ONE Championship’s Victoria Lee dies at 18 years old, MMA world in mourning
- The younger sister of ONE champions Angela and Christian Lee, Victoria died on December 26 in Hawaii
- Her cause of death has not been made public; a celebration of her life is set for January 22
ONE Championship atomweight Victoria Lee has died at the age of 18.
Her death on December 26 in Hawaii was publicly announced by the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park and Funeral Homes in Kaneohe on Friday, and confirmed by her sister Angela Lee, ONE’s atomweight MMA champion, on Saturday.
Lee’s cause of death has not been made public. A celebration of her life has been scheduled for January 22 before her burial.
ONE: Chatri pays tribute to Victoria Lee after death at 18
“On December 26, 2022 our family experienced something no family should ever have to go through,” Angela Lee wrote in an Instagram post.
“It is incredibly difficult to say this … Our Victoria passed away. She has gone too soon and our family has been completely devastated since then.
“We miss her. More than anything in this world. Our family will never be the same. Life will never be the same.”
Victoria Lee was slated to compete in her fourth pro fight, opposite India’s Zeba Bano, at ONE on Prime Video 6 on January 14 in Bangkok.
Also the younger sister of ONE lightweight and welterweight MMA champion Christian Lee, “The Prodigy” made her professional MMA debut with the promotion in February 2021, defeating Thailand’s Sunisa Srisen by submission with a rear-naked choke just over a minute into the second round.
Her second fight came in July of the same year, when she scored another quick submission with an armbar against China’s Wang Luping in less than four minutes.
She made her third walk to the ONE Circle two months later, defeating Victoria Souza of Brazil by first-round TKO.
“Victoria was the most beautiful soul who ever lived,” Angela Lee added in her post. “She was the best little sister in the world. The best daughter, the best granddaughter and the best auntie.
“We miss you so much sis. More than you could ever realise. 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.
“Each and every little thing makes me think of you. From the sun rays, to the sunset. You taught us to see the beauty in the simple things. You were our bright light. Our sunshine. And that will never change. You were perfect in every way. The best person I knew. The most beautiful girl, inside and out.
“We love you Victoria. I love you Sprout. Until the end of time.
“Please give our family grace and respect during this most difficult time. And please, check on your loved ones. Keep checking on them. Give them hugs and tell them how much they mean to you. You just never know.”
Victoria Sun-hei Lee was born on May 17, 2004 in Wahiawa, Hawaii. She had lived in Mililani with her parents Ken and Jewelz Lee, as well as her 17-year-old brother Adrian Lee, who won an amateur MMA title in Hilo, Hawaii, on December 18.
“Super proud of my little bro for winning the Toughman Pankration World Title (2nd round top guillotine),” Lee wrote in her final Instagram post.
The Lee family has requested that any donations in Victoria’s memory be made to Hawaii Food Bank.
The ONE Championship world was left in shock at the news on Saturday.
“This cannot be real,” wrote former two-division MMA champion Aung La N Sang. “I am so sorry to hear that, condolences to the Lee family.”
“I am so sorry for your loss. Sending all my love to your family,” former ONE fighter Bi Nguyen wrote in a reply to Angela Lee’s post.
“Sending love to the family,” said former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway, who also lives in Hawaii.
