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Xiong Jing Nan and Angela Lee captivated ONE Championship fans with their two bouts in 2019. Both fighters scored a victory against each other and 'The Panda' forecasts they will meet again for the third time in the near future.
The first time the two champions faced off was back in March 2019. The Chinese fighter defended her belt against Lee with a submission victory in the final seconds of the fifth round.
Both competitors met again seven months later, with Xiong having the intention to get Lee's belt at atomweight. This time around, the Singaporean champion held on to the final bell and was able to get the nod on all scorecards.
With the score between two female competitors even at 1-1, Xiong already knows that a third fight is bound to happen in the future and she is already planning for it. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, she said:
"I knew the trilogy was going to happen after we finished our last fight. This is in my planning and in my schedule and it’s definitely gonna happen in the future."
Since their rematch, Lee has taken time off from competing to build her family with Bruno Pucci. She gave birth to a baby girl, Ava Marie, on April 16, 2021.
Xiong believes that Lee will be returning to MMA as a renewed fighter, with extra motivation now that she's become a mother.
"If you are a good athlete, when you come back, you come back in 100% of yourself and I think Angela Lee is that kind of a good athlete. I think in some ways, having children is a bigger motivation for her, so I think she could probably come back very strong."
Catch Xiong Jing Nan's full interview with the South China Morning Post below:
Xiong Jing Nan is open to fighting in another division and competing in kickboxing
The dominance of Xiong Jing Nan in the ONE Championship strawweight division is ongoing. She has held the title for more than 1,400 days.
Xiong has defended her belt five times and is set to fight Ayaka Muria on the ONE: Heavy Hitters fight card this Friday, January 14 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Having not much competition in her division, she is already looking forward to taking her talents to another division. She's even open to testing her skills in a different sport like kickboxing in.
"I would definitely want to try more new opponents. I’m not satisfied from where I am and where I’m at. I want to try more opponents, different weight class, or even different sports."
Catch Xiong Jing Nan's next defense at ONE: Heavy Hitters on January 14.
