“I’ve been training harder than ever” - Double champ Christian Lee says he never took it easy during his MMA hiatus
Christian Lee claimed he's evolved since his last ONE Championship appearance.
In November 2022, Lee defeated Kiamrian Abbasov by fourth-round TKO to become a two-division MMA world champion at lightweight and welterweight. The 26-year-old superstar has understandably taken a leave of absence following the tragic passing of his younger sister, Victoria Lee.
Lee showed signs of entering his prime during his comeback performance against Abbasov. Once 'The Warrior' returns, he will have to silence any concerns of "ring rust" since he hasn't fought in a sanctioned bout in two years.
During an interview with ONE, Lee shut down those conspiracies by claiming he's improved throughout his extended layoff:
“I feel like a much better fighter now, today, than the last time I [competed]. I wasn’t just taking the last two years off, resting. I’ve been training harder than ever, and I feel like I’m in the best shape that I’ve ever been in physically and mentally."
Lee made his ONE Championship and professional MMA debut in December 2015. Since then, the two-division world champion has become one of the biggest superstars in the promotion. At 26 years old, 'The Warrior' has plenty of time to continue pursuing greatness to build his legacy.
Check out Christian Lee's last fight against Abbasov below:
Christian Lee looks to make statement at ONE Fight Night 26
On Dec. 6, Christian Lee is scheduled to make his highly-anticipated return in the ONE Fight Night 26 main event. Lee's 22nd promotional appearance will be a lightweight MMA title defense against Alibeg Rasulov.
Rasulov made his ONE Championship debut in July against Ok Rae Yoon. The undefeated Turkish lightweight was ineligible to claim the interim world title due to missing weight but made a statement with a unanimous decision win.
Rasulov will enter ONE Fight Night 26 with confidence due to Ok holding a win against Lee in September 2021. 'The Warrior' later avenged the defeat.
ONE Fight Night 26 will take place inside the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Prime Video subscribers in North America can watch the upcoming event live and for free as it happens in U.S. Primetime.