Mixed Martial Arts

Hà Viết Hiếu of AMG Thanh Hóa Club (left) lands a powerful punch on Joseph Hanlon of C88 Martial – Fitness & Yoga in the men's 77kg class during the Lion Championship 7 on July 8 in HCM City, recording the fastest KO at the LC series. Photos of organisers

HÀ NỘI — Hà Viết Hiếu set a new record at the mixed martial arts event, Lion Championship 7 (LC7), on Saturday at the HCM City's Rạch Miễu Gymnasium.

The fighter of AMG Thanh Hóa Club knocked out Joseph Hanlon of C88 Martial – Fitness & Yoga in the men's 77kg class in just 18 seconds, ending their bout in the fastest time in the event's history.

Their match ended two seconds faster than the previous record between Lê Văn Thế Anh and Bùi Hữu Võ last year.

Hiếu vs Hanlon was the main card of the LC7's class B which caught the attention of thousands of supporters.

The Englishman Hanlon, known for his master skills in jujitsu, was expected to be a tough challenge for Vietnamese Hiếu.

However, Hiếu spent no time testing his rival and opened with strong attacks. His right hand landed on Hanlon's face. Hanlon was thrown backwards and unconscious. 

Doctors had to enter the cage to attend to him.

Minutes after he woke up, Hanlon was still sitting in the cage and could not believe that he lost so quickly.

Class B also saw four other matches that ended with technical knock-out (TKO) results.

Felipe Negochadle of C88 Martial – Fitness & Yoga downed Nguyễn Phương Nam of Phi Hổ MMA Club in the first round of the men's 65kg.

Danh Quốc from Iron Gym won over Trần Tự Lập of The Fighting Boxing & Muay Thai in the men's 60kg. Lập suffered an eye injury near the end of the second round and asked for a withdrawal.

Mirko Maurice Horn of C88 Martial – Fitness & Yoga beat Văn Công Quốc Phi Hổ MMA with a ground and pound in the third round of the men's 70kg.

Lê Trương Quảng Lâm of MMA Black Mamba Club won over Võ Hoàng Anh of MMA Fight Academy in the men's 77kg. Lâm had his chance in the first two rounds but he could not finish off his rival. It wasn't until halfway through the third round that he locked Anh and delivered ground and pound technique.

The referee decided to stop the bout and announced a TKO for Lâm as he found that he was not able to defend.

In other fights, Nguyễn Vũ Phương Hoài of Liên Phong Dojo earned a submission win as he defeated Nguyễn Thân of Phi Ngọc Long Dojo with a rear naked choke in the men's 65kg category.

Trần Kiệt of PFC Phú Quốc also earned a win by submission over Hoàng Đình Tiến of Iron Gym with a rear naked choke in the first round of the men's 56kg.

Nguyễn Thị Hương of AMG Thanh Hóa (right) overcomes Trần Thanh Phương Ngân of Warrior MMA in the 60kg bout.

The only women's fight saw a win for Nguyễn Thị Hương of AMG Thanh Hóa, beating Trần Thanh Phương Ngân of Warrior MMA in the 60kg bout.

Ngân was a better fighter in the first two rounds, taking a dominant mount position. However, Hương successfully escaped and fought back in the third set which brought her better points and she was announced winner of the match.

Nguyễn Phú Thịnh of Power Strength Club beat Trần Kính Tài Lợi of Phi Hổ MMA in the men's 56kg.

Đinh Chí Công of AMG Thanh Hóa won by points against Trầm Gia Thịnh of No 1 Muay Club in the men's 60kg.

Hà Thế Anh of Quyền Vương Thái Bình defeated Lê Hà Thanh Huy of Tank Club in the men's 70kg.

Lưu Đức Mạnh of No 1 Muay Club won by points over Nguyễn Kim Châu of Phi Hổ MMA in the men's 56kg. VNS