Angela Lee withdraws from One Championship event in Singapore, Latest Others News - The New Paper
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Angela Lee withdraws from One Championship event in Singapore

One Championship star Angela Lee will have to wait a little longer in her bid to become the mixed martial art (MMA) promotion's first two-division women's champion.

The 22-year-old, who holds One's atomweight belt, has withdrawn from the Heart of the Lion event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday (Nov 9) due to injury, One Championship chairman and chief executive officer Chatri Sityodtong announced in a Facebook post on Monday.

Lee had been scheduled to face China’s Xiong Jing Nan for the women’s strawweight title, but “suffered a serious back injury while putting the final touches on her training camp last week".

She was then deemed unfit to compete by medical staff.

Said Chatri: “I am bummed to announce that our medical team has deemed Angela Lee unfit to compete at One: Heart of the Lion this Friday...

"She suffered a serious back injury in training last week and badly herniated a spinal disc; she was unable to walk just a few days ago.

“Doctors suspect that the injury originally happened last year when Angela’s car flipped five times on the highway in her near-death accident.

"If it was up to her, she would still compete this week, even if it meant walking into the cage on crutches. In fact, she is still insisting on competing.”

Lee also had to pull out of the Singapore event in November last year, following a car accident in Hawaii. But she made her comeback in May and retained her title at the Indoor Stadium against Japan’s Mei Yamaguchi.

For Friday’s event, One bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernandes’ unification rematch with One interim bantamweight champion Kevin Belingon will now be the main event for the blockbuster event.

A new co-main event has also been added to the card. Christian Lee will take on Kazuki Tokudome in a 73kg catchweight bout, with both athletes stepping in on short notice.

angela leeMMA (MIXED MARTIAL ARTS)One Championship