“It was pretty strict in my household” – Angela Lee details what it was like growing up in a martial arts family

The secret to being successful in the world of combat sports differs from athlete to athlete and while there are many fighters who were able to eventually make it on their own, some were practically raised to compete by their own families.

Such is the case for former ONE Championship star Angela Lee whose parents, Ken and Jewelz, were martial artists themselves.

Ken Lee holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, pankration and taekwondo, while his wife Jewelz is a two-time Canadian silver medalist who also holds a black belt in taekwondo.

Their influence on Angela's career was so great that she became the inaugural ONE women’s atomweight MMA world champion with five successful title defenses to her name.

Additionally, 'Unstoppable' is indeed one of the most recognizable athletes to have competed under ONE banners and is widely revered as the best female athlete in the promotion’s rich history.

Lee recently appeared on the Keep it Aloha Podcast to shed some light on what it was like to be in a martial arts family:

“I'll be honest and say yes, it was pretty strict in my household. I guess the hardest thing was this miscommunication at times, where they would think we're not putting effort when we are. Or maybe it's like not fully, right? You need to at least try, you're not even trying, you know? But that's so different in everyone's eyes.”

Angela Lee’s battle for mental health

Having retired after the tragic passing of her younger sister Victoria Lee in December 2022, Lee has been very active in her non-profit organization, Fightstory, to encourage fighters to take care of their mental health.

In early December, Lee teamed up with MMA legends BJ Penn and Enson Inoue for a seminar in Hawaii that raised $3,160 for the organization.

Watch the full interview with Angela Lee here: