Mixed martial arts 

Lê Văn Tuần (in blue) will defend his 56kg category belt at the LION Championship 30 on April 18 in Hà Nội. — Photo courtesy of VMMAF

HÀ NỘI — Lê Văn Tuần will vie for the championship belt at the LION Championship 30, the opening event of the nation's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) series on April 18 in Hà Nội.

The event (LC 30) will feature nine bouts, of which Tuần vs Trần Trọng Kim in the men's 56kg MMA Pro category is the main card at the Xuân Đỉnh Gymnasium.

After knocking down reigning champion Phạm Văn Nam in the LC 23, Tuần took the belt and jumped to No. 4 in the tournament's pound-for-pound ranking. 

His rival, Kim, is a veteran fighter from Phú Quốc Island. He boasts an impressive record, with three wins in a row against strong young opponents in 2025, and earned his right to fight for the prestigious belt.

It will be a match between two masters of striking style, as Tuần is good at kickboxing and traditional Vietnamese martial arts, while Kim practises muay thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ).

Another highlight of the night is a match between Harry Smith and Nguyễn Trung Hải in the men's 65kg MMA Pro.

It will be an aggressive fight, as both are targeting a win to secure their slot to fight the category's belt match.

Hailing from Scotland, Smith has a BJJ background with straight wins in two previous LION championships. He possesses a very intelligent fighting style, which he showcases in his matches at home and in Việt Nam, and has recently shown significant improvement in his striking style, particularly his use of knee strikes. 

Smith often seeks to take his opponent down before applying powerful ground-and-pound tactics.

Meanwhile, Hải is a rising star who can fight well in both traditional MMA and MMA Duo categories, a recent addition to the championship events.

His long arm span and accurate punches, in combination with heavy knee strikes, can help lead him to victory.

Other matches to watch are Dư Văn Thuận vs Nguyễn Hợp Hải (60kg MMA Pro); Nguyễn Quốc Bảo vs Trần Ngọc Lâm and Đỗ Nguyễn Minh Quyền vs Lê Văn Vũ (56kg MMA Pro); Âu Văn Hiển vs Lê Công Nghị, Nguyễn Văn Thanh vs Nguyễn Hữu Nghĩa and Lê Hoàng Đức vs Trịnh Thành Công (52kg MMA Pro); and Nguyễn Thành Nam vs Nguyễn Ngọc Phú (56kg MMA Striking).

In addition to releasing its schedule for the LC 30, the Việt Nam Mixed Martial Art Federation (VMMAF) also issued a warning about a website organising illegal betting related to MMA tournaments in Việt Nam.

An illegal betting website.

"VMMAF has recently found a website providing content and functions that appear to facilitate online betting and gambling. The website presents itself as an MMA betting platform, guiding users to register accounts, place bets, track odds and conduct related transactions," read the statement from VMMAF.

"Notably, the aforementioned website uses data and images related to MMA tournaments in Việt Nam, including the Lion Championship series by the VMMAF and the Gods of Martial Arts by GMA Company, to create content for betting purposes. We confirm that no licence, cooperation agreement or authorisation has been granted to this website to exploit content related to MMA tournaments in Việt Nam.”

The federation has sent a document to authorities asking them to investigate and handle the matter according to the law.

At the same time, VMMAF advised organisations, athletes and fans not to participate in or abet in any way any illegal betting activities related to MMA. The federation also reserves the right to take necessary legal measures, including civil lawsuits, to protect its legitimate rights and interests. — VNS