SINGAPORE — The legacy of the late mixed martial artist fighter Victoria Lee will continue to be live on, as One Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong recently announced that they will be celebrating her life with an annual Victoria Lee Award, a scholarship and a Victoria Lee Day on Jan 13.
The decision was made after Sityodtong had consulted with Victoria’s sister, Angela Lee who is also an MMA fighter, and other family members. In a Facebook post on May 17 which falls on Victoria’s 19th birthday, the One Championship CEO said that they would love to ensure that her legacy of selfless love, beautiful kindness and raw authenticity lives forever.
“I first met Victoria when she was 11 years old. I can tell you that she had the purest heart of gold and a brilliant mind. She always 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,” added Sityodtong.
Victoria passed away on Dec 26 2022 in Hawaii, and her death was announced by her sister Angela on Jan 7. Angela also posted a birthday tribute to her sister on social media.
The Victoria Lee Day on Jan 13 would have been Victoria’s next fight, and Sityodtong and the Lee Family are kindly requesting athletes and fans to show random acts of kindness on this day in honour of Victoria. They would also love to hear stories if Victoria had inspired anyone to do something kind for others.
One Championship will also be handing out a Victoria Lee Award to an athlete who goes above and beyond the call of duty in giving back to their community through charitable efforts and contributions.
“We will award the first recipient later this year. Please share stories with us of your favorite athlete and how he/she has helped your community,” shared Sityodtong.
Finally, Evolve MMA will be awarding a scholarship to deserving youths who wish to pursue their dream of becoming a world champion in martial arts, with the pool of candidates selected from youth and amateur MMA organizations around the world. The One Championship CEO is inviting interested applicants under the age of 18 years old to submit an essay to Victoria.Lee@evolve-mma.com on why you are deserving of the Victoria Lee Scholarship and why you wish to help continue her legacy.