Teenage Sensation Christian Lee Looking for Third Straight Win at ONE: Union of Warriors

Christian Lee is still only 17, but he’s already got two stoppage wins to his name and is rapidly emerging as one of the best prospects in the featherweight division. The half Singaporean/half Korean teenager has two wins out of two in his ONE Championship career and has never needed more than a few minutes to finish an opponent.

His last win came courtesy of a submission even seasoned pundits were struggling to describe, and it came just a couple of months after his older sister, Angela, had pulled off the first twister in the history of ONE Championship.

There was some suggestion that the siblings might be trying to outdo one another with their spectacular submission attempts, but Christian confirmed this is not the case.

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“I was extremely proud of my sister when she pulled off the twister, however, I did not feel the need to come up with another unconventional finish. When I fight, my only concern is finishing my opponent as quickly as possible.”

For anyone still wondering just what the technical term for the weird and wonderful lock that Lee finished Egyptian Mahmoud Mohamed with, he describes it as follows, “I would describe the submission as a single-arm chicken wing. It is a joint lock that creates immense pressure on the shoulder, forcing the opponent to tap or have his shoulder broken.”

This Friday night, the 17-year-old will be looking for his third win in quick succession when he takes on Anthony Engelen at ONE: Union of Warriors. The bout is set for the Thuwanna Stadium in Yangon and Lee has plenty of respect for an opponent who holds a purple belt in BJJ.

“Engelen is an aggressive fighter with decent experience. I think he will be a good opponent and I am looking forward to the fight.”

He was initially booked to face Keanu Subba on Friday, but that bout was nixed due to injury. The top Malaysian featherweight prospect is going to be out for a few months, but Lee still hopes the fight will happen.

“I think this is a fight that the fans want to see, so I’m sure we will meet up again in the near future.”

Lee is based in Hawaii, where he trains at his family’s United MMA gym, but prepares for all his fights at Evolve MMA in Singapore. His father holds a black belt in BJJ and he hasn’t had to look too far from home to pick up new techniques and training tips.

“The training I am receiving at Evolve and United MMA is excellent, and I feel that my skills are rapidly improving. I practice submissions like the single-arm chicken wing during my training. My father taught me the technique, and I have drilled it hundreds of times before eventually executing the submission during my fight.”

Lee’s two fights for ONE Championship have lasted a grand total of 2:49. It means opponents still don’t know exactly what his style is, but the Singaporean/Korean says fast finishes are exactly what he is looking to achieve when he steps in the cage.

“I like to think of my fighting style as ferocious. I come out looking to finish my opponent.”

Lee looks a tremendous prospect. He hasn’t even turned 18 yet, but if the teenager can score another emphatic win on Friday night then even the biggest names in ONE Championship’s featherweight division will  start to stand up and take notice.

(Photo courtesy of Christian Lee)