UFC Vs. ONE Championship: Angela Lee Down To Fight Rose Namajunas

A potential UFC-versus-ONE Championship extravaganza has been discussed extensively by fans on social media over the past few weeks after the promotion’s head honcho Chatri Sityodtong declared that he was open to hosting a cross-promotional mega event between the two outfits.

While it’s highly unlikely for the two organizations to ever co-promote an event, athletes from both companies are open to stepping into the cage with their counterparts. This includes Angela Lee, the reigning atomweight queen of ONE Championship.

A hypothetical showdown between the UFC and ONE Championship would see Lee paired up with two-time women's strawweight titleholder Rose Namajunas.

It’s a matchup that Lee is not only open to doing but also excited for, if it happens.

“I think that it would be a very exciting matchup, UFC versus ONE,” Lee told International Business Times.

“I would be all for it, to fight ‘Thug’ Rose. I think that she’s a very exciting fighter as well. She’s definitely more of a well-rounded mixed martial artist. You can see that she has a big heart. I think that we would match up very well."

Lee is arguably the face of the Asian organization. She made her ONE Championship debut in May 2015, quickly springboarding into a five-fight win streak that earned her a crack at the inaugural atomweight title in 2016.

At just 20 years of age, Lee defeated veteran Mei Yamaguchi to capture ONE Championship’s 115-pound belt and became the youngest world champion in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA).

Meanwhile, Namajunas embarked on her first reign as champion in 2017 when she upset former titleholder Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 217.

She lost the title to Jessica Andrade at UFC 237 in 2019, after being knocked out by a slam.

Most recently, Namajunas defeated China’s Weili Zhang to regain the belt at UFC 249.

Although the two female mixed martial artists seem evenly matched, Lee likes her chances against Namajunas.

“She has very precise striking. I think I am more dominant on the ground with grappling and with the submissions,” Lee said. “I think that it would be exciting. I’m sure the fans would love to see it. Hopefully one day [it happens].”

ONE Championship returns on Friday, July 30 with ONE: Battleground, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

In the main event, Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao defends his strawweight belt against young phenom Prajanchai PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym in a Muay Thai bout.

In the co-main event, former two-division champion Aung La N Sang takes on Leandro Ataides in a pivotal middleweight MMA clash.

Also featured on the card is Lee's younger sister Victoria, who is set to square off with Wang Luping in her second assignment as a professional MMA competitor.