ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong feels it’s a possibility that Christian and Angela Lee might not fight again after their sister Victoria’s death.
Victoria passed away last month at just 18 years old. A cause of death hasn’t been made public, but the MMA community continues to mourn her passing.
Victoria was expected to be a star for ONE for years to come. Some felt she could’ve eventually contended for a title, joining the ranks of her champion siblings Christian and Angela.
Not long after the news of Victoria’s death, United MMA in Hawaii closed its doors. All three Lee siblings trained at United MMA during their respective fight camps.
ONE fans will likely support the Lee family in and out of the cage for years to come, but Sityodtong feels it’s uncertain that Christian and Angela will return.
Chatri Sityodtong: Christian & Angela Lee’s MMA Futures Uncertain
During a recent interview with the South China Morning Post, Sityodtong revealed that Christian and Angela Lee could potentially retire.
“The thought has crossed my mind that it’s possible that Christian and Angela … and I haven’t spoken to them so this is just pure conjecture, but I’ve thought of all the different scenarios,” Sityodtong said of the Lee siblings. “Either they’re not going to fight for a long, long time, and possibly they may later on choose to walk away from everything, but I have no idea…
“I don’t know if it’s true or not, I haven’t asked, but I heard that United MMA is closed down. I don’t know if that is rumours. It has been reported by the media. I have not asked the family. Our conversations have been sharply focused on Victoria, her legacy, and again I’m just sending love and prayers to them.”
ONE will host an annual ‘Victoria Lee Day’ to honor the 18-year-old. Details surrounding the annual tradition haven’t been announced, but the promotion had a pre-fight ceremony to honor Victoria ahead of the January 14th event.
Christian most recently won the ONE welterweight title last November. Before that, he re-claimed the promotion’s lightweight belt in a rematch against Ok Rae Yoon.
Angela won the ONE atomweight championship in 2019 and challenged for the strawweight title last October, losing via unanimous decision. Victoria was 3-0 in her professional career and was scheduled to return earlier this month.
Christian, Angela, and the rest of the Lee family will continue to grieve the loss of Victoria for years to come. Grieving is their priority at present, with a return to the cage appearing to be on the back burner.
All quotes from South China Morning Post