18-Year-Old Phenom Adrian Lee Dazzles in Pro MMA Debut at ONE 167

Perhaps no fighter competing at ONE 167 faced as much pressure as Adrian Lee, but the 18-year-old rose to the occasion and put on a sensational showing in his pro MMA debut.

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ONE Championship’s stacked ONE 167 card featured several of the promotion’s biggest names competing across a variety of disciplines, but one of the major storylines heading into the event was the pro debut of the 18-year-old Lee against Antonio Mammarella.

“The Phenom” came out aggressive from the opening bell and forced Mammarella to the fence before he began hunting for a takedown, and a dominant first round for the 18-year-old very nearly ended with what would have been a buzzer beater submission.

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Lee got right back to work in the second round to bring Mammarella to the mat, and this time the Italian welterweight was forced to give up his back and did his best to fend off a rear naked choke before he was finally forced to tap.

Adrian is the fourth Lee sibling to compete under the ONE Championship banner, but his debut in Bangkok was the first time any member of the family has fought in the cage since the tragic death of their sister Victoria last year.

Victoria’s tragic death encouraged eldest sibling Angela to vacate her ONE Strawweight title and retire from MMA, and while Christian Lee hasn’t competed since November 2022 the two-division ONE titleholder was in Adrian’s corner at ONE 167 alongside their father.

Already under close scrutiny thanks to the impressive accomplishments of his older siblings, Lee’s performance at ONE 167 was an incredibly dominant debut and certainly bodes well for the 18-year-old’s future in MMA.

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