“We’re not meant to be perfect” - Angela Lee says FightStory aims to give fighters a safe haven for their difficult moments

Perfection is usually demanded and expected from professional fighters, but Angela Lee knows that should never be the case.

Mixed martial artists, and every other combat sports athlete, for that matter, often put on an aura of invincibility whenever they step inside the cage or ring. Outside, though, these fighters are still regular people who go through struggles just like everyone else.

Lee, one of the most accomplished female fighters in history, believes that her fellow athletes should have a safe space to be themselves.

In an interview with the Tamron Hall Show, Lee said she created her non-profit organization FightStory to give fighters a haven for their most difficult moments.

Lee added that another reason why she created her organization was for her daughter Ava to see that there’s always a safe space for everybody, no matter who they are in this world.

She said:

“You know what I'm doing now with Fightstory, the nonprofit, the reason why I'm doing this is really for Ava and, of course, for everyone. But I think having that communication, having that difficult talk, bringing up these feelings, and letting her know, that it is okay to be feeling all of these emotions it's just a part of being human. We're not meant to be perfect.”

Lee is among the most influential female fighters in and out of competition and was pivotal in helping the meteoric rise of ONE Championship as a promotion.

Spending her entire career with ONE Championship since May 2015, Lee became the inaugural ONE women's atomweight MMA world champion when she beat Mei Yamaguchi for the gold in May 2016.

Lee defended the world title five times and held on to it until her retirement in September this year.

Watch Lee's entire interview below: