Angela “Unstoppable” Lee kept her undefeated record intact and scored the biggest win of her MMA career tonight at ONE Championship 42: “Ascent To Power” in Kallang, Singapore. The 19-year-old star edged out “V.V” Mei Yamaguchi to become the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight Champion.

Tonight’s main event bout was a thrilling back-and-forth battle that featured countless submission attempts from both fighters. Lee had Yamaguchi in danger on multiple occasions, but Yamaguchi nearly knocked her opponent out early in round three. After 25 minutes of action, Lee took home the title.

Following a cautious start to the opening round as the fighters circled and traded strikes, Lee (6-0-0) jumped guard and she immediately swept into mount position. Yamaguchi (15-9-1) scrambled back to her feet, but Lee locked in a tight guillotine choke in the process. She pulled Yamaguchi back down to the mat and trapped her in full guard while maintaining her grip on the choke. Yamaguchi refused to submit and she eventually passed Lee’s guard, but Lee landed an upkick before the bell.

Yamaguchi scored with a nice right hand in the second round and she reversed a takedown into Lee’s half-guard. Lee countered with an armbar and the fighters returned to their feet. Lee tried for a takedown, but she wound up on the bottom again. A scramble followed and Yamaguchi secured a rolling guillotine choke. She tightened the choke from the top in half-guard, but time expired seconds later.

Round three began with Yamaguchi flooring Lee with a big right hook. Lee was badly hurt, but she recovered on the mat as Yamaguchi rained down punches from the top. Yamaguchi mounted Lee and she used punches to set up a deep armbar. Lee’s arm was bent back at an awkward angle, but she rolled through and managed to break Yamaguchi’s grip. From the top, Lee worked for an arm-triangle choke. Yamaguchi easily escaped and she used an armbar to sweep into mount. A scramble followed after Yamaguchi dove for a kneebar, and Lee secured an Anaconda choke late in the amazing round.

Lee remained very active on the ground in round four and she threatened with a heel hook after taking Yamaguchi down. Yamaguchi escaped and Lee attacked with an arm-triangle choke from side control. Yamaguchi defended very well and she swept into Lee’s guard, but Lee framed up a triangle choke from her back. After taking top position, Lee landed some solid ground and pound, and she pulled guard with a guillotine choke in the final 30 seconds.

Yamaguchi slowed down in the final round and Lee scored a key takedown into side control after a lengthy clinch battle against the cage. She locked on an arm-triangle choke, but Yamaguchi held on and she fought her way free from the hold. Lee transitioned to an inverted triangle choke from a top-side crucifix position, but Yamaguchi would not submit. The entertaining fight ended with Yamaguchi trapped in another tight arm-triangle choke.

Yamaguchi’s strong defence and her vicious knockdown of Lee in round three were not quite enough to sway the judges in her favour. All cageside judges scored the Fight of the Year candidate for Lee, who remains undefeated and now stands tall as ONE Championship’s inaugural female titleholder.

Winner: Angela Lee by Unanimous Decision after five rounds. She improves to 6-0-0 and becomes the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight Champion.

(Photo Credit: Evolve MMA)