Mixed martial arts 

Trần Ngọc Lượng (above) wins over Bùi Trường Sinh in the main card 60kg match of the LION Championship 12 mixed martial arts on April 13 in HCM City. Photos of VNMMAF

HCM CITY Jujitsu master Trần Ngọc Lượng took a submission win against Bùi Trường Sinh in the main card 60kg match of the LION Championship 12 mixed martial arts on April 13 in HCM City.

Lượng of Saigon Sports Club dominated the match from the beginning. He scored points with a quick first-round takedown. His strong grappling ability created a lot of challenges for his rival from Liên Phong Dojo.

Sinh however was a stubborn fighter. Despite suffering a series of punches and knees, he stayed strong and fought back.

Lượng attacked harder in the second round, keeping up his jujitsu skills to take Sinh down and deliver countless body and headshots. Sinh in an attempt to fight back was deducted one point after his two illegal elbows against Lượng.

Near the end of the round, Lượng successfully applied an armbar from a mount position that forced Sinh to tap out.

Lượng raised his winning streak at the LION Championship to four in a row. He will have a chance to fight reigning champion Robson Oliveira of  C88 Jiu-jitsu Club, in the belt match.

It will be the second time that two athletes meet with each other. Previously, at the LC 05 last year, Lượng took a win by points in a controversial bout causing the banning of three referees for scoring mistakes.

In another match of the 60kg, Trần Minh Nhựt of Liên Phong technically knocked out Lê Văn Tuần of Phi Ngọc Long Dojo in the second round.

Nhựt set up a side-control position, locked Tuần's arm and gave out a series of punches on Tuần that the referee had to stop the match and announced a TKO for Nhựt.

Jesse James Bernal (left) is announced the winner in the 77kg match against Đặng Hoàng Minh.

In the 56kg match, Phan Thanh Tùng of Việt Nam Top Team suffered an eye injury after an illegal elbow attack by Phạm Ngọc Cảnh of Liên Phong Dojo.

Tùng received medical attention but could not continue fighting. The organisers decided to postpone the match to an undefined date.

In another bout, Trần Trọng Kim of MMA-Biotown & PFC Phú Quốc beat Võ Thanh Tùng of Tank Club by points after three rounds.

In the 77kg class, Jesse James Bernal of Việt Nam Top Team pocketed a submission win over Đặng Hoàng Minh of Tank Club after a rear naked choke when it was only two third of the first round.

Earlier, seven matches of class B also took place at the Rạch Miễu Gymnasium with athletes fighting to have a chance to jump to class A in the next editions of the LION Championship, the national largest MMA competition series. VNS