The passing of 18-year-old mixed martial arts fighter Victoria Lee on 26 Dec was announced by her sister Angela Lee in an Instagram post on 7 Jan. Following her death, it was reported that the family’s gym, United MMA Hawaii in Waipahu, has since been ‘permanently closed’.
“On December 26, 2022, our family experienced something no family should ever have to go through… It is incredibly difficult to say this… Our Victoria passed away. She has gone too soon and our family has been completely devastated since then,” posted Angela on her Instagram.
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“We miss her. More than anything in this world. Our family will never be the same. Life will never be the same. Victoria was the most beautiful soul who ever lived. She was the best little sister in the world. The best daughter, the best granddaughter and the best godma / aunty to Ava and Alia.”
In the same Instagram post, Angela requested ‘grace and respect’ for their family during this difficult time, and she urged everyone to please check on their loved ones. “Keep checking on them. Give them hugs and tell them how much they mean to you. You just never know,” she said.
Victoria is the younger sister of One Championship atomweight and lightweight world champions Angela and Christian. The cause of death is unknown. A celebration of Victoria’s life will be held on 22 Jan before her burial.
Although Angela, Victoria and Christian spend most of their time away from Singapore, mostly in the United States, and are coached by their parents, when they fight, they represent the Singapore flag. The youngest Lee, Adrian, 17, is also following in his sibling’s footsteps as he won his first amateur MMA fight a month ago in Hawaii.
One Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong, paid tribute to Victoria in a Facebook post. He feels ‘heartbroken’ and will remember her for the ‘beautiful and precious soul that she was.’
“I am heartbroken by Victoria Lee’s passing. I first met Victoria when she was 11 years old. I watched her blossom over the years as a martial artist and a human being. I always remember thinking how wise, thoughtful, and selfless she was beyond her years,” said Sityodtong.
“Of course, she was an extraordinary martial arts prodigy even back then, but I could see that she was so much more than that. Victoria had the purest heart of gold and a brilliant mind. She looked after others before herself. She wanted to use her life to help the world. I will always remember Victoria for the beautiful and precious soul that she was.”
On Monday morning, combat sports podcast host Todd Atkin tweeted that United MMA Hawaii had sent out notices to all its members stating that “all memberships will be cancelled and students will no longer be billed moving forward.”
