ONE Championship: Lee defends atomweight title in rematch with Xiong

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The second fight between Singapore's Angela Lee and China's Xiong Jingnan – the respective champions of women's atomweight and strawweight of the ONE Championship – took place at the first half of ONE's Century event at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sunday, just after the super typhoon "Hagibis" passed by Tokyo.

In their first encounter, which took place in the same stadium this April, "The Panda" Xiong handed challenger "The Unstoppable" Lee her first career loss with a knockout in the fifth and final round of their strawweight title bout, which came after she survived a dangerous armlock in Round 4.

Xiong Jingnan punches Angela Lee during the women's atomweight title bout at ONE Championship: Century in the Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan, October 13, 2019. /Courtesy of ONE Championship

History may not always repeat but it does often rhyme and in this encounter, down a weight class at atomweight, the roles were reversed.

Xiong couldn't make it another miracle as the fighter, primarily known for her boxing skills, was dragged to the ground by Lee midway through Round 3 and almost submitted. While The Panda managed to hold on and successfully keep the range with her fists, and even rock the champion with a head kick in the fourth frame, The Unstoppable battled through and ultimately reused her third round technique to take Xiong to the mat and lock in a rear naked choke which forced a tap out just 12 seconds from the end of the bout.

Even though it was well and cleanly fought by both sides, there is already some controversy brewing as the final takedown used by Lee involved slamming Xiong German suplex-style. In the UFC, that would be fine but the rules of ONE forbid "slams". In March 2018 at ONE: Iron Will, Kritsada Kongsrichai KO'd Robin Catalan with a slam, only to later have his win revoked and turned into a DQ.

Angela Lee pins Xiong Jingnan to the mat with ground and pound during the women's atomweight title bout at ONE Championship: Century in the Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan, October 13, 2019. /Courtesy of ONE Championship

Xiong lost six kilograms to make weight for the rematch at Lee's division, and, to her credit, didn't seem to be enervated by the cut. However, her defensive grappling skills have yet to improve.

Lee's stamina has improved as it was only towards the end of Round 4 that she started to look gassed, but she ultimately controlled the situation and won.

Now, with one victory each, there is surely going to be a rubber match to find out who is truly the best. However, as each bout took place in each champion's respective weight class, perhaps a only catchweight fight at 120lbs will be fair.