‘A Great Day In The Office’ – Adrian Lee Reflects On First-Round TKO Of Shozo Isojima At ONE Fight Night 40
Teenage MMA sensation Adrian “The Phenom” Lee turned heartbreak into fuel at ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II on Prime Video, weathering early adversity to announce his emphatic return to the winner’s column.
Competing this past Saturday, February 14, at Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium, the 19-year-old prodigy stormed back from his first career loss with a devastating first-round TKO victory over Japan’s Shozo “Great Teacher” Isojima in their lightweight MMA clash.
But the path to redemption was anything but smooth for the youngest competitor of the famed Lee family. Mere seconds into the opening frame, the Singaporean-American star found himself staring down the barrel of disaster.
Isojima worked behind a stiff jab to counter Lee’s forward pressure, finding his rhythm early with a crisp one-two that wobbled the teenager.
Speaking to onefc.com, the Prodigy Training Center product recalled how he averted the danger that nearly ended his night:
“I did get caught with that [punch], unfortunately. But at the end of the day, it’s a fight, and anything can happen. That’s just something I’m glad that I exposed now so that I can work on cutting off all those holes.
“After that shot, I wasn’t too hurt. I still had my senses on me, and I was still able to get my strike entry into my takedown. But yeah, it definitely caught me off guard.”
Lee entered this contest reeling from his September loss to ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo, using that defeat as his blueprint. Those lessons paid immediate dividends.
The Hawaii-based dynamo shook off the direct hit. He dazzled with sharp combinations before executing a textbook double-leg takedown.
From there, Lee sliced into mount and rained hellfire — punches and elbows that battered the Japanese warrior until the referee stopped the fight at the 2:56 minute mark.
Reflecting on his gutsy performance, “The Phenom” shared:
“That’s something we’ve been working on all camp. We always say we take whatever comes first, whether it’s TKO or submission. 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.
“The only thing that surprised me was me getting caught with that [right hand]. Other than that, it all went as expected. I was able to keep my composure and execute my game plan. The only takeaway was I gotta tighten up my guard a little bit.”
With the victory, Lee proved his defeat to Ruotolo was merely a stumbling block, not a roadblock. That loss fueled his hunger rather than dampen his spirit.
The hard work paid off in spectacular fashion, and the young star couldn’t hide his satisfaction. More importantly, he discovered something crucial about himself.
Lee continued:
“I feel like one thing that has definitely [improved] a lot was my composure in adversity. That’s something I’ve been working on constantly ever since that fight. Even though I faced some adversity in this fight, I was able to stay composed, stick to the game plan, and execute it.
“This sport means everything to me. I dedicate my life to the sport, and all that matters is that I came out with the win.”
Lee Praises Isojima, Eyes Quick Return To Japan
Both Adrian Lee and Shozo Isojima entered ONE Fight Night 40 seeking redemption after heartbreaking setbacks.
Despite the decisive outcome, Lee was quick to praise the Japanese standout’s resilience and predicted he would rebound strongly from back-to-back defeats.
The Singaporean-American offered:
“At the end of the day, he’s a good fighter. He was 6-1, and I was glad to have this opportunity with him.
“No hard feelings towards Shozo. It’s just the fight business. He’s tough, he has heart, he stayed in there for a while. Today was my day, and I’m sure Shozo has some bright things in his future.”
With his slate now standing at 4-1, Lee sees 2026 as a year ripe with opportunity. He plans to use this momentum to climb the world’s largest martial arts organization’s lightweight MMA division.
That same fearless mindset remains intact — he’ll fight anyone, anytime. But the teenage phenom does have one preferred destination in mind.
ONE is expected to return to Ariake Arena later this year. The venue holds special meaning for Lee, who submitted Takeharu Ogawa via first-round anaconda choke at ONE 172 last March.
The draw of Japan’s martial arts tradition remains strong, and “The Phenom” is eager for a swift return.
He concluded:
“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.
“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.”
