Adrian Lee’s flawless rise hit its first real speed bump in September, but the teenage standout now has a clear path to redemption. The Hawaiian prodigy returns to action against Shozo Isojima in a lightweight MMA clash at ONE Fight Night 40 on Friday, February 13, 2026, inside Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium. With both fighters coming off their first professional losses, the matchup carries real urgency on the U.S. primetime card.
“Adrian Lee doesn’t just fight to win—he fights to announce himself.”
Before his setback, Lee looked unstoppable. The 19-year-old, the youngest member of the famed Lee family, stormed through his first three professional bouts, collecting a $50,000 performance bonus for each first-round submission.
He made a statement in his promotional debut against Antonio Mammarella, controlling the action from the opening bell and sealing a submission finish in the second round. Lee followed that with a lightning-fast performance at ONE 168: Denver, choking out Nico Cornejo in under a minute. He then needed just 63 seconds to submit Takeharu Ogawa with an anaconda choke at ONE 172, cementing his reputation as one of ONE Championship’s most exciting young talents.
That momentum stalled at ONE Fight Night 35. Grappling ace Tye Ruotolo caught Lee in the second round with a rear-naked choke, handing him his first career loss.
“Every fast rise eventually meets resistance—what matters is the response.”
The defeat carried extra weight given Lee’s family legacy. His older brother Christian Lee holds multiple ONE world titles, while his sister Angela Lee retired as a dominant atomweight champion. Expectations come with the surname, and Lee felt them in that first loss.
Isojima understands that feeling all too well. The 28-year-old Japanese lightweight also suffered his first defeat at the hands of Ruotolo, tapping to a rear-naked choke at ONE 173 in November. That loss snapped his own unbeaten run, which had included an impressive debut victory over Nicolas Vigna that earned him a $50,000 bonus.
Originally booked to meet at ONE 172 before an injury delayed the bout, Lee and Isojima now collide with similar motivations and identical stakes.
“This isn’t just a comeback fight—it’s a reset.”
For Adrian Lee, a win would reinforce that his explosive start wasn’t beginner’s luck but the foundation of a serious championship run. For Isojima, defeating a member of the Lee family would elevate his résumé and push him firmly into the lightweight contender conversation.
When they meet at ONE Fight Night 40, both men fight to erase doubt, reclaim momentum, and prove that one loss doesn’t define their future.
