MMA Powerhouse

By Tim Emmons
temmons@casscountynow.com

Andrea “KGB” Lee has risen to a level few experience in her line of expertise.
The mixed martial arts star has been a force to be reckoned with -- and that was before she signed with Invicta Fighting Championships..
The Atlanta native and 2007 Queen City High School graduate -- at 5-foot-7, 125 pounds -- is the No. 7-ranked mixed martial arts flyweight fighter in the world. Her record is 5-2 since signing with Invicta FC, and those two losses were both to top-ranked opponents. 
She lost a very close split decision loss to No. 6 ranked Roxanne Modafferi and a third-round submission loss to No. 3 ranked Sarah D’Alelio. 
Lee recently defeated Jenny Liou in the first round courtesy of a technical knockout during the Invicta FC 21 event. The young fighter was very aggressive and dominated her opponent from start to finish.
Lee will face off against Heather Bassett in a Legacy Fighting Alliance event on Feb. 17 in Bossier City.
Athletes signed to Invicta FC are allowed to compete for other organizations if given permission.
Before her first-round TKO against Liou, Lee had not competed professionally since last March, but that didn’t slow her down from competing on different levels.
“In the last nine months I hit the professional jiu jitsu circuit and finished the year 12-0 beating three world champions along the way. So I’ve been working as hard as ever even though I haven’t fought MMA since March of last year,” Lee said. “I feel so much more comfortable in my own skin as a fighter. I’ve learned how to not let ego get in the way of common sense. I really came into my own and matured this year and I think you’ll immediately see evidence of that.”
For anyone following her career she exhibited that comment on Liou at the 1:14 mark of the match.
Of course being able to fight the way she does and excel at it comes from a rigorous training schedule.    
“I practice each disciplines daily which are jiu jitsu, Muya Thai, wrestling, judo and boxing,” Lee said. “Only my strength and conditioning and speed and agility are done every other day.”
And when your husband is your coach a team/business atmosphere is both helpful and needed.
“Donny, my coach and husband, is a master strategist. He’s the best I’ve ever seen at breaking down film and finding things to attack. So yes we spend a lot of time studying film,” Lee remarked. 
“Fighters who say they don’t watch film on their opponent always make me scratch my head. To me that’s always a sign of fear or over confidence.”
   Not many women, or men for that matter, look forward to climbing into a cage to face an opponent who can beat you senseless if you’re unprepared, but for Lee she looks forward to it.
   “I was blessed with steady nerves. Some fighters have it, most don’t,” Lee stated. “When you stare across a locked cage at someone who’s been thinking of killing you every day for 12 weeks it can be overwhelming for some, but I’ve never really been nervous. I think that’s why I always perform better on fight night.”
As the year turned to 2017, Lee offered her thoughts on her goals for the season which echoed her thoughts on the 2016 season when I last spoke with her.
“My goal for 2017 is to be on the first bus to the UFC as soon as they officially announce a flyweight division,” Lee said. “Until then I’ll be happy being the LFA world champ and a Top 2 or 3 contender for Invicta.
“I look to stay unusually active this year to make up for some inactivity last year. I should fight four to six times and will be making at least one long distance trip maybe around [next] New Year’s to fight in Tokyo in front of 50,000 live fans,” Lee said.
 “This year is my year to take over this division. For those who can I’ll be fighting in Bossier City in February to defend my world title. I’d love a bunch of Cass County and Northeast Texas supporters to show up.” 
Just a slight look back at Lee’s accolades includes multiple national and world titles, being a two-time winner of the Julie Kedzie Award or “most exciting fighter” award and being named “newcomer of the year” by her peers.
Six months into her boxing training, she competed for the first time at the Louisiana State Golden Gloves Championships against a four-year 10-fight veteran of the sport and knocked her out in the second round. 
Lee won the Louisiana State Golden Gloves Championships twice, won the 2013 Women’s National Golden Gloves Championship, was named the 2013 IKF world Muay Thai Kickboxing Champion and won the North American Grappling Association Bluebelt National and World Championships. 
She also won the WKA Glory Rules event, was crowned the Muay Thai Kickboxing World champion, the TBA Muay Thai World champion, the Dallas NAGA Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Expert Level champion and the IKF defending world Muay Thai champion. 
Defending her IKF Muay Thai title gave her the distinction of being the first athlete to win the three major tournaments in the same year and the first-ever Muay Thai triple crown winner.
Lee is also the reigning V3 Fights Flyweight MMA champion as well as the first-ever Legacy Fights Women’s Flyweight MMA champion. 
With an impressive record, the Muay Thai Triple Crown and the major fight hat trick of winning the IKF, WKA, TBA titles in one year, Lee opened her much anticipated pro debut against Suzie Montero at XFC 28.
And there will be more to come from the Northeast Texas prodigy as the year sweeps by.