WATCH: Christian Lee’s hard-fought battle against Kiamrian Abbasov to capture welterweight MMA gold

Christian Lee has long been recognized as a gifted mixed martial artist, but his legacy reached new heights when he became a two-division world titleholder in ONE Championship.

Already reigning as the ONE lightweight MMA world champion, the Singaporean-American sensation decided to test himself in a higher weight class, challenging for the vacant welterweight throne against Kiamrian Abbasov at ONE Fight Night 4 in November 2022.

That unforgettable clash can be relived below:

Ahead of the bout, Abbasov failed to meet weight and hydration requirements, causing him to be stripped of the title. This meant that only Lee was eligible to claim the gold — and he did so in emphatic fashion, showcasing his elite striking and grappling prowess.

The matchup began with Abbasov storming out of the gates, overwhelming Lee with a relentless barrage of strikes that had ‘The Warrior’ in deep trouble. But true to his moniker, Lee weathered the storm and mounted a ferocious comeback in the second round, blitzing his opponent with crisp combinations and mixing in well-timed takedowns to assert control.

Following a measured third frame, the action reignited in the fourth, where Lee unleashed a devastating series of power shots.

With Abbasov attempting to defend himself, Lee connected with slicing right elbows before pouring on relentless ground-and-pound. Referee Herb Dean had seen enough, stepping in to wave it off as Lee secured his second belt in dramatic fashion.

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Christian Lee teases to return to action in early 2025

Recently, Christian Lee hinted at an impending return to action.

On Instagram, he wrote that training camp was already underway, teasing a possible title defense in the coming months:

"Staying ready and training hard here at Prodigy Training Center. Fight news coming soon.”

After a long sabbatical due to the tragic passing of his sister, Victoria Lee, in December 2022, Lee finally stepped back into the ring in December 2024, defending his lightweight strap against Alibeg Rasulov.

However, his much-anticipated comeback was marred by controversy, as an accidental eye poke rendered Rasulov unable to continue, resulting in an anticlimactic no contest.