At age 19 and turning 20 in March, Adrian Lee is the way forward for his household’s storied MMA legacy. However regardless of state wrestling championships and a scintillating three-fight successful streak with ONE Championship, “The Phenom” is trying to get again to his successful methods following a disappointing, however maybe crucially precious defeat in opposition to Tye Ruotolo this previous September. M&F sat down with the younger lion to learn how he’s coaching for his return conflict in opposition to Shozo Isojima, days out from their extremely anticipated light-weight bout at ONE Struggle Night time 40.
Who Is Adrian Lee?
Because the youngest of the Lee siblings, Adrian has an enormous legacy on his shoulders, however other than joking that he had wished to be a professional gamer, the coed was so in awe of his household’s achievements that he knew he needed to observe their path. In fact, Adrian’s sister is Angela Leewho turned the youngest MMA world champion of all time at simply 19 herself, after which there’s his brother Christian Lee, a confidant, coach, and the present ONE champion throughout two weight divisions. Angela and his late sister, Victoria, had been additionally Hawaii State Wrestling champions—a ceremony of passage that Adrian Lee replicated in 2023. “Truthfully, wrestling and successful that state title was simply one other method to simply get some extra expertise,” he tells M&F. “As a result of, ever since I used to be a child, I’ve actually skilled all the martial arts. I grew up coaching in MMA, kickboxing, boxing, jiu-jitsu, after which once I received into highschool, that was one other method to get expertise,”
What Adrian Lee Realized From His First Skilled Loss
By the point Adrian made his debut with ONE Championship on June 7, 2024, he’d already amassed an enviable resume, including a nationwide youth MMA title to his listing of accomplishments. The Phenom received his debut ONE outing and racked up a 3-0 successful streak earlier than a rear bare choke maintain from Tye Ruotolo handed him his first skilled loss, however loads of classes to study. “Truthfully, after that struggle, I took it actual laborious,” shares Adrian. “Having my first loss, it was… it was actually large to me, as a result of I hate shedding, and I wished to win, over something, however I feel that, truthfully, I simply determined to maneuver ahead with it, and take as a lot profit out of it as I presumably may. I really feel like my final struggle was a humongous studying expertise.”
Throughout that ill-fated struggle, Lee confirmed a ton of coronary heart, proving that he can take a pounding and nonetheless get to his toes. The younger fighter is hoping to bounce again stronger when he faces Shozo Isojima (6-1-0) at ONE Struggle Night time 40, on Feb. 13 (Feb. 14 in a while zones) “I feel he’s a well-rounded fighter,” Adrian says of Isojima. “He’s additionally coming off that loss with Tye, and I feel he’s a grinder, that’s what I’d name his model. He’s capable of form of simply take guys down, maintain them down, floor and pound. You possibly can’t underestimate these varieties of men.”
Adrian Lee’s Mindset Shift: Staying Calm Underneath Stress
“I feel one factor that has undoubtedly modified loads is my expertise and my potential to form of keep calm,” shares Adrian. “As a result of my very first struggle with ONE Championship was one of many scariest issues I’ve ever performed. There was a lot stress. I used to be like, ‘I gotta end them within the first spherical, and, all my siblings completed their opponents of their first spherical, their first fights, however I imply, now I can actually simply take a step again. I do know what to anticipate, I understand how struggle week’s going, and so I simply want to remain calm and benefit from the course of.”
Adrian was his personal harshest critic after that first professional defeat, but it surely’s stoked an enormous hearth within him. “I’ve mainly been in camp since my final struggle with Tye, and I’ve been simply closing off any holes, any errors in my recreation, and actually simply attempting to excellent myself as an MMA fighter,” he tells M&F. “Addressing a number of gameplan issues to do particularly for Shozo, however primarily being extra full.”
Why 2026 May Be Adrian Lee’s Breakout 12 months
“Truthfully, I like sparring. I like competitors,” shares Adrian, explaining that the bond he has with brother Christian by coaching is one thing that he relishes. “There’s actually nothing that may ever examine to the adrenaline I get, or the form of pleasure it brings me, the place me and my brother get rounds. These are, probably the most enjoyable rounds ever, as a result of, you already know, they’re simply so laborious, I actually like that aggressive facet.”
Whereas Adrian is acutely targeted on his all-important subsequent struggle, the younger upstart can also be trying to make a huge impact in 2026. “Going ahead, I actually wish to keep energetic this 12 months. So, the previous two years, I’ve solely had 2 fights per 12 months, however this 12 months, I wish to get 4 fights, 5 fights possibly. As a result of, you already know, I’m nonetheless younger, however I actually wish to accomplish a lot on this sport, and my physique is wholesome, and I wish to simply get increasingly fights, extra expertise. I’m so fortunate you already know, to have a double champ brother, champ sister… they’ve created a system that I can observe, and I can belief that it’ll take me to the highest as effectively.”
Adrian “The Phenom” Lee will face Shozo “The Nice Trainer” Isojima in a light-weight MMA contest at ONE Struggle Night time 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II, which broadcasts stay in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, February 13.
For extra data click on right here!
To observe Adrian Lee on Instagram, click on right here.
