LION Championship comes to end with new champions

Mixed martial arts

Felipe Ventzki Negochadle takes on Nghiêm Văn Ý in the 65kg belt match of the LION Championship 11 on December 9 in Hà Nội. Photo of VIMMA

HÀ NỘI — Victory belts found new owners after thrilling fights at the finale of the LION Championship mixed martial arts event on December 9 in Hà Nội.

Felipe Ventzki Negochadle, Kamil Michal Nguyễn Văn and Robson De Oliveira Soares secured submission wins while Phạm Công Minh topped the podium with a technical knockout.

In the main card of the night, Brazilian jujitsu fighter Negochadle took on defending champion Nghiêm Văn Ý in the 65kg category.

Negochadle showed his power from the beginning after wrestling Ý down and delivering heavy ground and pound.

The 2018 Asian Games wushu bronze medallist Ý fought back with a strong combo of punches and kicks. He also had an armbar against Negochadle near the end of the first round but the Brazilian successfully escaped.

Negochadle continued controlling the second and third rounds thanks to his master grappling skills while Ý who was strong in striking defended well with his flying kicks.

In a second of losing his attention, Ý was locked by an armbar. Despite his strong effort he could not escape and had to tap on the floor asking for a defeat.

Negochadle was announced the new king of the 65kg class.

Kamil Michal Nguyễn Văn celebrates his win in the 70kg class beating Bàn Văn Hoàng with a submission. — Photo of VIMMA

In the earlier bout, Vietnamese-Polish Kamil finally lifted his belt after three losses previously, beating Vietnamese Bàn Văn Hoàng in the 70kg pool with the belt being abandoned after champion Trần Quang Lộc retired two months ago.

Kamil quickly took Hoàng down early in the first round. He was in a mount position and used ground and pound to punish his rival. But 20-year-old Hoàng was still strong and he got up to fight back.

In the second round, Kamil took mount position again and his arm-triangle choke gave Ý no chance to escape.

The main referee decided it was a submission win for Kamil at the 1.34min of the round.

In the 84kg class, Phạm Công Minh, who set a record of the fastest knockout of the tournament, beat Trần Quốc Toản in the third round.

Phạm Công Minh (right) sent a knee on Trần Quốc Toản in the men’s 84kg. — Photo of VIMMA

Minh preferred high kicks and punches due to his advantage of better height. Toản meanwhile chose low kicks and knee strikes.

Near the end of the third round, Minh successfully took Toản down and practiced ground and pound which made Toản unable to continue the fight.

The last belt went to Soares in the 60kg after beating Bùi Trường Sinh in the first round.

The Brazilian was much stronger than his rival. He set his domination early, sending heavy punches and kicks over Sinh.

Robson De Oliveira Soares punches Bùi Trường Sinh in the men’s 60kg bout. — Photo of VIMMA

Sinh could only stand for about four minutes before accepting a loss of submission after a tough armbar that locked him on the floor.

In the opening match of the night, Phạm Ngọc Cảnh bagged a submission win over Phạm Bá Hợi in the second round of the 56kg. 

Đỗ Thành Chương beat Lê Trương Quảng Lâm by points in the 77kg.

The only women’s belt match between Dương Thị Thanh Bình and Hungarian Bianka Balajti in the 56kg was delayed a week before the finale.

Balajti suffered a thigh injury and could not take on defending champion Bình. 

As the LION Championship 11 was the last event in 2023, their match will be held in early 2024. VNS