The untimely demise of 18-year-old Victoria Lee caused great sorrow for ONE Championship and the MMA community. The youngest of the Lee siblings was touted to be the biggest star in the promotion, matching up the ranks of her siblings, Angela Lee and Christian Lee. Unfortunately, life took its tragic turn, and the 18-year-old is no longer with us. The cause of her death is still unknown. However, the MMA community is still inconsolable over Victoria Lee’s passing. ONE Championship’s boss Chatri Sityodtong himself is in a state of total anguish following the mishap. Furthermore, he is under the impression that the promotion’s stars, Angela Lee and Christian Lee, may discontinue competing after losing their sibling. Sityodtong also has big plans to honor Victoria Lee in the spirit of her legacy.
ONE Championship may lose Lee siblings from the promotion
For the Lee siblings, it will take a long time to recover from such a traumatic loss, and it’s possible that they could lose the drive to compete. Chatri Sityodtong recently spoke with ‘South China Morning Post’ and addressed the question. He’s stated that it is absolutely reasonable and understandable if Angela Lee and Christian Lee chose to discontinue from the promotion, and perhaps, that might actually be the path they will take.
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Sityodtong stated, “The thought has crossed my mind that it’s possible that Christian and (Angela)… and I haven’t spoken (to them), so this is just pure conjecture, but I’ve thought of all the different scenarios, and I thought, I had a moment they’re not going to fight for a long, long time.” He further added, “And possibly, you know, they may later on choose to walk away from everything, but I have no idea.”
As a consequence of the saddening loss of Victoria Lee, her family has permanently closed down the gym where all three siblings would train together. Additionally, the ONE Championship CEO has decided to cement Victoria’s legacy forever in the promotion.
Chatri Sityodtong announces ‘Victoria Lee Day’
Earlier in the interview, Chatri Sityodtong mentioned that he kept in touch with the Lee family on a regular basis after the unfortunate incident. The 52-year-old also shared that he and Angela Lee are working on a plan for how they will memorialize Victoria Lee.
“I’m in daily contact with the family. And you know, I’m thinking now that January 14 is probably going to be Victoria Lee Day forever with ONE Championship… Angela and I are figuring out a way to (honor her)”, said Sityodtong.
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The 52-year-old further added, “Is it a scholarship? Is it an award? What is it exactly we want to communicate. But of course, you know, the spirit- the legacy that Victoria left behind is one of kindness, selflessness, authenticity, generosity, and a desire to do good in the world.”
That is indeed a very warm gesture by Chatri Sityodtong and the promotion. The loss cannot be reversed and the pain that the Lee family experiencing is unimaginable. Hence, it is for time to tell what the future holds for Angela and Christian Lee in ONE Championship.
