“I'm competitive in both divisions” - Christian Lee feels as strong at welterweight as he does at lightweight

Christian Lee doesn’t see much of a difference between fighting at lightweight and welterweight, despite the pesky 15-pound weight difference between the two divisions.

For many fighters, that 15-pound difference can be insurmountable. In a sport where a height, weight, or reach advantage can mean the difference between a sweet victory and sudden defeat, Christian Lee plays by his own rules. ‘The Warrior’ showed that in his incredible ONE on Prime Video 4 main event performance against a bigger and stronger opponent in Kiamrian Abbasov.

Lee faced some early adversity in the opening round. Just as it seemed that the Singaporean-American had bitten off more than he could chew, Lee relied on his heart and his skills to weather the storm and eventually found himself capturing his second ONE world title in the process.

Sharing his thoughts on the contest in his ONE on Prime Video 4 post-fight interview, ‘The Warrior’ said that he felt great competing in the higher weight class and intends on defending both of his titles for the time being:

“I felt great fighting at welterweight and it's very similar to fighting at lightweight. In the lightweight division, you have a roster full of very tough opponents. At welterweight, it's much of the same, except that they are 15 pounds heavier. For me, I feel that I'm competitive in both divisions, and I plan on doing so for the next few fights.”

---

Christian Lee open to a possible rematch with Dagi Arslanaliev

Being the holder of both the ONE lightweight and welterweight world titles, Christian Lee now has twice as many targets on his back. There is no shortage of potential challengers for ‘The Warrior’, and according to the two-division king, all challengers are welcome.

One man that Christian Lee is open to facing is a fighter he’s already defeated once before. The always dangerous Turkish knockout artist, Dagi Arslanaliev. The two squared off once before at ONE: Century Part 1 in 2019, with ‘The Warrior’ earning a unanimous decision victory.

It’s a fight that Lee is open to, but in an interview with South China Morning Post, ‘The Warrior’ revealed that Arslanaliev’s inactivity is the biggest issue he sees in making the fight happen anytime soon:

"He’s still in the mix. Of course, I’ve seen him at the top 1 and no.2 spot in the contenders for the rankings. He’s a very dangerous opponent but the thing is, he hasn’t been active. He hasn’t been actively fighting."