<\/p>\n
At age 19 and turning 20 in March, Adrian Lee is the future of his family\u2019s storied MMA legacy. But despite state wrestling championships and a scintillating three-fight winning streak with ONE Championship, \u201cThe Phenom\u201d is looking to get back to his winning ways following a disappointing, but perhaps crucially valuable defeat against Tye Ruotolo this past September. M&F<\/em> sat down with the young lion to find out how he\u2019s training for his return clash against Shozo Isojima, days out from their highly anticipated lightweight bout at ONE Fight Night 40.<\/p>\n As the youngest of the Lee siblings, Adrian has a huge legacy on his shoulders, but aside from joking that he had wanted to be a pro gamer, the student was so in awe of his family\u2019s achievements that he knew he had to follow their path. Of course, Adrian\u2019s sister is Angela Lee<\/a>, who became the youngest MMA world champion of all time at just 19 herself, and then there\u2019s his brother Christian Lee, a confidant, coach, and the current ONE champion across two weight divisions. Angela and his late sister, Victoria, were also Hawaii State Wrestling champions\u2014a rite of passage that Adrian Lee replicated in 2023. \u201cHonestly, wrestling and winning that state title was just another way to just get some more experience,\u201d he tells M&F.<\/em> \u201cBecause, ever since I was a kid, I\u2019ve really trained all of the martial arts. I grew up training in MMA, kickboxing, boxing, jiu-jitsu, and then when I got into high school, that was another way to get experience,\u201d<\/p>\n By the time Adrian made his debut with ONE Championship on June 7, 2024, he\u2019d already amassed an enviable resume, adding a national youth MMA title to his list of accomplishments. The Phenom won his debut ONE outing and racked up a 3-0 winning streak before a rear naked choke hold from Tye Ruotolo handed him his first professional loss, but plenty of lessons to learn. \u201cHonestly, after that fight, I took it real hard,\u201d shares Adrian. \u201cHaving my first loss, it was\u2026 it was really big to me, because I hate losing, and I wanted to win, over anything, but I think that, honestly, I just decided to move forward with it, and take as much benefit out of it as I possibly could. I feel like my last fight was a humongous learning experience.\u201d<\/p>\n During that ill-fated fight, Lee showed a ton of heart, proving that he can take a pounding and still get to his feet. The young fighter is hoping to bounce back stronger when he faces Shozo Isojima (6-1-0) at ONE Fight Night 40, on Feb. 13 (Feb. 14 in some time zones) \u201cI think he\u2019s a well-rounded fighter,\u201d Adrian says of Isojima. \u201cHe\u2019s also coming off that loss with Tye, and I think he\u2019s a grinder, that\u2019s what I would call his style. He\u2019s able to kind of just take guys down, hold them down, ground and pound. You can\u2019t underestimate those kinds of guys.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think one thing that has definitely changed a lot is my experience and my ability to kind of stay calm,\u201d shares Adrian. \u201cBecause my very first fight with ONE Championship was one of the scariest things I\u2019ve ever done. There was so much pressure. I was like, \u2018I gotta finish them in the first round, and, all my siblings finished their opponents in their first round, their first fights, but I mean, now I can really just take a step back. I know what to expect, I know how fight week\u2019s going, and so I just need to stay calm and enjoy the process.\u201d<\/p>\n Adrian was his own harshest critic after that first pro defeat, but it\u2019s stoked a huge fire inside of him. \u201cI\u2019ve basically been in camp since my last fight with Tye, and I\u2019ve been just closing off any holes, any errors in my game, and really just trying to perfect myself as an MMA fighter,\u201d he tells M&F. \u201cAddressing a few gameplan things to do specifically for Shozo, but essentially being more complete.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, I love sparring. I love competition,\u201d shares Adrian, explaining that the bond he has with brother Christian through training is something that he relishes. \u201cThere\u2019s really nothing that will ever compare to the adrenaline I get, or the kind of excitement it brings me, where me and my brother get rounds. Those are, the most fun rounds ever, because, you know, they\u2019re just so hard, I really like that competitive aspect.\u201d<\/p>\n While Adrian is acutely focused on his all-important next fight, the young upstart is also looking to make a big impact in 2026. \u201cGoing forward, I really want to stay active this year. So, the past two years, I\u2019ve only had 2 fights per year, but this year, I want to get 4 fights, 5 fights maybe. Because, you know, I\u2019m still young, but I really want to accomplish so much in this sport, and my body is healthy, and I want to just get more and more fights, more experience. I\u2019m so lucky you know, to have a double champ brother, champ sister\u2026 they\u2019ve created a formula that I can follow, and I can trust that it\u2019ll take me to the top as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Adrian \u201cThe Phenom\u201d Lee will face Shozo \u201cThe Great Teacher\u201d Isojima in a lightweight MMA contest at ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II, which broadcasts live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok\u2019s legendary Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, February 13.<\/p>\n For more information click here!\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n To follow Adrian Lee on Instagram, click here.\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWho Is Adrian Lee?<\/h2>\n
What Adrian Lee Learned From His First Professional Loss<\/h2>\n
Adrian Lee\u2019s Mindset Shift: Staying Calm Under Pressure<\/h2>\n
Why 2026 Could Be Adrian Lee\u2019s Breakout Year<\/h2>\n