MMA: Angela Lee defeats Mei Yamaguchi again to retain ONE Championship title

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SINGAPORE: Reigning ONE Women’s atomweight champion Angela Lee edged out a close encounter with Japan’s Mei Yamaguchi on Friday (May 18), retaining her title and stretching her unbeaten streak to 9-0.

Judges awarded the five-round bout to the 21-year-old Lee – who represents Singapore – in a unanimous decision, as she cast aside doubts about her fitness following a long absence from the cage.

It was an emotional return for Lee after a car accident kept her out for about a year. Her last fight was in May last year.

But Lee’s opponent in her first match back could hardly have been tougher. Yamaguchi, 35, again displayed the kind of tenacity that saw the pair go to five rounds in their first title bout back in 2016.

“Mei is an incredibly tough opponent,” Lee said immediately after her win. “It’s a huge night for my family.”

The fight started evenly as both fighters traded blows on the mat. Lee however moved into a slight advantage, using her superior physique to try and pin her rival into submission.

But as the rounds rung by Yamaguchi grew into the match, and in the final round she landed a kick that sent Lee flying to the ground. The crowd gasped then cheered as Lee recovered to ensure a frantic finish.

Angela Lee vs Mei Yamaguchi

Singapore’s Angela Lee is tackled by Japan’s Mei Yamaguchi in their ONE Women’s atomweight champion fight on May 18, 2018. (Photo: Aqil Haziq Mahmud)

In the end it was not enough for the diminutive Yamaguchi, who said afterwards that she thought she had done enough to level the points.

“Angela got some position on me but I thought I caught up with that knockdown,” she said. “But the decision still went to her, so I think that was a point for a champion.”

Nevertheless, Yamaguchi said she’s not giving up on the title just yet.

“I heard that (Angela) is going up the weight division, so maybe I can challenge for the title again,” she added. “I’ll keep training and getting stronger.”

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