Victoria Lee, a rising combined martial artist who competed below the ONE Championship promotion, died final month, her sister Angela Lee introduced on Saturday. Lee was 18 years outdated.
No explanation for dying was given.
Angela Lee mentioned Victoria Lee died on Dec. 26 as she mourned ‘essentially the most stunning soul’ in a message on Instagram.
“She has gone too quickly and our household has been utterly devastated since then,” Angela Lee mentioned. “We miss her. Greater than something on this world. Our household won’t ever be the identical. Life won’t ever be the identical.
“We miss you a lot sis. Greater than you may ever realise. We’re all damaged. As a result of a chunk of you was in every of us and once you left, these items had been ripped out of us. We’ll by no means be the identical.”
Victoria Lee adopted in her older siblings’ footsteps when she signed with ONE Championship in 2020. Sister Angela Lee is the present atomweight champion whereas brother Christian Lee holds the light-weight championship.
ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong praised the then-16-year-old prodigy because the “single biggest pound-for-pound feminine prospect on this planet.”
She had a 3-0 skilled file earlier than her dying. Lee made her combined martial arts debut in 2021, defeating Sunisa Srian by rear-naked choke. She final fought in September 2021 as she balanced combined martial arts and her research.
Earlier than she made the leap to MMA, Lee was a two-time Pankration champion and received Hawaii’s junior wrestling championship in 2019 and 2020.
“I’m heartbroken by Victoria Lee’s passing,” Sityodtong mentioned Saturday. “I first met Victoria when she was 11 years outdated. I watched her blossom through the years as a martial artist and a human being. I all the time bear in mind considering how sensible, considerate, and selfless she was past her years.
“After all, she was a unprecedented martial arts prodigy even again then, however I might see that she was a lot greater than that. Victoria had the purest coronary heart of gold and an excellent thoughts. She sorted others earlier than herself. She needed to make use of her life to assist the world. I’ll all the time bear in mind Victoria for the attractive and treasured soul that she was.”
This text was initially revealed by the New York Put up and reproduced with permission
