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There are levels and layers to every facet of life. Some will progress in a manner that comes in a much faster speed than others while they’re either flowing with things steadily or at a slower pace. Though there will always be differing opinions, there’s no right or wrong momentum one can be carried by. Because progress is progress and advancing forward is the most important part of that process.
Regardless, it’s a rare sight to see lesser experienced athletes that are just starting out be able to excel in MMA with elite levels of success. Of course, it has been done before and young competitors fairly often make names for themselves… But extremely rarely in championship based capacities.
When thinking of two of the youngest champions in MMA history, the obvious first two that come to mind are the youngest UFC champions in Josh Barnett and Jon Jones who won their titles at 24 and 23 respectively. However, for Singapore’s Angela Lee, she became a world champion at the supremely young age of just 20-years old.
Now 22, Lee has established herself as one of the faces of ONE Championship as all nine of her professional bouts have come under the promotion and none of those fights have seen her not get her hand raised in the aftermath.
The ‘Unstoppable’ Lee burst onto the scene at age 19 in 2015 when she fought four times and submitted all four of her opponents. Most impressively of those four was her third pro bout against Natalie Gonzalez Hills whom she scored a twister against. A submission that could arguably be considered the unicorn of submissions in MMA thus showing how high of a skill level Lee already possessed.
Fast forward to 2019 and Lee is on top of the world as the four-time ONE atomweight champion looking to capture a different division’s title in the second female super fight that MMA has ever seen. She’s proven to demand high expectations with her very quick amounts of success, and with the youth, unblemished record, and title around her waist all considered, pressure isn’t something that’s hard to come by.
“There will always be expectations,” Lee told The Body Lock. “Not gonna lie, in the beginning, I use to be overwhelmed by it. Now I’ve learned to deal with it better. I’ve dealt with the pressure and expectations by staying true to who I am. I constantly remind myself of my ‘why’. Why I do what I do. For me, my ‘why’ is my family and my future/my legacy.
“I’m an extremely competitive person. I hate losing and I don’t plan on tainting my record any time soon. I put a tremendous amount of pressure on myself to perform to the best of my ability each and every time.”
Continued: Angela Lee: Shining star with no burnout in sight
