Mixed martial arts 

HÀ NỘI — Nghiêm Văn Ý can't wait to fight Felipe Negochadle hoping to take his title back at the national largest mixed martial arts series LION Championships. which be staged on December 14 in Hà Nội.

The final event (LC20) will feature three belt matches and four featured fights at the Tây Hồ District Gymnasium.

The main event between Vietnamese Ý and Brazilian Negochadle will be a 65kg-class rematch after one year.

In 2023, reigning champion Ý was challenged by Negochadle and he lost in a thrilling bout which was considered the best fight of the season.

Negochadle honed his technique through international competitions, earning a knockout win at the knockout South Korean Angel's Fighting Championship. Ý meanwhile pocketed a knock-out win at the LC 18 and spent one month training at the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai to prepare for this title bout. 

In the men's 70kg class, Vietnamese-Polish reigning champion Kamil Michal Nguyễn Văn is being challenged by Jovidon Khojaev of Tajikistan.

It will be a tough task for Kamil, the highest ranking MMA fighter currently, as he will be against a rival who is strong and 14 years his junior.

Jovidon has had his eye on a championship title in Việt Nam after many matches in the US and Europe.

The women's 60kg class will see champion Chelsey Cashwell of the US, defend her crown against Lò Thị Tâm, a Vietnamese wushu master.

While Cashwell is renowned as an unbeatable fighter, Tâm has scored only one win, a fight at the LC 15 in June.

Two friendly bouts will feature Vietnamese Trần Ngọc Lượng versus Cambodian Rin Saroth in the men's 63kg and Quàng Minh Quang of the hosts and Elias Kopp of Germany in the men's 67kg.

Lượng just secured a KO win at the Wu Lin Feng MMA 80 last month in China. That should give him plenty of motivation against a powerful Kun Khmer martial artist who took part in six matches at the ONE Championship, the world's largest MMA arena.

Minh always makes positive impression with his outstanding Muay Thai stand-up fighting abilities, while Kopp has a fierce foundation, with three victories in the international MMA arena, so the match could be unpredictable. 

International friendly bouts are planned within the LION Championship organisers with a view to improving Vietnamese fighters' levels and experience, an important step in bringing them into the global arena.

Two other bouts will be between Lò Thị Phung and Trần Trà My in the women's 52kg and Đinh Văn Khuyến and Nguyễn Phú Thịnh in the men's 56kg. - VNS