Bruised-eyed Bình defends LION Championship title in fearful bout

Mixed martial arts

Dương Thị Thanh Bình of Việt Nam beat Bianka Balajti of Hungary to keep her LION Championship’s women’s 56kg title on July 13 in Hà Nội. — Photos courtesy of VMMAF

HÀ NỘI — Dương Thị Thanh Bình burst into tears when she was announced winner of the main card match of the LION Championship 15, the national largest mixed martial arts series, on Saturday in Hà Nội.

The Champ MMA‘s Bình, who suffered swollen and bruised eyes, successfully defended the women’s 56kg title against rival Bianka Balajti of Hungary under the support of thousands of fans at the Tây Hồ Gymnasium.

It was a considered a tough bout for the host fighter who did not compete in the LC event in 2023, while Bianka proved her ability with three persuasive wins in a row, in spite of injuries.

However, Bình repaid her supporters trust, with a silver at the 2023 Asian MMA Championship, winning through a five three-minute match.

Bianka tried to set up her domination in this fight, with consecutive attacks from the beginning, pushing Bình the corners for body and head shots. She was the winner of the first round.

In the second round Bianka continued to be in control, even managing to take a mount position for applying submissions and achieving a superior score. However, Bình escaped and fought back. Both two sides exchanged their strikes hand-to-hand.

The Vietnamese rose up in the third and fourth sets with powerful punches and heavy kicks on Bianka who maintained her tactics.

The last round saw them both fight furiously and both were bruised by face shots.

Neither could even open their eyes in the last minutes of the round. After 15 minutes of fighting, Bình received a close win from the judges and she was still a LC champion.

In the men’s 84kg class, former MMA referee Lê Hồng Giang of Vietnam Top Team was not a worthy rival to Zakhar Dzmitrychenka of Silver Back MMA.

Zakhar Dzmitrychenka in attempt to wrestle Lê Hồng Giang dowin during their men’s 84kg match.

While the Belarusian fighter has practised different genres of martial arts for many years, Giang has just returned to the cage for several months after years off to work as a referee.

Mastering in wrestling and grappling, Dzmitrychenka tried to have a quick win with arm-triangle and rear naked choke but Giang was smart enough to escape from these threats.

After three rounds, Dzmitrychenka, who is ten years older than Giang, was announced winner by points.

“I regretted a little about this loss. Dzmitrychenka put great pressure on me and I got tired quickly,” said Giang.

“I have tried my best but I could not make it. Thank you and my apology to my supporters, I will do it better next time.”

In a bout which was expected to be a thrilling one, American Jesse James Bernal of Vietnam Top Team secured an easy technical knockout win over Dương Đức Tùng of Kickfit Sports MMA in the men’s 77kg class.

Jesse James Bernal bags a TKO win over Dương Đức Tùng in the men’s 77kg class.

Bernal tried to lead the bout to ground the game, attempting to grapple Tùng and deliver the punches.

After two rounds, Tùng asked to quit because of injury and Bernal sealed his third win at the LC series.

The next event will be held on August 10 in HCM City. — VNS