‘The Best Shape That I’ve Ever Been’ – Christian Lee Targets Quick Finish In Long-Awaited Return At ONE Fight Night 26

After two years on the sidelines, two-division MMA kingpin Christian “The Warrior” Lee will make his much-anticipated return to action on December 6 in U.S. primetime at ONE Fight Night 26 on Prime Video.

That night, the 26-year-old superstar will put his ONE Lightweight MMA World Title on the line against undefeated Turkish destroyer Alibeg Rasulov in a matchup that airs live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Lee knows he’s in for a tough fight against the supremely talented challenger.

The Singaporean-American told onefc.com that, much like himself, Rasulov is capable of finishing his opponents from any position, whether on the mat with his elite submission game or on the feet with show-stopping punches and kicks.

“The Warrior” detailed what he thinks his foe will bring to the table:

“I think that in some ways, we’re actually similar fighters. I see him as a well-rounded mixed martial artist. He likes to strike with people. He likes to use his wrestling to wear people down, and then he does look for the finish, whether it’s a knockout or submission.

“So, I think that he’ll be looking to have a similar game plan to mine. I think he wants to try to hurt me with strikes, take me down, and finish.”

Indeed, Rasulov boasts a mixture of submission and knockout finishes across his pristine 14-0 professional MMA record.

But for his part, Lee has proven to be one of MMA’s most ruthless finishers, scoring stoppages in all but one of his 17 victories in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

The key to his success, he said, isn’t just how he performs on fight night, but the work he puts in during camps:

“I’ve just been training as hard as I can to make sure that when I go in there, I’m going to be a better version of myself, better than I’ve been – even previously when I won my last two titles.

“So, for me, it’s just about training as hard as I can, making sure that I’m training harder than anyone else out there could possibly be training.”

To that end, Lee has spent the past few months putting himself through the grinder at his family’s new gym, Prodigy Training Center.

That intense training camp has him loaded with confidence that he’ll be the first man to defeat – and finish – Rasulov:

“Like always, my goal is to go out there and get a first-round finish. I think I could take him down and submit him in one round, and that’s not to be cocky at all. I trust in the training that I put in the last two years.”

Lee Aims To Showcase Improvements At ONE Fight Night 26

Given his time away from competition, many fans and pundits are wondering if ring rust will be an issue for Christian Lee when he battles Alibeg Rasulov.

“The Warrior” isn’t concerned, though. He said that he’s improved by leaps and bounds since he last fought and is more excited than ever to display his skills on the global stage:

“I feel like a much better fighter now, today, than the last time I [competed]. I wasn’t just taking the last two years off, resting. I’ve been training harder than ever, and I feel like I’m in the best shape that I’ve ever been in physically and mentally.

“I feel the most prepared that I’ve been before a fight in a long time. I’m really looking forward to getting back in there.”

Of course, Lee is motivated to defend his ONE Lightweight MMA World Title. But beyond the 26 pounds of gold, he’s eager to prove that he remains one of the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artists on the planet.

Chomping at the bit to lock horns with Rasulov – and any Lightweight or Weltweright MMA World Title challengers who might come after him – a pumped-up Lee added:

“In this fight, I definitely would like to show that I’m a better, faster, stronger, improved version of myself than the last time I stepped in there. And I want to prove that the time off didn’t affect me.

“I still feel like I’m the best in the world, lightweight or welterweight. And you know, at this point in time, aside from focusing on this fight, I feel ready to fight anybody. I’m just hungry to get back in there and do my job right.”