Mixed martial arts

Nguyễn Tiến Long grounds and pounds Nguyễn Xuân Phương in the MMA Duo match of the 2025 LION Championships' first series on April 12 in Hà Nội. — Photos of VMMAF

HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Tiến Long and Nguyễn Trung Hải needed only 54 seconds to become the first ever MMA Duo champions of Việt Nam.

On April 12, the pair defeated Nguyễn Xuân Phương and Nguyễn Ngọc Thức by technical knock-out at the 2025 LION Championships mixed martial arts (MMA) series' opening stage.

Hải, runner-up of the Gods Of Martial Arts with many years of experience in MMA, applied a rear-naked-choke on Thức in the 50th second of the match. Thức, the national kickboxing champion, had no way to resist and had to tap out.

Long, the national sambo champion and Việt Nam's Asian MMA champion, also forced referee to announce him the winner after Phương, the SEA Games kickboxing champion, suffered strong ground attacks and failed to escape.

The result was not only a surprise for supporters but also fighters who took part in an aggressive verbal exchange in the face-off session on the previous day.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Hải seemed disappointed despite the win saying it was boring as it lasted less than 60 second in a regulated 10-minute bout.

In another new style of the tournament, MMA Gauntlet, team Tank Club secured the first victory after beating team Agoge in a single-elimination bracket format. Three members of each team fought each other. The last person left won the match for their team.

Phan Huy Hoàng (right) celebrate the overall win for Tank Club.

It was Phan Huy Hoàng of Tank Club who knocked out Nguyễn Công Tuấn of Agoge to wave the winning flag for his side.

A highlight of the night was the only female fight between Vietnamese Trần Trà My and Britain's Chelsea Leigh Moore in the 52kg category.

With strong local support, My opened attacks from the beginning. Her accurate powerful right-hand punches that left a deep cut on Moore's face just half way through the first round.

She was also agile to avoid many face shots and kicks from Moore whose attempts were strongly affected by the blood from her cuts.

The second round seemed more balance as Moore fought harder and she sometimes wrestled My on the floor and tried to make rear-naked-choke. However, it was still My who took more points from the judges.

Trần Trà My (left) lands a punch on Chelsea Leigh Moore.

In the third round, My's punches made Chelsea bleed again but she was also exhausted. Chelsea took My down and tried to gain a submission win but My was wise and strong enough to stay still until the last second and receive a unanimous decision.

“Although I won, I am still not completely satisfied with my performance. The match is a valuable lesson, I know I need to practise harder to improve my technique and physique,” My said.

In the only MMA Ground Fight bout, two seniors, Ninh Hải Anh and Nguyễn Văn Linh, took part in a thrilling match that blew up the Tây Hồ Gymnasium.

With their same background of jujitsu and several meets previously, they were very familiar with each other.

But it was Anh, who at 43 is seven years older than his rival, was the one who actively opened attacks and gradually dominated the match.

Ninh Hải Anh (in red) beat his younger rival in the men's MMA Ground Fight 70kg bout.

After three rounds, Anh who was back to the octagon after long time working as a bodybuilding and jujitsu trainer, was named winner with a unanimous decision.

“Everyone wants to win. I have prepared carefully for the match. Today I am also lucky to win as my opponent is very strong, experienced and has good technique," said Anh, a phở restaurant owner.

The main card was a match between Liam Arnold James of Ireland and Bùi Đình Khải of Việt Nam in the men's 56kg.

Bùi Đình Khải (left) tries to take down Liam Arnold James in the men's 56kg class.

James took control in the whole match and nearly won when trying to apply rear-naked-choke on Khải in the second round.

But Khải suddenly escaped and launched an accurate counter-attack, winning after in the fourth minute for the biggest surprise win of the night. — VNS