Victoria Lee, rising star of mixed martial arts, dies at 18

(CNN) — Victoria Lee, one of the brightest new stars in mixed martial arts (MMA), has died at the age of 18, her sister has confirmed.

“He’s gone too soon and our family has been completely devastated ever since,” his sister Angela said in an Instagram post 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 had begun to climb the sport’s ranks.

She won three fights in her short career, most recently in September 2021 against Victoria Souza.

He put fighting on the back burner last year as he focused on graduating high school.

In her Instagram post, Angela said her sister had died on December 26, but did not say how.

“We miss you so much sister. More than you could imagine. We are all broken,” Angela added.

“Because a piece of you was in each one of us and when you left, those pieces were ripped from us. We will never be the same.”

Lee came from a family with a rich history in the sport: his sister and brother, Christian, are world champions in this discipline.

‘The Prodigy’, as he was known, had previously told MMA Fighting that his brothers were his biggest inspiration.

The ONE Championship, a championship Lee participated in, said he was “devastated” by the news.

“I am heartbroken by the passing of Victoria Lee. I met Victoria when she was 11 years old. I watched her blossom over the years as a martial artist and as a human being,” ONE Championship President and CEO Chatri Sityodtong said in a Facebook post.

“I always remember thinking how wise, thoughtful, and selfless she was beyond her years.

“Of course, she was an extraordinary martial arts prodigy even back then, but I could see that she was much more than that.”