MMA Star Victoria Lee Dead at 18

Paper Magazine
Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:58:13 +0000
Victoria lee, Angela lee, Angela lee pucci, Mma, The prodigy, Victoria the prodigy lee, Sports, Deaths

MMA fighter Victoria Lee has died. She was 18.

On Sunday, her older sister and fellow MMA champion Angela Lee Pucci took to Instagram to announce that Victoria had passed away on December 26 in Hawaii, writing that the rising had was "gone too soon."

"Our family has been completely devastated since then," she wrote alongside a photo of Victoria smiling next to a field of sunflowers, before adding that "life will never be the same" and calling her "the most beautiful soul who ever lived."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Victoria Lee (@victorialee.mma)

"She was the best little sister in the world. The best daughter, the best granddaughter and the best godma / aunty to Ava and Alia," Angela continued, referencing her daughter and niece. "We miss you so much sis. More than you could ever realize."

"We're all broken. Because a piece of you was in each of us and when you left, those pieces were ripped out of us.
We will never be the same," Angela continued, prior to asking fans to "give our family grace and respect during this most difficult time" and advising them to "check on your loved ones."

"The most beautiful girl, inside and out," she added. "We love you Victoria. I love you Sprout. Until the end of time."

Her cause of death has yet to be revealed, though her passing is a huge loss for the MMA community. According to TMZ, the ONE Championship atomweight fighter — who just graduated high school in June — went undefeated during her brief career, which earned her the nickname "The Prodigy." Victoria was also crowned a Junior World Champion and an IMMAF Junior State and World Champion.

Notably, her entire family is involved in the sport, including Angela, her older brothers Christian and Adrian, as well as her parents Ken and Jewelz Lee, who own the United MMA gym in Waipahu, Hawaii. However, the South China Morning Post also went on to report that United MMA appears to be "permanently closed," according to its official Instagram, with sports reporter Todd Atkins tweeting that the gym sent a message to members saying that "all memberships will be cancelled."

You can read Angela Lee Pucci's post about Victoria's passing below.

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A post shared by Angela Lee Pucci (@angelaleemma)

Screenshot via YouTube / ONE Championship