Christian Lee says taking break from competition did not keep him away from training - "I still continued working hard"

Reigning ONE lightweight and welterweight MMA world champion Christian Lee clarified that he will not feel any ring rust when he defends the 170-pound MMA crown versus Alibeg Rasulov at ONE Fight Night 26 on Dec. 6.

'The Warrior' shared in an appearance on The Brian Campbell Experience that he had been training during his two-year layoff, saying:

"I still continued working hard, so it's not just time to rest, but a time to improve the skills, a time to make yourself a better fighter. So that when you step in there, you're not just going from one fight to the next being the same fighter."

He continued:

"I think it's important - especially once you get to a higher level - that each time you step in there, you need to be a better version of yourself than the last time you were in there."

Watch the entire interview here:

Lee's layoff started in December 2022 after the sudden passing of his youngest sister and ONE women's atomweight MMA rising star Victoria Lee.

With him having promised to be in peak fighting condition ahead of his defense against the undefeated Rasulov, Lee is determined to earn his 18th victory in ONE Championship.

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Christian Lee eyeing first-round finish of Alibeg Rasulov

Christian Lee is predicting a first-round finish of Alibeg Rasulov at ONE Fight Night 26. Speaking recently with ONE, the Evolve MMA and Prodigy Training Center athlete said:

"Like always, my goal is to go out there and get a first-round finish. I think I could take him down and submit him in one round, and that's not to be cocky at all. I trust in the training that I put in the last two years."

ONE Fight Night 26 will take place inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The event will air live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.