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ONE Championship has repeatedly supplied teenage combined martial artists with a wonderful stage to showcase their abilities.
Many of those younger stars impressed the worldwide fan base of their debuts, and several other have continued to get pleasure from huge success of their careers.
At ONE: WINTER WARRIORS II this Friday, 17 December, Workforce Lakay prince Jhanlo Mark “The Machine” Sangiao has an opportunity to hitch the elite membership of youth athletes who dazzled of their first promotional appearances earlier than the age of 20.
Forward of the 19-year-old Filipino’s date with future, we glance again at seven different athletes who tasted victory of their ONE debuts throughout their teenage years.
#1 Christian Lee
These days, most followers would know the identify Christian “The Warrior” Lee.
However earlier than he grew to become a well known athlete and ONE World Champion, Lee was a 17-year-old highschool pupil who needed to take a fast break from his research so he may journey to Manila, Philippines, for his combined martial arts debut.
“The Warrior” kick-started his skilled profession in a battle in opposition to Australian veteran David Meak at ONE: SPIRIT OF CHAMPIONS in December 2015, and wanted simply 29 seconds to earn the win.
Lee rapidly closed the space and damage Meak with a tough kick. Because the Australian tried to dash away, the Singaporean-American adopted and landed a left hook, a cross, and a ultimate left hook, which despatched his rival crashing to the canvas. That compelled the referee to intervene and wave off the motion.
Though quick, Lee’s debut was definitely candy, and his energy and talent have been evident.
#2 Pongsiri Mitsatit
Earlier than he even stepped onto the worldwide stage, Thai star Pongsiri “The Smiling Murderer” Mitsatit had already amassed a 6-0 skilled combined martial arts file in Thailand.
That will be a fairly spectacular slate for any combined martial artist, however it’s made much more mind-blowing when contemplating that he had earned it by the age of 19.
So when he made the stroll to the Circle for the primary time to face Myanmar’s Ye Thway Ne at ONE: KINGDOM OF CHAMPIONS in Could 2016, followers have been anticipating him to showcase why he was probably the most promising younger stars of the Thai MMA circuit. And he did simply that.
Barely over a minute into the competition, Mitsatit shot for a takedown. From there, he handed his opponent’s guard, dropped an elbow, and unleashed heavy knees to the top of his opponent till the referee referred to as off the bout.
Identical to that, “The Smiling Murderer” earned his seventh profession win at 2:24 of the primary body.
#3 Victoria Lee
16 years, 9 months, and 9 days.
That was Victoria “The Prodigy” Lee’s precise age when she made her MMA debut in opposition to Thailand’s Sunisa “Thunderstorm” Srisen at ONE: FISTS OF FURY in February 2021.
Lee entered the Circle with loads of hype surrounding her, because of her older sister, Angela, and brother, Christian, who have been each ONE World Champions on the time.
And with fashion and maturity past her years, “The Prodigy” lived as much as it fully and outclassed her extra senior rival.
Lee’s grappling capability, composure, and aggression have been paired with a putting capability that was unmatched all through the competition, and this arsenal powered her to a rear-naked choke submission win 63 seconds into the second spherical.
#4 Itsuki Hirata
Instantly after graduating from highschool, Itsuki “Android 18” Hirata determined to swap the judo gi for MMA gloves. Little did she know she could be making her skilled debut simply two years later in The House of Martial Arts.
Hirata, then 19, confronted off in opposition to Angelie “D Explorer” Sabanal at ONE: LEGENDARY QUEST in June 2019, and each began off the competition by buying and selling leather-based. However as quickly because the Japanese grappler scored her first takedown, there was no manner for her rival to flee.
“Android 18” bought the job accomplished by shifting into aspect management and twisting her opponent’s proper arm backward. Sabanal was in ache, and he or she finally tapped to Hirata’s good Americana submission at 2:59 of spherical one.
#5 Jihin Radzuan
Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan wasn’t your typical faculty pupil in Malaysia. Apart from taking on-line Veterinary Nursing programs, the Johor Bahru resident had a full-time job – and an MMA profession.
Her love for the all-encompassing sport received out, although, and so she started to deal with it full-time.
At 19 years outdated, she launched herself to the worldwide fan base with a decisive efficiency in opposition to India’s Puja “The Cyclone” Tomar at ONE: VISIONS OF VICTORY in March 2018.
“Shadow Cat” managed the struggle on the canvas, and the victory finally got here from there. After two failed armbar makes an attempt within the second spherical, she went after a triangle choke and eventually compelled a faucet from her opponent at 2:23 of the second body.
#6 Agilan Thani
Simply three years earlier than he made his promotional debut in opposition to Reant Febriza Rainir at ONE: AGE OF CHAMPIONS in March 2015, Agilan “Alligator” Thani was a younger boy who was bullied in class attributable to his weight.
However the Malaysian combined martial artist turned his life round and used the powerful instances as motivation to seek out glory.
His highschool bullies would have undoubtedly found out to cease messing with the 19-year-old after he hammered his option to a dominant win in entrance of his hometown crowd in Kuala Lumpur.
From the primary bell, the younger phenom didn’t give Rainir any room to breathe, and he efficiently scored a takedown after simply 12 seconds.
From there, he tried at the least 50 strikes from mount and sealed his second skilled win at 1:20 of the opening spherical.
#7 Angela Lee
“Unstoppable” Angela Lee, the eldest of the Lee siblings, made her skilled debut in opposition to Egyptian star Aya Saber at ONE: WARRIOR’S QUEST in Could 2015 – almost two months in need of her nineteenth birthday.
Regardless of going up in opposition to an athlete with eight bouts on her resume, Lee made issues look straightforward and secured a memorable win in 103 seconds.
Moments after taking her rival to the canvas with a wonderfully executed hip toss, the Singaporean-American fired away with a few wild photographs at Saber.
The latter tried to seek out an escape route by pushing Lee away along with her palms, however the clever younger warrior grabbed her rival’s proper arm and locked within the bout-ending armbar.
And, only one yr later, Lee would change into the inaugural ONE Ladies’s Atomweight World Champion.
Read extra: Breaking Down The ONE: WINTER WARRIORS II Lead Card
