Mixed martial artist (MMA) Angela Lee has announced her retirement from the sport after an eight-year run as a professional fighter.
The 27-year-old made the announcement today (30 Sep) during a ONE Championship event in Singapore — the city from which she trains.
Source: @MMAPropagande on Twitter
Lee was visibly emotional as she walked into the ring before laying her championship belt in the middle, symbolising her retirement and relinquishment of the title.
Lee appeared emotional when she made an appearance before the main event bout of ONE Fight Night 14 on Saturday (30 Sep).
With the ONE Atomweight championship belt slung across her right shoulder, she held back tears as she made her way to the ring, to loud applause from the Singapore Indoor Stadium crowd.
Source: ONE Championship on Facebook
Shortly after entering the ring, Lee cast one last glance at her championship belt before laying it on the bloodied canvas.
Source: @MMAPropagande on Twitter
She subsequently announced her retirement from the sport, which ignited loud chants of ‘Angela’ from the crowd.
Source: @MMAPropagande on Twitter
The 27-year-old took the opportunity to thank fans for their support throughout her career.
Before ending her speech, Lee left the audience with a piece of sage advice:
The greatest battle you’ll ever face will not be with an opponent standing in front of us. The greatest battle wil be within ourselves.
She was later seen embracing her husband Bruno Pucci and their two-year-old daughter.
Source: @onechampionship on Instagram
Lee made her debut with ONE Championship in 2015 and clinched the Atomweight Championship in 2016.
She has retained the belt since then, defeating five contenders in the process.
Her last fight was in Oct 2022, when she lost to China’s Xiong Jing Nan in a bout for the Strawweight belt.
In Dec 2022, Lee’s younger sister Victoria passed away at the tender age of 18.
Earlier this month, Angela revealed in an emotional interview that her sister’s cause of death was suicide.
The older Lee also shared that a car accident that she was personally involved in in 2017 was in fact a suicide attempt.
She has since set up Fightstory — a non-profit organisation focusing on mental health — as a tribute to her sister.
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Featured image adapted from ONE Championship on Facebook and @MMAPropagande on Twitter.
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