Another Lee is set to step foot into ONE Championship at ONE 167. On Friday, June 7, Adrian Lee will make his MMA debut in a lightweight contest against Antonio Mammarella. With plenty of amateur experience, the talented teen is confident he will not succumb to any first-match jitters when he walks down the aisle.
“Of course, all the competition that I’ve had previous to this are all things that will help me handle the pressure. But, I just believe in my training and when the time comes, I’ll be ready for it. For the interviews, I’m practicing with my family and I’m getting my advice from them too, so I’ll be ready,” Lee told ONE.
When it comes to the action inside the Circle, Lee is focused on upholding his family’s biggest rule: finish the match as quickly as possible. His siblings, including the reigning ONE Lightweight and Welterweight MMA World Champion Christian Lee, have shown this rule in action. There is little interest in the hoopla of attention, as Lee merely wants to get the win the fastest way possible.
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“During this camp, we’ve been practically focused on everything, but the main thing we’ve been focused on is just how to get the job finished as soon as possible. I’m not really too focused on getting these highlights or all that media stuff, just the fastest way to get it done,” the teen remarked.
No matter his prior experience, this is Lee’s first professional contest. Mammarella is 24 and 1-0 in his young career. He will be just as motivated to stop Lee and use the match as a way to introduce himself to a global viewing audience.
With a win already under his belt, the 18-year-old does have some footage to watch on his opponent. Lee has been able to glimpse what awaits him on June 7. However, the focus is more on what his own skills bring to the table and how he can get in and out of the Circle with a quick win.
“I got a chance to watch [his pro debut] fight. He was pretty decent in striking and wrestling, and I think those would probably be his strengths. Of course, the ideal scenario would first off just be to finish as fast as possible in round one, either by TKO or submission, whatever comes first. However, my main goal is just to get out there, win, and finish,” Lee stated.
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The biggest hope for Lee is that he can remain active in 2024. With ONE set for two huge U.S. events in the fall, the Hawaii-based athlete is hopeful that he may get a chance to compete on those events. As a budding prospect working his way up the ranks, Lee wants as much experience as he can get.
“After this fight, I plan on being very frequent, hopefully getting in another one or two fights this year and a few fights next year. I think it’s great that ONE is coming over to the U.S. again, and I’m excited to see how they’re going to do. I would love to compete on a show in Hawaii. I don’t know if ONE will ever be able to come to Hawaii, but if so, I’d love to be able to compete in front of my friends and family,” Lee said.
ONE 167 airs live on Friday, June 7, from the Impact Arena in Bangkok. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free on Prime Video for all U.S. and Canadian Amazon Prime members.
