Christian Lee likely to return to ONE Championship in 2024

Christian Lee will continue to sit out of action throughout 2023, per ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.

However, the lifelong martial artist and head honcho of the world’s largest martial arts organization shared that the Singaporean-American superstar will return to action in the next calendar year.

In an interview with South China Morning Post, Chatri Sityodtong said:

“I spoke to Christian – he wants to fight 100 percent, but he will take the rest of the year off. He will return next year. We will do interim title fights in both divisions this year to keep everything moving.”

Christian Lee and Angela Lee, elder siblings and world champions of their respective divisions in ONE Championship, lost their younger sister Victoria Lee on Boxing Day last year.

But while Angela is rumored to call it a day due to the loss of her sister, Christian – a two-division world champion at the Singapore-based organization – wants to continue his cause in the all-encompassing sport.

The 24-year-old knockout machine reclaimed his ONE lightweight world title during his rematch against Ok Rae Yoon at ONE 160 in August last year.

Not one to rest on his laurels, ‘The Warrior’ moved up to the welterweight ranks in an attempt to gain two-division world championship status against Kiamrian Abbasov in the main event of ONE on Prime Video 4.

Needless to say, he succeeded in his mission, putting the Kyrgyzstan and Russian athlete to sleep at 4:20 of the fourth stanza.

With Chatri Sityodtong announcing there will be two interim world titles set in stone, Christian Lee can expect to have his hands busy when he returns next year.