“Everything went according to plan” - Adrian Lee has ‘no complaints’ on his first-round win vs. Nico Cornejo in Denver
Things couldn't have gone any better for Adrian Lee in his return to the Circle at ONE 168: Denver.
After delivering an exceptional performance in his promotional debut against Antonio Mammarella, 'The Phenom' stepped back onto martial arts' biggest global stage in The Mile High City for a showdown with ONE Championship newcomer Nico Cornejo.
Lee finished 'The Steel City Kid' just past the halfway point of the opening round via a slick rear-naked choke.
The win kept Lee's 'O' and his 100% finish rate intact.
Looking back on his performance during an interview with Sports Illustrated, the 17-year-old sensation was undeniably proud of his efforts, saying:
“I was very happy with how the [Nico Cornejo] fight played out. Everything went according to plan, and we got our finish. So you know, no complaints. I’m definitely very happy that I got that first [Antonio Mammarella] fight out of the way with those first-fight jitters.
"I was disappointed and I wanted to get it done in the first round. However, that’s all in the past and I plan on finishing all future fights in the first round.”
If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE 168: Denver replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.
Adrian Lee excited to see his brother return to the Circle at ONE 169: Atlanta this November
With his sophomore appearance in the books, Adrian Lee's attention will now turn to being there for his older brother and reigning two-division ONE world champion Christian Lee.
'The Warrior' is set to defend the ONE lightweight MMA world championship on Friday, November 8, when the promotion had to 'Hotlanta' for a loaded ONE 169: Atlanta card inside State Farm Arena.
It will be Christian Lee's first time competing in two years and Adrian Lee is very excited for the opportunity to see his big brother once again dawn the four-ounce gloves and put his 26 pounds of gold on the line.
“I’m so excited for my brother to make his comeback. I think a lot of people have been overlooking him just because he’s been out, but I’m really excited for him to shock the world…"
Tickets for ONE 169: Atlanta on November 8 at State Farm Arena can be purchased via Ticketmaster.