Tragically, up-and-coming MMA fighter Victoria Lee passed away last month at the tender age of 18. Her sister Angela made this heartbreaking announcement over the weekend on social media. The deceased had been competing in ONE Championship and was making a name for herself in her field before her untimely demise.
The cause of death remains unknown.
In a heartfelt message shared via Instagram, Angela Lee expressed her sorrow on Dec. 26 upon hearing the news of Victoria Lee’s passing; calling her “the most beautiful soul”.
“She has gone too soon and our family has been completely devastated since then,” Angela Lee wrote. “We miss her. More than anything in this world. Our family will never be the same. Life will never be the same. We miss you so much sis. More than you could ever realize. We’re all broken. Because a piece of you was in each of us and when you left, those pieces were ripped out of us. We will never be the same.”
When Victoria Lee joined ONE Championship in 2020, she continued the proud tradition of excellence that was set by her siblings. Angela Lee currently holds onto the atomweight title while Christian Lee is triumphant as lightweight champion – paving a path for their beloved sister to follow suit and achieve greatness too!
CEO Chatri Sityodtong of ONE Championship highly praised the prodigy, as the “single greatest pound-for-pound female prospect in the world.”
Prior to her passing, she held an impressive 3-0 professional record. Lee’s MMA debut came in 2021 when she was triumphant over Sunisa Srian due to a rear-naked choke. She continually juggled both martial arts and her studies up until September of 2021.
The ONE Championship team is devastated over the tragic passing of Victoria Lee. We send our most heartfelt condolences to her family and friends at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/EUIp8jplxN
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) January 8, 2023
Before Lee ventured into the world of MMA, she had already won two Pankration championships and Hawaii’s junior wrestling title in both 2019 and 2020.
“I am heartbroken by Victoria Lee’s passing,” Sityodtong stated. “I first met Victoria when she was 11 years old. I watched her blossom over the years as a martial artist and a human being. I always remember thinking how wise, thoughtful, and selfless she was beyond her years. Of course, she was an extraordinary martial arts prodigy even back then, but I could see that she was so much more than that. Victoria had the purest heart of gold and a brilliant mind. She looked after others before herself. She wanted to use her life to help the world. I will always remember Victoria for the beautiful and precious soul that she was.”