Adrian Lee recaps bounce-back victory at ONE Fight Night 40: “A great day in the office”

Teenage MMA sensation Adrian Lee turned heartbreak into fuel at ONE Fight Night 40, weathering early adversity to announce his emphatic return to the winner’s column. The 19-year-old prodigy stormed back from his first career loss with a devastating first-round TKO victory over Japan’s Shozo Isojima on Saturday, February 14, at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium.

The path to redemption was anything but smooth for the youngest member of the famed Lee family. Mere seconds into the opening frame, the Singaporean-American star found himself in danger. Isojima worked behind a stiff jab to counter Lee’s forward pressure, finding his rhythm early with a crisp combination that wobbled the teenager.

Lee shook off the direct hit and dazzled with sharp combinations before executing a textbook double-leg takedown. From there, he sliced into mount and rained punches and elbows that battered the Japanese warrior until the referee stopped the fight at 2:56. The Hawaii-based dynamo entered this contest reeling from his September loss to Tye Ruotolo. He used that defeat as his blueprint for improvement.

“That’s something we’ve been working on all camp. We always say we take whatever comes first, whether it’s TKO or submission,” Lee said. “In this case, it was the TKO. I was glad one of my elbows had cut him on his forehead. So it was a great day in the office.”

Adrian Lee praises opponent and eyes Tokyo return

Adrian Lee discovered something crucial about himself during his victory over Shozo Isojima. His composure in adversity has improved dramatically since the Ruotolo loss. That growth showed when he faced the early adversity against Isojima and stayed composed to execute his game plan. The hard work paid off in spectacular fashion.

Despite the decisive outcome, Lee quickly praised the Japanese standout’s resilience. He predicted Isojima would rebound strongly from back-to-back defeats. The young American emphasized that it was simply business and harbored no hard feelings toward his opponent.

With his record now standing at 4-1, Lee sees 2026 as a year ripe with opportunity. He plans to use this momentum to climb ONE Championship’s lightweight MMA division. That same fearless mindset remains intact. ONE is expected to return to Ariake Arena later this year, where Lee submitted Takeharu Ogawa via first-round anaconda choke last March.

“For me, there’s no one specific, but I’d like to get a quick turnaround. Maybe that April card in Tokyo, I’d love to be on it,” Lee said. “The experience was amazing. I love Japan, I love fighting in Japan, and I’d love to get back in there if there are opportunities.”