MMA fighter Angela Lee retires from the sport
Lee became ONE’s youngest world champion at the age of 19.
Mixed martial arts fighter Angela Lee carrying her championship belt on stage at the ONE Fight Night 14 event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Sep 30, 2023. (Photo: ONE)
SINGAPORE: Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Angela Lee has announced her retirement from the sport.
In a farewell on Saturday (Sep 30) at the ONE Fight Night 14 event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, Lee thanked fans for their support.
The 27-year-old, who was the ONE atomweight champion, has not fought since October 2022. Her younger sister Victoria took her own life in December last year.
Lee walked out to cheers and applause, before placing her championship belt in the middle of the cage.
She talked about the many battles in and out of the ring and waved at fans.
“I’m here today to officially announce my retirement,” Lee said. “It has been an incredible eight years. I just want to say thank you to the fans, to ONE Championship, to Chatri (Sityodtong), to my teams, and to just everyone. There have been so many battles in and out of the cage.
“The last thing I want to say is this, to the fighters and to everyone out there watching right now. The greatest battle that we’ll ever face won’t be with an opponent standing in front of us.
"The greatest battle will be within ourselves. We all go through struggles, but we all fight. Each day, we’re victorious when we choose to rise up in the face of adversity. So thank you guys so much. I love you. Thank you.”
Thailand's Stamp Fairtex, who stopped South Korean Ham Seo-hee in the third round of their bout to become ONE's new atomweight champion, embraced Lee after her victory.
“I love you so much,” Stamp told Lee. “You’re my idol.” The pair fought in March 2022, with Lee winning via submission.
After stepping out of the cage, Lee carried her two-year-old daughter Ava and was embraced by her husband Bruno Pucci before she left the arena. She leaves ONE with an 11-3 record.
The Singapore-based MMA promotion later posted on Instagram to congratulate Lee on a "legendary career", with fighters like Superbon Singha Mawynn, Abraao Amorim and Ritu Phogat leaving tributes.
Lee fought under the Singapore and US flags and was ONE’s youngest world champion at 19 when she claimed the inaugural women’s Atomweight World Championship in May 2016.
Her brother Christian Lee and her have been in hiatus since their sister’s death.
With her retirement, Lee’s focus will turn to her budding non-profit organisation Fightstory, which she set up in March this year.
Last week, she revealed a car crash in 2017 was not an accident but a suicide attempt.
In an interview with CNA during her first trip back to Singapore since Victoria’s death, she spoke openly about her own mental health struggles and paid tribute to her sister.
“Whether you’re a fighter in the cage, or you’re a teacher or a doctor or a stay-at-home mum, we’re all fighters in our own way,” she said.
