hard and she earned it and I think she’s deserving of the next title shot.”

As for when she will get back in the ONE Circle, Lee insisted she wants a quick-ish turnaround after such a long time out – though not that quick, as she will celebrate her daughter’s 1st birthday next month with her family, whom she thanked for making it possible to return to the cage.

“It’s definitely a team effort,” Lee said, smiling across the room at her parents and her husband Bruno, who had accompanied her to Singapore and had been in her corner. “Because doing what I do at the highest level with a baby, you can’t do it alone, it’s impossible.”

Angela Lee and her family celebrate in the ONE Circle after her victory at ONE X.

The 35-year-old former Rizin and Road FC champion Ham (25-8), it seems, will also need a break, t00.

“Actually, while preparing for this fight, I had a lot of injuries,” Ham told the Post. “So in my head during the preparation I was thinking, ‘Can I even make it to the fight?’ So now I won clearly and I don’t have any more controversy. I want to rest up and recover and think about it after that.”

“I can’t say I’m in my prime any more,” added Ham, who has 2 victories since joining ONE Championship, and is riding an 8-fight win streak. “Look at my age. But I’m one of those athletes always striving to improve and get better and working hard for it.”

Ham Seo-hee celebrates her victory over Denice Zamboanga at ONE X.

ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong confirmed Ham will get the next title shot against Lee, though he was unimpressed by her unanimous decision win against former No 1 contender Zamboanga.

“I didn’t think it was a particularly good performance,” Chatri told a media scrum after the event. “But people can have off days, good days, bad days, so I don’t know.

“Obviously, Seo-hee is a legend in the sport, and has a very well-rounded skill set, but in my opinion if she fought the way she did tonight against Angela, the way Angela fought tonight, it wouldn’t be a close fight.”

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