MMA News: Christian Lee Confident Against UFC's Charles Oliveira, Any Lightweight

Christian Lee, the reigning lightweight titleholder of ONE Championship, is in a unique position.

At just 23 years old, the Hawaii resident has all but cleared out the organization's 77.1-kilogram division, defeating nearly all potential challengers with the exception of No. 5-rated Ok Rae Yoon and unranked former UFC world champion Eddie Alvarez.

In essence, he has established his dominance in one of the deepest weight classes in ONE Championship.

There isn’t much left for Lee to do aside from defending his belt against whoever the company puts in front of him or seeking glory at a higher weight limit.

But while Lee is undoubtedly one of the best fighters in the world, many fans want to see him test himself against the very best lightweights, regardless of promotion.

Chatri Sityodtong, ONE Championship's chairman and CEO, was quoted a few weeks ago that he was open to pitting their best athletes up against the UFC’s world champions.

Lee shared his thoughts on a hypothetical matchup against UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.

“I think he is a good fighter and he had a good performance in winning the belt against Michael Chandler. I’m confident that I would come out on top against any lightweight fighter in the world so fighting Charles Oliveira would be no different,” Lee told International Business Times.

“Charles Oliveira is a very complete mixed martial artist with not many holes in his game. I believe that it would be a great fight between the two of us. However, I feel that I am a better fighter and if we were to fight, I would come out on top.”

Lee believes that mixed martial arts should be a borderless sport, without the boundaries of promotions, fighting commissions, or divisionary fan bases--where the best can face the best.

That being said, “The Warrior” feels ONE Championship fighters are underrated and would do well against the UFC’s stars.

“I think that a ONE Championship-versus-UFC co-promotion would be a historic event, and I’m confident that the ONE world champions will line up very well with the UFC world champions,” Lee said.

“There are great fighters in ONE Championship and the UFC. I do not feel that there is a divide between the two organizations. However, if you take the top athletes from each organization, I see ONE athletes coming out on top.”