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Tom Taylor

Max Holloway clearly holds his fellow Hawaiian Christian Lee in high regard – even if ESPN does not.
ESPN, the UFC’s official broadcast partner, recently shared a list of the best mixed martial artists under 25 years old.
The 24-year-old Lee, who holds ONE Championship’s welterweight and lightweight MMA titles, featured at No 6, but came in behind several UFC fighters who have accomplished far less.
Holloway, a former UFC featherweight champion and one of the best fighters in the world today, took issue with the order of ESPN’s list, and made sure to let the world know it on Facebook.




















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A post shared by SCMP.com/MartialArts (@scmpmartialarts)



“How is Lee not No 1,” Holloway wrote in the replies for ESPN’s post. “Dude is a double champ right now.”
Holloway’s comment received significant support from fans, with one calling ESPN’s list “absolutely ridiculous” and another calling it “silly”.
Lee is one of just two current champions on ESPN’s list – the other being the No 1-ranked Usman Nurmagomedov (16-0), who recently won the Bellator lightweight title with a decision victory over Patricky Freire.
Most commenters appeared to support the Bellator champ’s spot near the top of the list. The main source of controversy seemed to be that Lee was ranked behind 24-year-old UFC flyweight contender Maycee Barber (11-2), who has won six fights in the Octagon, but also suffered two clear losses at the hands of Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grasso in the last two years.
ONE on Prime Video 6: Aung La makes quick turnaround in Bangkok
“I think the Maycee Barber thing needs to slow down,” one fan wrote. “She isn’t bad, but shouldn’t be near the top of this list.”
Lee (17-4) first got his hands on ONE gold in 2019, when he defeated Japanese legend Shinya Aoki by second-round TKO to win the lightweight title.
He went on to defend the lightweight belt with quick stoppages of Iuri Lapicus and Timofey Nastyukhin, before losing it with a controversial decision loss to South Korea’s Ok Rae-yoon in 2021.
He then reclaimed the title in an immediate rematch with Ok earlier this year, defeating his rival by second-round TKO. That win set him up for the opportunity to challenge Kiamrian Abbasov for the welterweight title at ONE on Prime Video 4 last month in Singapore.

Despite being badly hurt in the first round of his fight with Abbasov, Lee rallied to defeat his Kyrgyz rival with a volley of fourth-round punches, becoming a two-division champion in the process.
After that victory, he briefly flirted with a cross-promotional super fight with UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who was in Singapore to corner lightweight contender Saygid Izagakhmaev.
“I mean, let’s do it, let’s break some records,” Lee told the Post after the fight. “A fight between a ONE world champion and UFC world champion would create massive hype. It would make for the biggest MMA fight the world has ever seen.”

The 31-year-old Holloway (23-7) knows a thing or two about success at a young age himself, having debuted with the UFC when he was just 20.
Since signing with the promotion, he has enjoyed interim and undisputed title reigns at featherweight, and beaten some of the best fighters of the last decade, including Jose Aldo (twice), Frankie Edgar, Charles Oliveira, Anthony Pettis, Brian Ortega, and Yair Rodriguez.
The Hawaiian last fought in the summer, when he lost a lopsided decision to reigning featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski.


Malaysian MMA fans hail UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov’s plan to launch Johor gym

ONE Championship: Ayaka Miura v Macarena Aragon, 2 other bouts complete line-up for ONE 169

ONE Championship: Tawanchai PKSaenchaigym puts title on line at scene of Russell Crowe film

ONE Championship: Rodtang Jitmuangnon wary of ‘slow’ but durable Jacob Smith in title bout

ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Christian Lee gets backing from UFC’s Max Holloway after ESPN rankings snub

Christian Lee holds his two ONE Championship title belts after beating Kiamrian Abbasov. Photo: ONE Championship

Christian Lee finishes Kiamrian Abbasov.

Alexander Volkanovski (L) of Australia punches Max Holloway in their featherweight title bout at UFC 276. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

ONE Championship on Prime Video 6 in Bangkok takes shape with new matchups, including return of Aung La N Sang

Aung La N Sang celebrates with the fans at ONE Championship 163. Photos: ONE Championship.

China’s Fan Rong prepares to fight Yuri Simoes in a middleweight MMA clash, which he won by unanimous decision. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Meng Bo ‘2.0’ wants Tiffany Teo rematch after 24-second TKO in Manila

Meng Bo (centre) celebrates with her coach George Hickman (left) and teammate Wu Yanan. Photo: ONE Championship

Meng Bo celebrates her win over Jenelyn Olsim in the Philippines. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Arjan Bhullar says ‘give me a date’ for title defence against ‘baby’ Anatoly Malykhin

Arjan Bhullar celebrates a victory in the Circle. Photos: ONE Championship.

ONE Championship reveals Thai broadcast deal with Channel 7, as first Lumpinee card takes shape

Chatri Sityodtong (centre) poses with a host of ONE Championship fighters and business partners at press conference in Bangkok, Thailand. Photos: ONE Championship.

Bantamweight Muay Thai Nong-O Gaiyanghadao celebrates a successful title defence over Felipe Lobo. Photo: ONE Championship

Superbon celebrates a victory over Marat Grigorian at ONE X in March. Photo: ONE Championship.

Rodtang Jitmuangnon lands a head kick Joseph Lasiri at ONE on Prime Video 4.

ONE Championship: Chatri says Superlek ‘botched’ shot at glory in ‘cursed’ grand prix with scale fail

Superlek wins a split decision against fellow Thai Panpayak at ONE Championship on Prime Video 5. Photo: ONE Championship. 

Sport

Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts


Two-division ONE champ Lee was featured on ESPN’s list of the best fighters under 25, but ranked behind several UFC contenders
Former UFC featherweight champ Holloway took issue with his fellow Hawaiian’s place on the list – ‘How is Lee not No 1?’



UFC legend Max Holloway left stunned that two-division ONE Championship king Christian Lee was not No 1 on ESPN’s list of 25 best fighters under 25 years old.


Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

Max Holloway

ONE Championship: Christian Lee gets backing from UFC’s Max Holloway after ESPN rankings snub

Two-division ONE champ Lee was featured on ESPN’s list of the best fighters under 25, but ranked behind several UFC contenders Former UFC featherweight champ Holloway took issue with his fellow Hawaiian’s place on the list – ‘How is Lee not No 1?’

Two-division ONE champ Lee was featured on ESPN’s list of the best fighters under 25, but ranked behind several UFC contenders

Former UFC featherweight champ Holloway took issue with his fellow Hawaiian’s place on the list – ‘How is Lee not No 1?’