Photo credit to onefc.com
Victoria Lee on sophomore MMA fight at ONE: Battleground
Victoria Lee tests skills with Wang Luping on July 30th at ONE: Battleground. This ONE Championship atomweight contest goes down inside Singapore Indoor Stadium this Friday.
The Prodigy looks to go 2-0 as a pro and excerpts from my recent conversation with Victoria Lee can be found below.
Victoria Lee
Thoughts on winning her ONE Championship debut and besting Sunisa Srisen
“I was really happy with my ONE debut. I think that the whole journey was an amazing experience. And looking back on the fight, I know that there’s a lot to improve. But that’s why I’m in here in the gym, trying to get better and improve that skillset.”
The present training dynamics at United MMA amid the pandemic
“Currently, our gym is closed for classes. But I have an amazing team with me. My coaches, my mom and dad, as well as my brothers and my sisters. And the youth fight team that comes in for our sessions. We have a very talented group. They’re just helping me to improve every day.”
Victoria Lee having Adrian Lee as her primary training partner
“Definitely, Adrian is probably my main training partner right now. He’s helped me so much in my last camp, and this camp as well. He’s such an amazing training partner. Even though he’s already like six inches taller than me and like 50 pounds heavier, he’s really considerate. He always gives me good rounds.”
ONE debut being the biggest thing in her life and each subsequent fight being the new biggest thing
“Definitely that’s how I’m looking at it. Every fight is the most important fight of my life. That’s how I looked at it, going into my last fight and that’s how I’m looking at it going into this one. I think that my last fight the whole experience was amazing. I’m taking everything I’ve learned from that and implementing it into this next camp. I’m so excited to fly out next week and start the whole journey again.”
What was sweeter, post-ONE Championship debut, between father Ken’s positive affirmations or sister Angela’s cake she made for Victoria
“Both of them. My dad gave me some words of how proud he was of me. And it was amazing to come home to that chocolate cake that I was craving for so long. My sister, so sweet and so thoughtful. I can’t wait to repay the favor and make her a big cake for when she has her comeback fight.”
Angela Lee reintegrating herself into training after giving birth
“It’s awesome. My sister was such a big part of my camp last for my pro debut. But for this camp, she’s actually able to do some of the drills with me. Of course, she’s still recovering from giving birth but I’m so proud of her. She’s recovering so well and she’s so strong. I know she’s gonna come back stronger than ever.”
ONE: Battleground
Victoria Lee’s siblings both having kids now as Angela and Christian are both parents
“Both of my nieces are so adorable. I love spending time with them and seeing them in the gym. They just bring so much happiness into the room. And it’s crazy how fast they’re growing up. I mean they’re already trying to talk and walk. It’s scary but I can’t wait. I love seeing how their personalities are developing. They’re both so adorable and they’re getting so chubby. It’s so much fun to spend time with them.”
The competitive utility to being around her siblings for around twenty of their prior bouts
“I think being able to attend so many of my brother and sister’s events, did help me kind of prepare myself for knowing what’s coming on fight week. You have the photos and then the interviews and then you have the walkout and everything. But being the one in the hot seat answering the questions and being outside looking in is totally a different experience. I think it’s helped to prepare me kind of mentally to know what’s coming next. But it’s definitely a big difference to be the one in the center doing it.”
😤 Ground-and-pound
🥋 Rear-naked choke
Can teenage sensation Victoria Lee emulate Angela Lee and pull off another stoppage victory at ONE: BATTLEGROUND? @angelaleemma #ONEBattleground #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/xxd3aaxxuc— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) July 22, 2021
Thoughts on her ONE: Battleground opponent Wang Luping
“Well, unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find any footage of my opponent. I know that she has a three and two record on a three-fight winning streak. She does have more experience than me but that’s similar to my last opponent who had more experience than me. I’m just focusing on training hard, upping my skills, and I’m very excited to showcase my skills for this fight.”
ONE Championship
Victoria Lee being an IMMAF World Champion and the benefits of the amateur learning curve to creating that smooth transition over to the professional competition
“I think that being able to compete in the world championship tournaments and to have that experience. To compete against competitors from all around the world, really helped me to just build more experience against high-level competitors. I think that really helped me to prepare for my professional debut because of everything that I’ve learned competing and managing the pressure.”
“Executing my training. And I think that’s what’s helped me to build more experience to compete in my professional debut. I’m just adding skills after each fight and implementing it into my next camp.”
Fighters with Canadian roots debuting in MMA as teens like Victoria Lee but also Rory MacDonald, Jordan Mein, and the Laramie brothers: TJ and Tony
“Yeah, I think that there’s a lot of talented young fighters. Who have the talent but they just don’t have the exposure. And I was so lucky to have the opportunity to showcase my skills, and I’m so grateful to be in this promotion.”
