Mixed Martial Arts

World muaythai champion Nguyễn Trần Duy Nhất (right) will compete in the AFC 30 MMA event on February 24 in Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province. Photo courtesy of Nguyễn Trần Duy Nhất

HÀ NỘI Vietnamese muaythai legend Nguyễn Trần Duy Nhất will return to the mixed martial arts competition at the Angel's Fighting Championship -- AFC 30 later this month in Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province.

Nhất decided to retire from MMA last September, returning the LION Championship 60kg belt to the organisers and saying MMA was not his major focus, but muaythai. After joining the effort to develop the sport in Việt Nam, he now wanted to focus strictly on his passion of muaythai.

However, he was persuaded by famous promoter Kim Sang Bum to join the MMA event again.

Kim is AFC's Việt Nam representative and founder of Cocky Buffalo, the leading boxing and martial arts centre in Việt Nam. Many athletes have excelled under him, including Nguyễn Thị Thu Nhi who became Việt Nam's first WBO Asia Pacific champion.

On his Facebook page, Nhất confirmed his participation and thanked Kim for his offer to take part in the AFC 30 which will be held on February 24 at the Grand Hồ Tràm Strip.

The seven-time world muaythai champion will fight South Korean Baek Jong Hun in the bantamweight (61.3kg) category.

It seems that Nhất has better conditions in the match as he has been competing for 15 years compared to Baek's five years of experience.

A poster for the match between Nguyễn Trần Duy Nhất and South Korean Baek Jong Hun in the bantamweight (61.3kg) category at the AFC 30.

Nhất, who is 5cm taller than his 1.62m rival, has recorded four wins out of four at the world toughest competitions of Lethwei and ONE Championship. Meanwhile Jong fought two matches in which he won one and lost one.

The only disadvantage of the Vietnamese fighter was that at age 35, Nhất is 10 years older than Baek, whose technique is appreciated as he is member of Team Hon, a famous and prestigious martial arts centre with 16 years of working in South Korea.

But since he agreed to take part in the event, Nhất has practised hard to improve his physique. The national top fighter had only one day off to celebrate Tết (Lunar New Year) before resuming his usual intensive training.

Two other Vietnamese fighters at the AFC 30 are Mùi Trọng Vinh and Lưu Đức Mạnh.

Vinh will compete against South Korean Park Sang Bin in the bantamweight bout.

Vinh has fought six matches, winning four and losing two, while Park is an undefeated fighter with five wins in career.

It is the second time that Vinh takes part in the AFC event. Previously, he defeated Chinese Jia Yangin at the AFC 28 last September, also in Vũng Tàu.

Meanwhile, Mạnh will fight in the flyweight (51kg) against South Korean Kwon Se Won, both new to the sport. This will be Mạnh's second match after a submission loss at the AFC 28, while Kwon will compete in his third, having won one and lost one in 2023.

Another focus will be the Felipe Negochadle of Brazil vs Anacleto Lauron of the Philippines in the featherweight (65kg).

Felipe won Việt Nam's LION Championship title in November after beating reigning champion Nghiêm Văn Ý by submission. He has fought six matches, recording five wins and one defeat.

Lauron, meanwhile, takes his third bout after long absence. In his latest fight, Lauron lost by submission to his country fellow Jhanlo Mark Sangiao in 2022. His only win was in 2019, defeating Filipino Marlon Sarol by submission.

Other matches of the night will see Pablo Eduardo of Brazil vs Song Hyun Jong of South Korea; Tsumura Naoyuki of Japan vs Kim Jin Min of South Korea; and Aragaki Yuto of Japan vs Han Gil of South Korea. VNS