ONE Championship’s global platform has played host to some of the most inspirational stories in sports.
From rags-to-riches tales of athletes escaping poverty, renaissance stories such as Thai legend Seksan Or Kwanmuang’s, or even those of Stamp Fairtex crossing disciplines to dominate multiple sports.
Among the most remarkable are the athletes who reach the top of the mountain well before their fighting primes.
Here, we revisit the three youngest World Champions in ONE’s history so far.
Smilla Sundell – 17 years old
Swedish sensation Smilla Sundell stands alone at the top of the list.
“The Hurricane” shocked the world when she claimed the ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title with an epic unanimous decision victory over top contender Jackie Buntan back in 2022.
Even the then 17-year-old couldn’t quite believe what she had achieved at the time.
“It was great [when they announced me as the winner]. I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I don’t think anything in life compares to this. I love the belt. It’s so good. It’s heavy and very beautiful.”
Still only 19 years old, Sundell continues to reign over the women’s strawweight Muay Thai division. She will defend her crown once again when she faces Russian knockout artist Natalia Diachkova in the ONE Fight Night 22 on Prime Video headliner on May 3.
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Still only 19 years old, Sundell continues to reign over the women’s strawweight Muay Thai division. She will defend her crown once again when she faces Russian knockout artist Natalia Diachkova in the ONE Fight Night 22 on Prime Video headliner on May 3.
Kade Ruotolo – 19 years old
Kade Ruotolo, alongside his twin brother Tye, has taken the sport of submission grappling to new heights since making his ONE debut in 2022. The American star’s aggressive grappling style appeals to the masses and, with the eyes of a global audience now on him, he has shone.
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Ruotolo is 6-0 in his ONE tenure so far, winning the inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Title along the way – aged just 19.
The 21-year-old was back in action earlier this month when he submitted Brazilian standout Francisco Lo with the newly coined “Ruotolo-tine” in their non-title, 180-pound catchweight contest.
Angela Lee – 19 years old
Even in retirement, Angela Lee remains one of the most recognizable faces in ONE Championship. The reverence that “Unstoppable” receives can be traced back to her incredible run in the promotion. Lee made her ONE debut in 2015 as a fresh-faced 18-year-old, and her talents were evident from the jump.
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The Singaporean-American reeled off five straight submission victories before a stunning 2016 unanimous decision win over Japanese veteran Mei Yamaguchi landed her the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title at just 19 – at the time the company record.
Lee went on to tally 11 wins under the ONE banner including numerous World Title fights. Sadly, her career was cut short by the tragic loss of her younger sister Victoria Lee in 2022, but Lee undeniably left an indelible mark on the world of mixed martial arts.