The Stories Behind: Adrian Lee set to continue family legacy after victory on MMA debut

SINGAPORE — After years of watching his older siblings make a name for themselves, Adrian Lee, the younger brother of mixed martial arts (MMA) stars Angela, Christian and the late Victoria, is set to continue his family’s legacy in the ring.

It is not surprising since he hails from a family of MMA fighters, all of whom are highly respected in the community.

Adrian's oldest sister, Angela, was the youngest MMA world champion in history when she won the One Championship women's atomweight world title at the age of 19 in May 2016.

As for Victoria, she was dubbed a prodigy, who held a 3-0 record before taking her own life on Boxing Day in December 2022. She was 18. 

Victoria's death was the turning point of Angela's career, as the older sister, now 27, retired last September to focus on mental health advocacy. 

Both sisters had fought at One Championship events alongside their brother Christian, also a world champion, representing Singapore and the United States.

And now Adrian, 18, is ready. Having trained under Christian, 25, he is the first Lee sibling to fight in the ring again after Victoria’s demise.  

Adrian made his debut at the One Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 8, defeating fellow newcomer Antonio Mammarella via a rear naked choke.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life. I’m so happy I got my turn,” Adrian said to commentator Mitch Chilson after the fight.

Watching his grit and determination in the octagon, it was hard to imagine that this was the same boy I had spoken to in a virtual interview just a few days before.

On camera, he was slightly sheepish, doing his best to tell his story.

I was anxious, too. With tough questions to ask, I didn’t know how he would react, especially those related to his sisters.

Yet, Adrian remained cool and positive, smiling as he described what it was like to follow in his siblings' footsteps.

"It's been amazing. I'm so blessed and lucky to be born into a family full of accomplished athletes. I've seen step-by-step what it takes to get to the top, and I'm excited to start my journey."

He acknowledged feeling the pressure of being the youngest fighter in the family, but much of this is due to his own high standards and expectations.

“One expectation I have is that I’ll always finish all my fights, either by knockouts, TKOs (technical knockouts), or submissions. I don’t plan to leave the decision to the judges,” he said confidently.

“And so far, I’ve had great success doing that.”

Before his One Championship debut, Adrian's credentials were already impressive. He was a four-time national youth MMA champion and he had also won the Pankration World title at a wrestling event in Hawaii.

ON LOSING VICTORIA

It is dizzying just looking at all that Adrian has accomplished at his tender age — he first started training at the age of three and was competing in competitions at four.

However, I had to ask him about how he dealt with loss, especially one that shook not only his family, but also the world. 

My heart pounded as I brought up Victoria, who was undefeated in her career. She made her debut at 16 at a One Championship event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2021 and dominated all three fights that year.  

She was so young when she lost her life, the same age Adrian is now.

I wanted to know how he coped with the tragedy almost two years ago, and what helped him stay focused and motivated in his own journey. 

Adrian’s replies were brief and polished: “I stay motivated and focused by staying in the gym. As long as I’m training, there are no other thoughts.” 

He continued: “My sister Victoria has inspired me in all (aspects) of life, and she’ll continue to walk by my side throughout my journey.”

I could sense Adrian was putting up a brave front, but just a tinge of hesitance gave it away. I quickly apologised to him if my questions made him uncomfortable, but he was cordial about it and told me that it was okay.

Then, when I asked for more personal anecdotes on how Victoria had inspired him, he said: “I’m sorry. Can we skip it?” I readily obliged. 

ON ANGELA’S RETIREMENT 

His response was not entirely unexpected, considering the profound impact of Victoria’s death on the family.

The Lee family later closed their United MMA gym in Hawaii.

It was a decision made by their father, Mr Ken Lee, a Singaporean martial artist who holds black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, pankration and taekwondo.

In September 2023, Angela revealed in an online article for The Players' Tribune website that she herself had attempted suicide in 2017, a period marked by immense pressure and expectations as well as personal challenges.

The website features athletes writing stories or letters in first-person and Angela's article was titled Resilient. She wrote then that she got to a point where she had pushed her mind and body too far, and her car crash in November 2017 was not an accident.

Highlighting the often-hidden struggles faced by some individuals, even those who appear strong and successful, Angela encouraged people to seek help and not to suffer in silence, stressing that mental illness can affect anyone.

After retiring, Angela established Fightstory, a non-profit mental health charity, in Victoria’s honour, advocating for mental wellness in the global fight community.

Adrian said that Angela is no longer involved in MMA. “I think it's great that my sister has started a new path with Fightstory and wants to encourage others to open up about mental health.” 

The family's gym has also reopened as Prodigy Training Centre, where Adrian trains for his fights. In the last eight months, his preparation work intensified from his usual training to set the stage for his debut. 

He had three training sessions almost every day, each session lasting about two to three hours. 

Adrian said that he maintains his mental wellness by staying focused in the gym.

“I put all my focus into MMA because I love it. It’s familiar to me, and it’s my lifestyle.”

He feels fortunate to have made his debut under the guidance of his brother Christian, who keeps him disciplined and on track.

Christian now holds both the One lightweight and welterweight world titles, and was the youngest male world champion in One Championship history, achieving this milestone at 20.

Adrian said: “One piece of advice he's given me that I’ll always remember is to stay focused on the game plan because there are going to be a lot of things that come with MMA, such as media and photoshoots.

“I just have to remember what I came here to do, and that’s to fight.”

LOOKING FORWARD

So, what’s next for Adrian? He told me that after beating Mammarella, he aspires to become a lightweight and welterweight champion, just like his brother. 

Adrian’s parents are throwing their support behind their youngest, too, constantly checking in on him to ensure that he is mentally and physically sound. 

“They support me by buying healthy groceries, which helps keep my weight in check. Sticking to a healthy diet may be difficult at the start, but it’s now very easy for me to stay disciplined.” 

To get a better idea of what an 18-year-old aspiring world champion’s diet looks like, here’s what Adrian has been eating since he was 15: Various sources of protein, vegetables and grains, and nothing fried and processed. 

Still, he enjoys digging into carbs, such as pizza and French baguette, on his "cheat" days.

“Usually, I’ll allow myself to eat whatever I want on those days, then when I get back to my healthy diet, I stick to it.”

He is clear about his goals and pursues them with unwavering dedication. In his shoes, I doubt I would have the same level of determination.

To young, aspiring fighters who dream of a career in MMA, Adrian offers this advice: “As long as you have the heart, motivation and the will to win, you’ll be able to achieve your dreams and goals in MMA.”