The Stars Predict Martin Nguyen Vs. Thanh Le
ONE Championship is just days away from its biggest event of the year.
This Friday, 30 October, the promotion will hold ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and the stacked card contains four tantalizing Mixed Martial Arts World Title bouts.
One of those bouts will be the ONE Featherweight World Title clash between reigning divisional king Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen and #3-ranked contender Thanh Le.
Also, this is the first ONE World Championship fight between two athletes of Vietnamese descent – and it’s bound to be a barn burner.
Before the dominant titleholder and the hungry challenger meet this Friday in “The Lion City,” several of the promotion’s most beloved stars break down their epic matchup.
Arjan ‘Singh’ Bhullar
“I have lots of praise for Martin Nguyen. He has a dynamite right hand and comes from a great camp.
“In this era of COVID-19, it is really difficult to get the right kind of training environment, but these guys know what they are doing. I think he will be peaking at the right time – mentally, physically, and skill-wise.
“He has a great challenger in front of him, and when you have an opponent like Thanh Le, it allows you to show how great you are. I think this will be a great platform for Martin to do that.”
Andrew Leone
“This is another huge fight. How can you go against Martin Nguyen at this point? The guy’s a beast. He has so much championship experience under him already.
“It will be exciting to watch. He’s always looking for the kill, and he’s very skilled. His opponent is also coming off some impressive knockouts over some tough competition and trains under martial arts guru Ryan Hall.
“It’ll be an amazing matchup, but I think Martin wins by KO in the third round.”
Ryogo ‘Kaitai’ Takahashi
“Martin Nguyen is a fighter, but I think he is a gentle fighter – not a wild character. He has a good smile. I get the impression that he sets up the bout while he prepares to launch the right punch.
“Thanh Le also doesn’t have any wild characteristics. He has the gentlemanly, slightly mature vibe of a young businessman. He has knockout punches and knockout kicks in both his right and left limbs.
“I think Martin will win. Thanh Le has a long reach and it might take him time to find his distance, but the World Champion can wrestle, too. So, he will aim for takedowns.”
Koyomi ‘Moushigo’ Matsushima
“Martin Nguyen is a calm and clever athlete who is good at creating distance. Once an opponent gets into his range, he has the power to finish.
“Thanh Le has a wide range, a variety of attacks, and outstanding attacking power. He is an athlete who can turn the tables on his opponent in a second.
“I think the bout will go the distance, and Nguyen will dominate the bout and win by decision. If Thanh Le is going to win, then it will be a very quick bout. It is very hard to predict who will win.”
Sagetdao ‘Deadly Star’ Petpayathai
“I have actually followed Martin Nguyen for a long time. His strength is the real thing. I like him. I have dreamed of challenging him for the belt since the first time I fought in mixed martial arts.
“For the upcoming fight, I still think that Martin is superior to Thanh Le. It’s really hard to overcome him because he is so tough. I will support Martin in this fight. I believe in his powerful fists.”
Elipitua ‘The Magician’ Siregar
“This is crazy and going to be fierce. It’s not easy to predict, though I am inclined to lean toward Martin. He is an unpredictable knockout artist.
“Let’s take a look at his match against Folayang – who would have thought that he would land an overhand when Folayang launched a spinning back kick? It was an unpredictable KO, which means he is smart in reading the game. His fight IQ is good, so he is able to stay focused in any situation.”
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Gurdarshan ‘Saint Lion’ Mangat
“This is the fight I am probably most excited about, although I am undecided on this one. I have watched Thanh Le in other promotions. He has amazing knockout power. On the other hand, Martin Nguyen had some explosive finishes, too.
“I can’t pick a winner for this one. I think it will be one of the most exciting fights for the fans. It’s going to come with lots of action, and these two guys are going to bring the best out of each other.”
Zebaztian ‘The Bandit’ Kadestam
“Martin Nguyen looks better and better every time he steps in there. Thanh Le has looked impressive, but I don’t think he has enough tools to defeat the champ. This one might go the distance.”
Yuya ‘Little Piranha’ Wakamatsu
“Martin Nguyen has good eyes, and he is so skillful at fighting. He always knocks people out with the overhand right, but how he distributes the attacks and feints is so crafty. This is how he sets up the bout, and he finishes with that right hand.
“I don’t know if Thanh Le will let him do that or not. Thanh Le has good kicks, and he strikes a lot. I am looking forward to seeing how Martin Nguyen will deal with that.
“I think it will be all about the KO. The one who gets hit hardest will go down. Both athletes are tough and it might go to the judges’ decision, but if it goes as I think it will go, then it will be a striking fight.”
Reece ‘Lightning’ McLaren
“This will be fireworks! This will be a high-paced, high-stakes ‘Situ-Asian!’ I see Marty working more efficiently and getting his hand raised. Leg kicks and that right hand are a winning combination.”
“Both are known for their striking powers, but Martin is good at grappling, too. Because Thanh Le is smart in striking, Martin won’t probably rely on striking this time. He will try to find a way to bring his challenger down, and I think he will retain the belt.
“Martin is smart and dangerous at close range, while Thanh Le has a reach advantage. He needs to keep the distance through his kicks and punches. That way, I think he has a chance to dethrone Martin.”
Rahul ‘The Kerala Krusher’ Raju
“I am a huge fan of Martin Nguyen. For me, he is a legend. He has been a World Champion for so long in dominant fashion. He was the former ONE Lightweight World Champion, too. So, I think he will find a way to beat Thanh Le.”
Elliot ‘The Dragon’ Compton
“Martin Nguyen is easily one of the most exciting athletes in ONE Championship. His fearless and tenacious style has awarded him many accolades, and his ability and confidence to switch between three divisions is a testament to his fighting ability and IQ. He is definitely a fan favorite.
“And Thanh Le is a powerhouse! He has many impressive KO wins on his resume, and his hunger to become World Champion is what makes him an incredibly dangerous threat to the featherweight throne.
“When they meet in the Circle, it’s going to be a clash of styles and a test of IQ, willpower, and resilience. Le likes to play the outside game, drawing his opponents in and then exploding with a power shot. For the most part, he throws singles and doubles and then resets out of range.
“Martin is no stranger to World Title bout pressure, and he is a patient and tactical athlete. We can only assume that he has been working with many explosive and powerful athletes at Sanford MMA and will be primed and ready for action.
“I think his precision coupled with the combination work he utilizes will pay dividends in this bout. He has the ability to make his opponents miss by just a fraction and then capitalize with a powerful flurry of his own while his adversary is off-balance and vulnerable. I think that Nguyen’s unwavering self-belief will see him finish the bout in the later rounds.”
