MMA phenom Victoria Lee dies suddenly at 18

Mixed martial arts phenom Victoria Lee has died suddenly at age 18, according to her family.

Lee suddenly died on Dec. 26, according to Angela Lee – who is also a talented MMA fighter.

Lee wrote in an Instagram post shared on Saturday, "On December 26, 2022 our family experienced something no family should ever have to go through...It is incredibly difficult to say this...Our Victoria passed away."

"She has gone too soon and our family has been completely devastated since then. We miss her. More than anything in this world," Lee continued. "Our family will never be the same. Life will never be the same."

"Victoria was the most beautiful soul who ever lived. She was the best little sister in the world," said the distraught sister – who is a ONE World Champion. "The best daughter, the best granddaughter and the best godma/aunty to Ava and Alia. We miss you so much sis. More than you could ever realize."

"We're all broken. Because a piece of you was in each of us and when you left, those pieces were ripped out of us. We will never be the same," Lee said.

"Each and every little thing makes me think of you. From the sun rays, to the sunset. You taught us to see the beauty in the simple things. You were our bright light. Our sunshine. And that will never change. You were perfect in every way. The best person I knew. The most beautiful girl, inside and out. We love you Victoria. I love you Sprout. Until the end of time," the touching tribute concluded.

One Championship – the Singapore MMA league that Lee competed in – also confirmed the rising star's sudden death.

"ONE women’s atomweight MMA athlete Victoria Lee tragically passed away on December 26, 2022," the ONE Championship website announced. "The ONE Championship team is devastated over this news and sends our most heartfelt condolences to her family and friends at this difficult time."

Lee's cause of death has yet to be revealed.

According to an obituary posted on Valley of the Temples Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Kanahe, Hawaii, a celebration of life has been scheduled for Jan. 22.

In her final post on Instagram that was shared eight days before her death, Lee was smiling ear-to-ear as she posed with her younger brother who had won a kickboxing match.

"Super proud of my little bro for winning the Toughman Pankration World Title (2nd round top guillotine) and of my teammate Elias for an awesome kickboxing win!! (2nd round TKO)," Lee wrote on Instagram.

Victoria Lee was born in Waipahu, Hawaii. Her father Ken was born in Singapore, and her mother Jewelz is Korean-Canadian. Her sister Angela and brother Christian Lee are both ONE World Champions.

Victoria Lee won back-to-back gold medals at the Hawaiian Pankration Junior World Championship in 2019 and 2020. She was also a Hawaii state wrestling champion, and an International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) junior world champion.

At age 16, Lee signed a contract to fight in the Atomweight division of the ONE Championship. At age 17, Lee made her professional fighting debut at the ONE Championship 129: Fists Of Fury event. She defeated Sunisa Srisan in the second round by submission.

Lee – who had an undefeated 3-0 record – was scheduled to fight in her fourth MMA match on Jan. 13, at the ONE on Prime Video 6 event in Bangkok, Thailand.