CNN
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Victoria Lee, one of mixed martial arts (MMA)’s brightest rising stars, has died at the age of 18, her sister has confirmed.
“She passed away so early and our family has been completely devastated since then,” her older sister Angela said on Instagram on Saturday.
“We miss her. More than anything in this world. Our family will never be the same. Life will never be the same.”
Lee was born and raised in Hawaii and began his rise in the sport.
She has won three fights in her short career, most recently against Victoria Souza in September 2021.
Last year, she put her battles aside as she focused on graduating high school.
In her Instagram post, Angela said her sister died on December 26, but did not specify the cause of death.
“We miss you so much, sister. More than you can imagine. We’re all broken,” Angela added.
“Because a part of you is in each of us, and when you left, those pieces were ripped from us. We’ll never be the same.”
Lee comes from a family with a long history in the sport – her older sister and younger brother Christian are both ONE World Champions.
The “prodigy” has been known to tell MMA Fighting that her siblings are her biggest inspiration.
ONE Championship, the promotion that Lee participated in, said it was “shocked” by the news.
“My heart is broken by the passing of Victoria Lee. I first met Victoria when she was 11 years old. Over the years, I have watched her blossom as a martial artist and as a person,” said ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Officer Chatri Sityodtong said in a Facebook post.
“I always remember thinking how smart and thoughtful and selfless she was beyond her years.
“Of course, she was also a peerless martial arts genius back then, but I can see that she is far more than that.”