Mixed Martial Arts 

Nguyễn Vũ Quỳnh Hoa punches Lò Thị Phung in the LION Championship mixed martial arts series 33 on July 11 in Hà Nội. Photos courtesy of VMMAF

HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Vũ Quỳnh Hoa defended her title after beating Lò Thị Phung in the LION Championship mixed martial arts series 33 on July 11 in Hà Nội.

The SEA Games bronze medallist, a master of grappling and escaping from submission holds, also used her precise long-range strikes to score points against Phung.

Phung also fought back in the end of the third round but it was not enough for her to level the result.

Hoa was announced a winner by a non-unanimous decision.

In the men's 60kg, Bạch Văn Nghĩa proved his power after beating Danh Quốc, a LION Championship veteran, in three rounds.

Nghĩa made impressive performance early time in the fight as he floored Quốc after series of heavy punches. He continued to apply high kicks and precise punches, landing one blow that damaged Quốc's right eye.

His injury and limited vision prevented Quốc from fighting back. He could only try avoid a knockout defeat in his record.

Nghĩa took a unanimous win.

Earlier, China's Gao Long Jie defeated Việt Nam's Nguyễn Hoàng Thạch in the men's 56kg. 

Thạch suffered a bloody eye a minute into the first round. He had to rely on low and mid kicks to score points. But Gao knew how to make used of his grappling skills in the last two rounds and took a unanimous decision win.

Also in 56kg, Đinh Văn Khuyến beat Lê Huy Hoàng in an all-Vietnamese fight. Khuyến quickly landed his heavy punches and powerful knees on his rival and easily took a unanimous win.

Nguyễn Văn Lâm was then defeated by Shen Zhong Hao from China controlled most of the fight with his superb grappling.

Nguyễn Hữu Hân (left) takes the only KO win in the LION Championship 33 on July 11.

Also in the men's 65kg, Nguyễn Hữu Hân beat Chinese Shen Long by technically knock out in the second round.

The only MMA duo match of the night featured a draw between Trần Việt Anh and Hà Thế Anh of Việt Nam and Peng ZhengWen and Qiansa Luoluo of China.

The next Lion Championship event will be held on August 15 in HCM City. — VNS