“He’s had world-class experience” - Christian Lee says younger brother Adrian Lee isn’t a typical MMA rookie

Adrian Lee is yet to reach his 20s, but his older brother Christian Lee believes the teenage phenom already possesses valuable experience that some veteran fighters have yet to attain.

The youngest of the famed Lee siblings makes his second appearance under ONE Championship when he faces off against hometown bet Nico Cornejo at ONE 168: Denver.

Adrian will face the American brawler in a lightweight MMA contest on Friday at Ball Arena in Colorado.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Christian said his family was always involved in martial arts, and Adrian was no different.

Adrian, much like his older siblings Angela, Christian, and Victoria, began competing in multiple disciplines throughout his school years leading to his rapid development as a fighter.

Christian, the ONE lightweight and welterweight MMA world champion, added that Adrian would often train with him or Angela whenever they were in training camp.

He said:

"He definitely isn’t your average first or second-fight pro. He’s had world-class experience himself competing as a youth, and his whole childhood was basically traveling to these fights and seeing the events for 10 years.”

From his days as a constant tag-along with Christian during the double champ's ONE Championship career, Adrian Lee eventually grew into his own and now has his older brother as his coach and mentor.

Adrian, 18, now looks to continue his journey and slowly make his mark in the promotion's lightweight MMA class when he faces Cornejo in Denver.

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Adrian Lee doesn't plan on rushing his ONE Championship campaign

Adrian Lee is only starting his ONE Championship journey, yet his family name already brings with it a ton of pressure from the combat sports community.

Angela, the oldest of the siblings, is the inaugural ONE women's atomweight MMA world champion, while Christian is the reigning ONE lightweight and welterweight MMA world champion.

Although much is expected from Adrian, the young phenom believes it's better to take things a step at a time while listening to the advice of his older brother Christian and dad Ken.

Adrian told the 4oz to Freedom in a recent interview:

"I don't really know right now [if I am ready to compete at the top level]. However, I'm taking it fight by fight. But whatever my dad, my brother, my head coaches thinks I'm ready, I'll take it on."

Watch Adrian's entire interview below: