Women's MMA has 'huge' potential, says rising star Angela Lee
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[May 18, 2017]
By Chris Gallagher
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Mixed martial
arts may have started as a male-dominated sport, but women have
grappled their way to the upper echelons of MMA and will only gain
more popularity in the coming years, undefeated champion Angela Lee
said.
"I think that women's MMA is very mainstream. Over the last couple
years it kind of just exploded and it's a whole new market," Lee,
20, told Reuters in an interview on the mats of the Evolve MMA gym
in Singapore.
"I think it's just going to go on this upward trajectory in the next
three years - it's going to be huge," said Lee, who last year became
the youngest-ever MMA world champion by winning the ONE Championship
atomweight, or under 52.2 kg (115 pounds), title.
Women's MMA has been around since the 1990s but it was Olympic judo
medalist Ronda Rousey's signing just five years ago with the
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) that helped bring it to the
general public.
Underscoring the growing appeal of women's MMA, "Unstoppable" Lee
will headline the fight card at ONE's Dynasty of Heroes event in
Singapore next Friday. She will seek to defend her title against
Brazil's Istela Nunes, a two-time Muay Thai world champion.
Similarly, the main card at UFC's Fight Night next month, also in
Singapore, features former champion Holly Holm -- best-known for
dealing Rousey her first loss -- taking on Bethe Correia.
Lee said the combat sport was enjoying strong growth in Asia and was
a plus for women in the region, where gender inequality has
persisted in many countries.
"I think women's MMA can really help to empower these
women. Even if it's just for self-defense, it would definitely
benefit everyone," she said.
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MMA fighter Angela Lee trains with her brother Christian Lee in
Singapore May 18, 2017. REUTERS/Yong Teck Lim
Lee was born in Canada and moved to Hawaii as a child. She burst
onto the scene in 2015 when she signed with Singapore-based ONE,
Asia's answer to U.S.-based UFC, and has since built a 7-0 record.
She comes from a martial arts family -- her parents both competed
and her father, Ken, who comes from Singapore, is her coach. Her
younger brother Christian is also signed with ONE.
Fighting in Singapore next week will bring "a different type of
emotion" as she last fought here when she won her title and will be
competing in front of family and friends.
"I think that's going to bring the best out of me," Lee said.
"Having that support from my family through this journey has just
been incredible. They're the reason why I'm here today."
(Editing by Amlan Chakraborty) [© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All
rights reserved.]
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