Former ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion Angela Lee had a legendary run in the world’s largest martial arts organisation. However, life-altering events over the past few years have led her to announce her retirement from the sport at ONE Fight Night 14 in September last year. 

She recently sat down for a chat with Demetrious Johnson on his Mighty Cast show on YouTube. ‘Mighty Mouse’ asked her to throw some light on her career, to which she answered, “Man what a roller coaster you know. Getting into the spotlight at such a young age, you know? It was a lot, but at the same time, I loved it. I loved doing all the interviews. I loved doing whatever they told me to do. I just loved being in the moment because for me, I was like ‘this is a dream I don’t have to go and work at a desk job 9 to 5. I get to do what I love and talk to people.’” But what else did she achieve in her career? Let us find out. 

A closer look at Angela Lee’s outstanding career and her achievements

28-year-old Angela Lee announced her retirement from the sport last year, much to the surprise of many. She vacated her 115-pound MMA title during the ONE Fight Night 14 broadcast in Singapore. Lee decided to step away from MMA in the wake of her late sister, Victoria Lee. The younger Lee took her life at the age of 18, which had a severe effect on Angela Lee as well. “I don’t have the heart to step in there again,” these were the exact words of the former champion when she decided to call it quits from the sport she loved the most. 

However, before retiring from the sport, “Unstoppable” always lived up to her nickname. The Hawaii resident won the 115-pound title at a mere age of 19 years in May 2016. That victory made her the youngest-ever champion in the history of mixed martial arts. After winning the prestigious strap, Lee went unbeaten in her next four fights before absorbing her first loss – a failed challenge for Xiong Jing Nan’s ONE Women’s Strawweight MMA World Title at ONE: A NEW ERA in March 2019.

She avenged her loss when it was Xiong’s turn to move down and go for two-division glory. Like their previous encounter, the finish happened in the final round, but this time, it was Lee’s submission that sealed the win. After retiring from the sport, the former champion is now focused on her other passions.

While she still considers herself a fighter first, she has a vision to help other fighters who are suffering from depression. Let us take a closer look at what the 28-year-old is focused on currently at the moment. 

Angela Lee focused on extending her support to the fighters suffering from depression 

Losing a younger sister is one of the most devastating experiences for anyone out there. Angela Lee knows exactly what it feels like and is now working to help others battle depression. The 28-year-old now runs a non-profit organization called “Fight Story,” which was set up in memory of her sister, Victoria Lee. The organization aims to help athletes who are facing problems regarding their mental health and suffering from depression. 

Lee recently appeared on the Yanagida podcast on Spotify to have a candid chat. When asked how her life was going post-retirement, the 28-year-old had no hesitation in saying, “Well, first and foremost, I’m a wife and mother to Ava”. She then gave away details about her future plans and said, “Even though I retired, I still consider myself a fighter. I’m a gym owner and founder. My fight story, you know, it was incredible. For people that do know me, they’re like, yeah.”

Despite being a dominant champion, Lee faced a lot of troubles during her journey. However, she is now taking all the necessary steps to help others in their battle outside the sport. How highly do you rate Angela Lee as a fighter? Let us know about it in the comments below.