Martin Nguyen Reveals His Biggest Sacrifice As World Champion

As Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen prepares to defend his ONE Featherweight World Championship on Friday, August 2, he explains how his greatest sacrifice is also the source of his greatest inspiration – his family.

With the toughest test of his career from Japan’s Koyomi “Moushigo” Matsushima awaiting him at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES in Manila, Philippines, Nguyen traveled back to America to hone his skills at Hardknocks 365 again.

After spending several weeks in Florida, the Vietnamese-Australian believes he is sharper than ever, but his improvement came at a cost.

Flying halfway around the world to train meant he had to leave his wife Brooke and their three children behind in Sydney, Australia.

“The one thing I miss the most being over here in Florida is being with my family,” he says. “When it comes to training, you do what you have to do, but I love being around my family. I love being a father, as well as an athlete.

“I’m a family man, I always want to provide whatever is necessary, but being away from them, being over here, means I’m not able to take my kids to school, pick them up, and tuck them into bed – just the little things that some people don’t appreciate.”

Nguyen is both a diligent competitor and a devoted family man. Often, these two traits are not compatible, but the 30-year-old is fortunate to have a family that supports his goals and understands what is necessary to achieve them.

In fact, it was Brooke herself who encouraged Nguyen to fly 15,000 kilometers to Fort Lauderdale so he could hone his craft.

“She’s actually the one that pushed me to come overseas and made me step outside my comfort zone,” he says.

“I appreciate my wife so much more now that she has stepped up [to take care of the kids]. We both kind of stepped up as a team.

“She told me, ‘You’ve got to move forward, then you’re going to move on with your life. You’ve got to grow as an athlete to be able to provide for this family, otherwise, we’re just going to be stuck here in the same place with the same negative vibes.’”

He may not get to be there in person, but while he is on another continent, “The Situ-Asian” does whatever he can to stay involved with his children’s upbringing.

That would not have been possible in years past, but thanks to modern technology, everyone is just a call away from seeing their dad’s face and receiving his love – or maybe, to get told how to behave.

“I may be here training my butt off, but I’m still there with her in spirit,” he says.

“My kids don’t have their dad around, and my wife needs the support of someone to talk to when she’s had a bad day. Thank God for technology, because we can FaceTime every day.

“I’m always there for her – whatever time she calls me – if my kids are acting up and my wife wants me to talk to [them].

“They’ve got their iPads, [so I] can call them direct and talk with them on a daily basis, see how their days are going, say good morning to them, see if they are having a good day at school – it’s all the little blessings of today.”

Nguyen himself knows the value of a strong father. His parents lived through the Vietnam War and then moved to Australia for a better life, which they had after a lot of hard work.

Sadly, his dad died in 2013, and he did not see Nguyen go all the way to the top in The Home Of Martial Arts, but “The Situ-Asian” learned so much from him, and wants to continue his legacy as a role model for his brood.

“The journey that my father went through – to start a new life for his family – I’m using that same formula to give my family the best of the best,” he says.

“My dad was strong mentality as a young man. Obviously, he has passed it on to me.”

It has been a wrench for both the athlete and his loved ones to be apart, but a combination of their understanding, his positive mindset, and the example set by his father enable Nguyen to concentrate on his goals for the long and short term.

Next week, he will be focused on defending his belt on the biggest night in Philippine martial arts history, and that will contribute to a legacy that will provide his family with security for life. 

“It will all be worth it at the end of the day. It’s up to me to adapt to every situation, the opportunities that arise to move forward as an athlete,“ he adds.

“My kids realize what I do and the dedication I put into this sport. I’ve explained to them why I came over [to Florida] – I have to train with lions.

“They understand completely what it takes to become a World Champion and to remain a World Champion.”