Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Andrea Lee wants to have an unbreakable bond with her daughter and challenges those who paint her as a bad parent.
Andrea Lee has two true loves on this planet — her daughter and fighting. And she wants to marry those worlds together.
Photos of Lee’s daughter, Ainslee, are scattered through the ranked flyweight’s Instagram. It turns out some “people who are very close” to Lee don’t approve of her posting photos of Ainslee. Lee told MMA Mania what sort of criticisms she gets in a recent interview.
“That I’m selfish and that I don’t think of her and by posting pictures on social media I’m using Ainslee to better my career in ways, which is stupid,” she asserts. “I’ve been posting pictures of her since she was a baby, since she was born. I’m proud of her. I’m proud to be her mother. For them, I’m just using her to make myself look better, I guess. I don’t understand it. And that it’s putting her in danger by posting pictures of her on social media. There are a lot of weirdos out there, but I’m not posting bad pictures. I’m posting like mom and daughter pictures.”
Another point of contention is Lee’s blossoming modeling career.
“Supposedly Ainslee is being sandwiched between these sexy pornography photos,” Lee continued. “I promote myself. I’m paid for these photos. I also have sponsorships. I have companies sending me lingerie and I also get paid. It’s my business.”
Earlier this month, Lee re-posted a video celebrating Michelle Waterson’s relationship with her daughter. It is a sort of bond Lee wants to have with her own child.
“I want to have a relationship that is like Michelle Waterson’s, like Rachel Ostovich’s, like Montana De La Rosa’s,” Lee says. “I see those three ladies and their daughters are so involved. Their daughters come to their fights and they are excited to see them fight. Sometimes Ainslee doesn’t even think that MMA is a sport. She’s like ‘mom, it’s not a sport. You’re just punching people in the face.’ And I’m like, ‘It is too a sport!’ She gets excited to tell her friends that I’m a fighter and that I’m in the UFC, but she doesn’t really know what it’s all about.
“She doesn’t understand the magnitude of it all and what it takes to get to this level as an athlete,” Lee added. “She’s only eight-years-old and I don’t expect her to understand, but I would like for her to be more involved. I would love to have that bond the way they have that bond. Their little girls are always right there with them. I love that. I think it’s the sweetest thing ever and I want that.”
While that bond continues to blossom, Lee (11-3) looks straight ahead at Lauren Murphy (11-4) and their clash at UFC 247.