Chatri Sityodtong asked Christian Lee ‘for his blessing’ to introduce interim titles

We are now almost six months into 2023, and there’s still no word on whether or not reigning ONE women’s atomweight world champion ‘Unstoppable’ Angela Lee or ONE lightweight and welterweight world champion Christian ‘The Warrior’ Lee will return to action inside the Circle.

The famous Lee siblings of ONE Championship put their entire careers on hold, following the tragic death of their younger sister, fellow ONE athlete, Victoria Lee late last December.

Naturally, the entire family is mourning and hasn’t even thought about fighting since the harrowing ordeal.

ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, however, revealed in a recent interview with South China Morning Post that he has had brief discussions with the Lee family on whether or not they will resume their careers.

While Sityodtong believes Angela may be done and is heading toward retirement, the Thai-Japanese entrepreneur revealed that Christian has expressed his intent to return to action sometime in 2024.

That being said, the ONE Championship head honcho got Christian’s blessing to introduce interim world titles in his stead.

Sityodtong said:

“So I did ask Christian for his blessing. We're going to do interim title fights, 100%. Both lightweight and welterweight divisions.”

Christian reigns supreme over both the lightweight and welterweight divisions in ONE Championship.

He took the lightweight strap via an inspiring first-round knockout performance over former rival Ok Rae Yoon at ONE 160 in August 2022. Months later, he lifted the welterweight belt from Kiamrian Abbasov to become a two-division world champion.

With Christian’s blessing, both divisions can move forward until such time when he makes his eventual return.