Angela Lee shares her version of "2026 is the new 2016" trend, reminisces her memories of the magical year

Retired ONE Championship star Angela Lee has joined a viral social media trend that takes people back to the year 2016. The trend encourages users to share photos from that year. For Lee, 2016 was not just another year. It was the moment that changed her life forever. At just 19 years old, she became a world champion and created history inside the ONE Championship cage.Lee, who officially retired from mixed martial arts in 2023, shared a carousel of old photos on social media. The images included memories from her title-winning moment and personal highlights from that year. The post quickly caught attention from fans, as it showed the early days of a fighter who would go on to become one of ONE Championship’s biggest stars.Angela Lee used the 2016 throwback trend to look back on what she described as the start of everything. She shared that becoming a world champion felt like achieving a dream she believed would last her entire life. At 19, she felt fearless, powerful, and completely confident in her journey. Looking at the decade old photos, she wrote that she was happy for her younger self, who was living her dream.She also spoke about personal memories from that year. Lee mentioned her beloved dog Rocky and recalled how her relationship with her husband, Bruno Pucci, first began. These moments made 2016 even more special beyond the championship belt.Lee ended her reflection by saying that while a lot can change in one year, ten years can feel like a whole lifetime. She shared that many people are talking about 2016, but for her, it marked the beginning of her story. She expressed gratitude for her past and excitement for what lies ahead.Angela Lee made history in May 2016 when she defeated Japanese veteran Mei Yamaguchi at ONE: Ascent to Power in Singapore. She won the inaugural ONE atomweight MMA world title by unanimous decision after five tough rounds. Lee went on to defend her title five times, with her final defense coming against Stamp Fairtex in March 2022.After the tragic passing of her sister Victoria in 2022, Lee stepped away from competition. She retired in September 2023 and chose to focus on family life.