Angela Lee determined to be first Asian female to win MMA world title

Nissi Icasiano

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Angela Lee determined to be first Asian female to win MMA world title
Singaporean prospect Angela Lee seeks to make her own milestone in the sport of mixed martial arts

SINGAPORE – As ONE Championship is set to make history by crowning its first women’s atomweight champion on Friday, May 6, Singaporean prospect Angela also seeks to make her own milestone in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA).

Lee has the chance to become the first Asian female fighter to win an MMA world title if she defeats 24-fight veteran Mei Yamaguchi in the main event of ONE: Ascent to Power.

The 19-year-old Singaporean standout, who grew up on the shores of Waipahu, Hawaii, has proven herself to be one of the top competitors to look out for over the course of 5 bouts.

Lee managed to outclass every cage counterpart that was thrown at her as she won her last 5 outings by submission, with the longest of the fights lasting less than two rounds.

In addition, Lee’s marketability as a prizefighter has lured a lot of attention as her combination of youth and talent makes her a promising combatant.

“In a male-dominated sport like MMA, it has grown in leaps and bounds. The fact that ONE Championship is crowning the first Asian female world champion speaks a lot about MMA’s growth in Asia and equality,” Lee told Rappler.

With the opportunity to create her own landmark in MMA, Lee intends to get the most out of it.

“There is so much more on the line with this being a title fight, but I always rise up to the challenge and thrive under pressure,” she said.

Winning the maiden ONE atomweight (105 pounds) title will be a big step at a very early stage in her professional career, but Lee admits that she has to grind it out to earn the privilege before fully realizing it as a tough test is waiting ahead of her.

“I have to work for it to earn it. Mei has been fighting for a long time. I cannot be complacent or overconfident in this fight against her,” Lee stated.

Although she managed to submit her 5 previous opponents, Lee has yet to compete longer than 8:26 and is fighting for the first time in a 5-round contest.

Meanwhile, Yamaguchi has nearly 5 times as many pro bouts than Lee and has gone the distance in most of those matches.

The 33-year-old Japanese fighter is no stranger to championship fights as she once held the Valkyrie and Deep Jewels women’s featherweight titles.

Yamaguchi, who also made sporadic appearances in several MMA organizations such as Jewels, Pacific Xtreme Combat and Deep, has never been stopped in her 9-year prizefighting run.

Lee recognizes the vast experience that Yamaguchi has and looks to validate her newly-acquired status in MMA at the expense of her seasoned counterpart.

“I’m curious to see how she’s going to prepare for me but as soon as we step into that cage. I’m going to bring it to her and give her everything I’ve got. I don’t think that she’ll be able really handle what’s coming,” she stressed. – Rappler.com

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