The untimely death of 18-year-old mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Victoria Lee on December 26, 2022, was publicly announced by her sister, Angela Lee, in an emotional Instagram post on January 7. Following this devastating loss, the Lee family’s gym, United MMA Hawaii in Waipahu, has been reported as ‘permanently closed.’

In her heartfelt post, Angela shared the pain her family has been going through, writing, “On December 26, 2022, our family experienced something no family should ever have to endure… It is incredibly difficult to say this… Our Victoria passed away. She left us too soon, and our family has been completely shattered.”

Angela continued, expressing how deeply Victoria will be missed. “She was the most beautiful soul, the best little sister, daughter, granddaughter, and godmother to Ava and Alia. Life will never be the same for our family.”

Angela also called for “grace and respect” as her family copes with this unimaginable grief, urging people to check on their loved ones often, as life can be uncertain.

Victoria Lee was the younger sister of One Championship world champions Angela and Christian Lee. Though the cause of her death has not been disclosed, a celebration of her life will take place on January 22, followed by her burial. Despite spending much of their time in the U.S., the Lee siblings represent Singapore when competing, and their youngest brother, Adrian, 17, is also stepping into the MMA scene, having recently won his first amateur fight in Hawaii.

One Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong paid tribute to Victoria in a touching Facebook post, recalling his first meeting with her at the age of 11. “I am heartbroken by Victoria Lee’s passing. She was an extraordinary martial artist and a human being with a heart of gold. She always looked out for others and wanted to use her life to help the world.”

On Monday, combat sports podcast host Todd Atkin tweeted that United MMA Hawaii had notified its members of the gym’s closure. The statement confirmed that all memberships would be canceled, and students would no longer be billed, marking the end of an era for the gym that had played a pivotal role in the Lee family’s MMA journey.