Adrian Lee (3-0) has embraced social media as a tool to connect with fans while preparing for his biggest test against Tye Ruotolo at ONE Fight Night 35: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger on Friday, September 5, at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The 19-year-old Hawaiian has compiled three straight first-round finishes in ONE Championship, earning $50,000 performance bonuses for each victory. Next, Lee will face reigning ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Ruotolo in the American's MMA debut.
Lee initially resisted social media but has since invested significant time building his online presence. His Instagram reels, including content showing his daily routine, have reached millions of viewers.
"I guess you could consider making reels and videos another hobby of mine, too. At first, in the beginning of my career, I wasn't a fan of it. Like, I wouldn't make any. I wouldn't post at all. But back then, I didn't have much of a following," Lee said.
The shift in approach came as Lee recognized social media's importance in modern combat sports.
"So, I just thought, 'I could do this myself.' I started to create my own brand and post more videos because it's a huge part of the fight game and the media industry. I want to show the fans who I really am," Lee continued.
Lee's growing profile has resulted in sponsorship opportunities with Combat Corner, Legion, Mentality, and Hydragun. The content creation work has provided tangible benefits beyond online engagement.
"That's another thing I've been really loving about all the content creation I've been doing," Lee said. "I've been landing more and more sponsorship deals, so I've been super grateful for that. I really do feel like my work has been paying off."
Despite his social media success, Lee maintains clear priorities about his career focus.
"That's one thing. I don't really want to be labeled as a social media influencer. I get it that some people have been like, 'Wow, you're such an influencer now.' But I want to be an MMA fighter who just happens to document his life," Lee said.
The youngest member of the renowned Lee fighting family understands the balance between content creation and athletic performance.
"At whatever point it does become overwhelming, like, 'Man, I gotta post again,' I'll just take a step back and kind of chill out a bit because you know, I'm an MMA fighter first. I got to focus on my own career," Lee said.
Lee faces his toughest challenge against Ruotolo, whose submission grappling credentials include eight consecutive victories in ONE Championship.
