ONE Championship: Angela Lee ‘likely to retire’ after sister Victoria’s death but Christian back next year, CEO Chatri says
- Two-weight champ Christian gives blessing for interim title fights and wants to return ‘100 per cent’ after death of Victoria Lee at 18
- Atomweight MMA champion Angela ‘still undecided’ on her future, with Stamp Fairtex to fight Ham Seo-hee for interim belt in August
Angela Lee is unlikely to fight again after the death of her sister Victoria Lee at 18, but her brother Christian Lee will return to action in ONE Championship next year, CEO Chatri Sityodtong told the Post.
Stamp Fairtex and Ham Seo-hee will now fight in August for an interim title in the atomweight MMA division ruled by Angela, with the 26-year-old not yet vacating her belt.
“Angela Lee is likely not coming back due to the loss of her sister,” the ONE boss said during a Facebook Live question and answer session on Wednesday night.
Angela’s 24-year-old brother Christian, who holds the lightweight and welterweight MMA titles in the Singapore-based martial arts promotion, wants to continue fighting.
“I spoke to Christian – he wants to fight 100 per cent, but he will take the rest of the year off,” Chatri told the Post via text message on Thursday morning.
“He will return next year. We will do interim title fights in both divisions this year to keep everything moving.”
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Christian Lee (17-4) defeated Kiamrian Abbasov via fourth-round TKO in November 2022 to capture his second divisional title at welterweight, having also regained the lightweight belt three months before.
“I spoke to Christian two days ago and he blessed everything,” Chatri added. “I hadn’t talked to him about work stuff since Victoria’s passing. It was our first work talk.
“Angela is still undecided on her return, but could likely retire. Stamp versus Ham is interim.”
Former ONE atomweight Muay Thai and kickboxing champ Stamp recently withdrew from a planned seminar tour of Australia to prepare for an interim title fight with Ham in July. The date has now seemingly been rearranged for ONE Fight Night 13 in August at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
Stamp, 25, made an unsuccessful bid for the atomweight MMA title in March 2022, losing via second-round submission to Angela Lee at the promotion’s 10th anniversary spectacular, ONE X, in Singapore.
It was “Unstoppable” Lee’s first fight for nearly 18 months after giving birth to her first child.
Stamp (10-2) as since rebounded with a comfortable decision win over Jihin Radzuan last September and a second-round body-shot TKO of Alyse Anderson at ONE’s on-ground US debut in Denver in May.
South Korean veteran Ham (26-8), a former UFC star and champion in Rizin, debuted in ONE in September 2021 and has reeled off three straight decision wins.
January 14, her last scheduled fight date, will be remembered as “Victoria Lee Day” in the promotion every year, while the Singapore-based Evolve MMA gym, of which she was a member, will give several scholarships to up-and-coming young fighters.
Chatri will also give out the Victoria Lee Award every year to one fighter who “goes above and beyond” in giving back to their community.
