“On to bigger and more purposeful things” - Angela Lee admits urges to return to MMA, but maintains dedication to FightStory

Angela Lee is content with the legacy she left behind in MMA, yet she admitted that there are times when she pondered whether or not to return to the sport she once ruled over.

In an Instagram Q&A in collaboration with Combat Collective, the inaugural ONE women's strawweight MMA world champion revealed she sometimes gets the urge to make a stunning comeback.

Those thoughts, however, often go quickly, with Lee fully focused on her non-profit organization FightStory.

Angela Lee admits she got urges to return to MMA. [Photo from Angela Lee's Instagram Story]

Angela Lee wrote on her Instagram Stories:

"Yes sometimes I do get the urge to return to MMA but then it passes haha! On to bigger and more purposeful things now!"

Lee is one of the most important figures in ONE Championship's rapid growth. She became the promotion's inaugural women's atomweight MMA world champion when she beat Mei Yamaguchi for the throne in May 2016 in Singapore.

'Unstoppable' then had five successful defenses of the ONE women's atomweight MMA world title and figured in an intense rivalry with ONE women's strawweight MMA world champion Xiong Jing Nan.

Lee and her family, however, suffered through tragedy when her younger sister Victoria passed away in December 2022.

After a months-long hiatus, Lee ultimately announced her retirement and relinquished her throne in an emotional ceremony at ONE Fight Night 14 in September 2023.

Lee has since founded the non-profit organization FightStory to remember Victoria and foster a community where athletes and fans can freely discuss and seek help regarding their mental health.

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Angela Lee recalls a 'roller coaster' MMA career with American legend Demetrious Johnson

Angela Lee undoubtedly left an indelible mark in ONE Championship's history, and she admits that her MMA career was by far one of the craziest periods of her life.

In her conversation with MMA legend Demetrious Johnson, Lee recalled how she was thrust into the spotlight and handled every bit of responsibility her younger self had to face during her career.

Lee said in her MightyCast interview:

"Martial arts in general? Yeah, man. What a roller coaster. You know, getting into the spotlight at such a young age. It was a lot. But at the same time, I just loved it. So, I loved doing all the interviews, I loved doing whatever they told me to do. I just loved being in the moment because, for me, I was like, 'This is a dream.' Like, I don't have to go and work at a desk job."