ONE Championship houses multiple world champions across MMA, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, wrestling, kickboxing, and many other disciplines.
The organization’s divisions are packed to the brim with world-beaters, young phenoms, and longtime world champions who are ready to win at all costs.
That includes the stacked women’s atomweight MMA roster, which is guaranteed to feature nail-biting action every time its fighters step into the ONE circle.
Here are four reasons why the women’s atomweight division is a major attraction in ONE, and why you should keep close tabs on these talented superstars.
1. ONE women’s atomweight world champion Angela Lee
Angela Lee is the only woman to hold the atomweight crown, as she became the division’s inaugural world champion in May 2016 and has since defended her world title on five occasions.
The Singaporean-American ticks all the boxes on what a complete MMA fighter should possess – the heart of a champion, world-class grappling skills, dangerous striking tools, the killer instinct, and the ability to combine a variety of disciplines to perfection.
Lee has defeated an assortment of skillful women in her quest to retain the gold, and she still remains unbeaten in her weight class.
Most recently, “Unstoppable” returned to action at ONE X this past March for the first time since giving birth to her daughter Ava Marie, and she made quick work of the No. 1 contender, Stamp Fairtex. The Singapore-American used her Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt expertise to submit the Thai just before the second round ended.
Lee gets better with each passing bout, so expect her to outperform again in her next appearance.
2. The atomweight division’s Top 5
Lee may be one of the most dominant world champions in the sport today, but the top-five ranked fighters in her weight class also possess tremendous talent and ability.
Sitting at the No. 1 spot is Stamp, who previously held the promotion’s atomweight kickboxing and muay Thai belts.
Along the way, the Fairtex product made a successful transition into MMA, as she compiled an 8-2 record and won the ONE women’s atomweight world grand prix last December.
Just a spot below at No. 2 is “Hamzzang” Seo Hee Ham. The South Korean veteran, who owns a 25-8 record, is on an eight-fight winning streak. Moreover, she previously captured the atomweight belts in Deep Jewels, Road FC, and Rizin.
At No. 3 is Denice “Lycan Queen” Zamboanga, a Filipina warrior who can hurt opponents with slick striking and various grappling techniques. Alyona Rassohyna and Jihin Radzuan round out the group, sitting at the No. 4 and No. 5 spots, respectively.
Like Lee, these women are masters of the game. Despite coming from different martial arts backgrounds, all these women have found plenty of success.
3. The new generation is ready to shine
There is a plethora of talent sitting outside the top five, and these athletes are just starting to come into their own.
That grouping includes 18-year-old teenage sensation Victoria “The Prodigy” Lee, Commonwealth Wrestling gold medalist Ritu Phogat, judoka specialist Itsuki “Android 18” Hirata, Team Lakay rising star Jenelyn Olsim, and striking specialist Julie Mezabarba.
Over the past few years, these athletes have developed at a startling pace.
For example, Victoria – the second youngest of the four Lee siblings – has amassed a 3-0 resume with three stoppage victories. Hirata, only 22, has earned five dominant victories. Meanwhile, Phogat, who only started her MMA career in 2019, has acquired seven wins, including victories over Chinese stars Lin Heqin and Meng Bo.
While these athletes may currently be just outside the division’s top-five rankings, they’ve been sharpening their skills and packing as much excitement as possible into every contest. And it wouldn’t be surprising to see them rise to the top in the months and years to come.
4. These fighters aren’t one-trick ponies
Any MMA fighter can finish opponents spectacularly, but these atomweight warriors stand out from the pack simply because of their grit and determination to put on a show.
The atomweights frequently end fights in plenty of ways, be it rear-naked choke, anaconda choke, one-punch KO power, or voluminous strikes. Most notably, divisional queen Lee owns an 82 percent finishing rate.
In fact, one of the most memorable finishes in atomweight history took place at “ONE Century: Part I” in October 2019. Lee took out strawweight queen “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan via rear-naked choke with just 12 seconds remaining in the fifth and final round.
Lee always looks to end a fight by any means necessary, and the ladies of ONE’s atomweight division have the same mentality as the reigning titleholder.
