Victoria Lee
Victoria Lee (May 17, 2004 – December 26, 2022) was an American mixed martial artist who competed in the atomweight division of ONE Championship. Born in Wahiawa, Hawaii, to Chinese-Singaporean father Ken Lee and South Korean-born Canadian mother Jewelz Lee, she was the youngest daughter in a prominent martial arts family that included her siblings Angela Lee and Christian Lee, both multi-time ONE world champions. Known by the nickname "The Prodigy," Lee maintained an undefeated professional record of 3–0, all by finish, before her death by suicide at age 18. Following her death, the family permanently closed United MMA gym.[1][2][3][4] Lee grew up immersed in martial arts, training from a young age at her family's United MMA gym in Hawaii under the guidance of her father, a former competitor and coach. Her early achievements included becoming a two-time Pankration Junior World Champion, the 2019 IMMAF Junior World Champion, the 2020 Hawaii State Wrestling Champion, and earning 15 NAGA Expert Championship titles across grappling disciplines. Signed to ONE Championship at age 16, she made her professional debut in February 2021 at ONE: Fists of Fury, submitting Sunisa Srisan in the second round via rear-naked choke. Lee followed with a first-round triangle armbar victory over Wang Luping at ONE: Battleground in July 2021 and a second-round TKO of Victoria Souza at ONE: Revolution in September 2021, establishing her as a rising star with versatile finishing skills in submissions and striking.[1][5] Though her professional career was brief, Lee's potential was widely recognized within the MMA community, where she was seen as a future title contender following in the footsteps of her champion siblings; she fought under the Singapore flag in honor of her father's heritage. Her untimely passing prompted tributes from figures like ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong and former champion Aung La Nsang, highlighting her talent and the impact of her family's legacy in the sport. In response, her sister Angela Lee launched Fightstory, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention in the combat sports community.[6][7][4]Background
Early life
Victoria Lee was born on May 17, 2004, in Wahiawa, Hawaii, to parents Ken Lee, a Chinese-Singaporean father, and Jewelz Lee, a Korean-Canadian mother.[8][9] She grew up in the Mililani area of Hawaii alongside her siblings, including older brother Christian and sister Angela, in a close-knit family environment that emphasized support and balance in daily life.[10] During her childhood, Lee enjoyed typical activities in Hawaii's island setting, such as spending time at the beach and caring for the family's four dogs, which provided a sense of normalcy amid her developing interests.[10] She also developed a passion for cooking and baking, often preparing cheesecakes and other treats in the kitchen for her family, reflecting her creative and nurturing side up to her early teenage years.[10] Lee attended Mililani High School, where she prioritized her academics, managing her studies through online schooling to maintain strong grades while engaging in everyday teenage pursuits.[11][12] By age 14, her focus remained on schoolwork and family-oriented hobbies, contributing to her well-rounded personal development before deeper involvement in other areas.[10]Family and influences
Victoria Lee was born on May 17, 2004, in Wahiawa, Hawaii, where she spent her early childhood immersed in a family deeply rooted in martial arts.[8] Her parents, Ken and Jewelz Lee, played pivotal roles in shaping her path into combat sports. Ken Lee, a Singaporean with black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, pankration, and other disciplines, has extensive experience as a martial arts trainer and coach; he founded the family's United MMA gym in Hawaii, where he instructed his children starting with self-defense fundamentals.[13][14][1] Jewelz Lee, a South Korean-born Canadian and fellow martial arts coach, provided unwavering support, including facilitating the family's training shifts toward Singapore in 2015 as her older children pursued opportunities with ONE Championship at Evolve MMA.[15][16] Victoria has credited both parents as her primary influences, noting how their coaching integrated martial arts into daily family life.[15] As the youngest daughter in the renowned "Lee fighting family," Victoria grew up alongside her siblings, who fostered a competitive yet supportive dynamic centered on shared training and mutual motivation. Her older sister, Angela Lee, is a former ONE atomweight world champion, while her brother, Christian Lee, holds the ONE lightweight world title; both are accomplished professional MMA fighters who debuted young and achieved rapid success in the promotion.[17][6] This familial environment, marked by sibling sparring sessions and collective gym routines, instilled discipline and resilience in Victoria from an early age.[10] Victoria's initial exposure to martial arts began through the family gym at United MMA in Hawaii, where she trained casually under her father's guidance alongside her siblings. Around age 13 or 14, she intensified her involvement, transitioning to more structured sessions that included preparation for national and international competitions, and later incorporating training at Evolve MMA in Singapore to align with her family's professional pursuits.[1][18] This progression from family-oriented practice to elite-level development highlighted the seamless blend of personal and athletic growth within the Lee household.[6]MMA Career
Amateur accomplishments
Victoria Lee began her competitive martial arts training around age 13, focusing on disciplines such as kickboxing and grappling at her family's United MMA gym in Hawaii, where she trained under her father and alongside her siblings. She intensified her regimen at age 13 or 14 to prepare for national and international competitions, building a strong foundation in striking and submissions.[18][1] Lee quickly rose in the amateur ranks, capturing the Pankration Junior World Championship in the -57 kg division in 2019 and repeating as champion in 2020, both times representing Hawaii. These victories highlighted her versatility in a combat sport blending striking, wrestling, and submissions.[1][19][20] In 2019, she earned gold at the IMMAF Youth World Championships in Rome, Italy, winning the women's Youth B -57 kg category with a second-round rear-naked choke submission over Ilaria Leto of Italy. The following year, Lee dominated the Hawaii State Wrestling Championships at 117 pounds, pinning her opponent in under two minutes to claim the title. She also secured 15 Expert Division wins at NAGA grappling tournaments, demonstrating her ground control and jiu-jitsu skills.[1][21][22] Her success extended to international amateur events, including IMMAF training camps and pankration world championships, where she maintained an undefeated record across multiple disciplines. This impressive amateur resume led to her signing a professional contract with ONE Championship at age 16 in September 2020.[1][23][3]Professional fights and record
Victoria Lee signed a professional contract with ONE Championship in September 2020 at the age of 16, marking her entry into the atomweight division as the youngest sibling in her family's storied martial arts lineage.[24][19] Her professional debut occurred on February 26, 2021, at ONE: Fists of Fury in Singapore, where she faced Sunisa Srisen, an experienced Thai strawweight fighter from Mister Kok Gym known for her striking power and resilient grappling defense.[25][26] In a bout that tested Lee's transition from amateur success to professional pressure, she absorbed an early hip-toss takedown from Srisen but quickly reversed position, showcasing her superior ground control and jiu-jitsu fundamentals to secure a rear-naked choke submission at 1:03 of the second round.[25][3] This victory highlighted Lee's adaptive strategy of capitalizing on transitions to neutralize strikers, earning her immediate recognition as a prodigy in the promotion.[27] Lee's second professional fight took place on July 30, 2021, at ONE: Battleground in Singapore against Wang Luping, a Chinese wrestler and grappler with a 5-4 record entering the matchup, noted for her aggressive takedown attempts and ground-based attacks.[28][29] Employing a counter-grappling approach, Lee defended multiple entries from Wang, then transitioned fluidly into a triangle armbar setup from the bottom position, forcing the tap at 3:22 of the first round via unanimous referee stoppage.[3][27] This finish demonstrated her opportunistic submission hunting against wrestling-oriented opponents, solidifying her undefeated streak and positioning her as a rising threat in atomweight.[28] On September 24, 2021, at ONE: Revolution in Singapore, Lee encountered her most formidable test yet in Victoria Souza, a Brazilian striker with an unblemished 5-0 record, three of which ended by stoppage, bringing a blend of Muay Thai striking and aggressive forward pressure.[30][31] Lee dictated the pace with precise takedowns and dominant top control, weathering Souza's early stand-up exchanges before unleashing ground-and-pound strikes that prompted a TKO stoppage at 3:58 of the second round.[3][27] Her strategy emphasized clinch work to close distance and exhaust the striker, culminating in a striking finish that showcased her evolving versatility beyond submissions.[30] Lee concluded her professional career with a perfect 3-0 record (two submissions and one TKO), all victories occurring within ONE Championship events in 2021.[3][32] Following her third win, she paused competition in 2022 to prioritize completing high school, graduating in June and expressing intent to resume training full-time for a anticipated return in early 2023.[12][33]| Date | Opponent | Event | Result | Method | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26, 2021 | Sunisa Srisen | ONE: Fists of Fury | Win | Rear-Naked Choke | 2 | 1:03 |
| Jul 30, 2021 | Wang Luping | ONE: Battleground | Win | Triangle Armbar | 1 | 3:22 |
| Sep 24, 2021 | Victoria Souza | ONE: Revolution | Win | TKO (Punches) | 2 | 3:58 |