Nico Cornejo will be careful not to bite off more than he can chew against "tough kid" Adrian Lee in Denver
Nico Cornejo knows he's in for a tough night when he meets teen phenom Adrian Lee on September 6.
After making a name for himself on the regional scene in Colorado, 'The Steel City Kid' will make his debut on the global stage when ONE Championship heads to The Mile High City for a massive ONE 168: Denver card.
There, the 35-year-old Cornejo will meet Adrian Lee, one of MMA's most highly touted prospects despite being only 18.
Recognizing the toughness of Lee and the legacy of his legendary fighting family, Nico Cornejo knows that he'll have to exercise caution if he hopes to make his hometown of Pueblo, Colorado proud.
"From what I’ve seen in the videos...man, he’s a tough kid," Cornejo said on the Denver Sports Betting podcast. "There is a big big age gap between us, you know. I don’t want to take anything away from him. His brother, his sisters, Christian, Angela, Victoria, they’re all amazing fighters.
"They’ve become world champions here. So I know he’s gonna do the same but he has some pretty big shoes to fill," he added.
Adrian Lee eager to honor his family's legacy against Nico Cornejo at ONE 168: Denver
Adrian Lee comes from a long line of world champions, including reigning two-division ONE world titleholder Christian Lee who is scheduled to make his highly anticipated return to the Circle at ONE 169: Atlanta this November.
Christian Lee, who currently reigns as both the ONE lightweight and welterweight MMA world champion, was preceded by his big sister, former atomweight queen Angela Lee who became the youngest world champion in MMA history, claiming the inaugural ONE atomweight MMA crown at just 19 years old.
And, of course, you can't forget Victoria Lee, a beloved MMA prospect who signed with the promotion when she was just 16 years old. She went on to record three straight wins inside the Circle—all before graduating high school.
Tragically, Victoria Lee passed away on December 26, 2022.
Adrian Lee has promised to honor his sister's legacy every time he steps inside the Circle.
"Through my fights and successes, I will honor her name and legacy since she will also be there every step of the way," Lee said in an interview with ONE.
He's already off to a good start, scoring a spectacular finish in his ONE Championship debut earlier this year. Will Lee make it two straight against the hungry underdog Nico Cornejo?
Follow this link for tickets for ONE 168: Denver on September 6 at Ball Arena.