With a finish in all but one of his 16 career victories, ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian Lee might be the most entertaining fighter in ONE Championship.
At ONE on Prime Video 4 this Friday, November 18, the Singaporean-American phenom will put that reputation on the line when he moves up in weight to challenge Kiamrian Abbasov for the ONE Welterweight World Title.
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As he prepares for his shot at champ-champ status, we take a closer look at five fights that made Lee the world-renowned star he is today.
#1 A Sensational Debut Against David Meak
Lee wasted no time in kicking his career off with a bang. Needing less than 30 seconds to dispatch David Meak at ONE: SPIRIT OF CHAMPIONS in December 2015.
At just 17 years old, the youngster showed off his preternatural aggression and natural punching power. Further, landing practically every strike he threw on his way to a brutal knockout.
With the win, Lee notched one of the most spectacular debuts in ONE Championship history while announcing his arrival to a global audience.
#2 A Bounce-Back Knockout On Kazuki Tokudome
In November 2018, Lee found himself in unchartered territory. For the first–and only–time in his career, he was riding a two-fight, losing streak and fighting with his back against the wall.
At ONE: HEART OF THE LION, “The Warrior” picked up the biggest win of his career up to that point when he dispatched former Pancrase Champion Kazuki Tokudome.
After surviving an early takedown, Lee turned on his trademark aggression to blitz the Japanese star with laser-like punches. Once he brought the action to the canvas, the Singaporean-American dropped massive ground strikes to secure a first-round TKO.
#3 Capturing Gold From Shinya Aoki
Two fights later, Lee moved up from the featherweight division to challenge Japanese MMA icon, Shinya Aoki, for the ONE Lightweight World Title. As he has done time and time again, the Singaporean-American shined under the bright lights. This time, in the main event of ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON.
“The Warrior” took all Aoki could dish out in the first round, miraculously surviving a fully extended armbar and heavy ground-and-pound.
Lee attacked at a furious pace in the second frame. He swarmed the legend with strikes; crumbling him to the ground to capture the ONE Lightweight World Title in an unforgettable fashion.
#4 Quick Work Of Iuri Lapicus
Now a World Champion with a target on his back, Lee’s first World Title defense came in October 2020 at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX when he squared off with Moldovan superstar and then #1-ranked lightweight contender Iuri Lapicus.
Perhaps wanting to show off his world-class ground game; “The Warrior” ran across the Circle to immediately bring the fight to the mat. And although he found himself in a bad spot early, the defending titleholder’s grappling ability soon took over.
When Lapicus made the fateful error of attacking a leg lock, Lee made him pay in a big way. He rained down vicious blows, separating the challenger from consciousness halfway into the first round.
#5 Revenge Against Ok Rae Yoon
At ONE 160 in August, “The Warrior” was once again a challenger after losing his belt to South Korean superstar Ok Rae Yoon. The loss came via a controversial decision just a year earlier.
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But Lee earned his redemption and recaptured the ONE Lightweight World Title by showcasing the best of his striking repertoire. Further dazzling fans inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium with hard, lightning-fast combinations.
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“The Warrior” controlled the action from the start, putting Ok on wobbly legs in the first frame. And then finishing him early in the second with a flurry of knees to the head.
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The victory reestablished Lee as ONE’s top lightweight and one of the sport’s most electrifying performers.
