ONE Championship star Martin Nguyen is happy to be the underdog

Martin Nguyen

Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen, 29, of Australia and Vietnam has accomplished an unprecedented feat as the reigning ONE Featherweight and Lightweight World Champion. Still, he enjoys being the underdog.

“I always think that I am the underdog,” Nguyen said. “I am happy to be the underdog, and I am happy to test myself against the best.”

But Nguyen has a warning to his opponents. He said, “It’s wrong to count me out. Don’t ever do that.”

After failing to dethrone reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes, 38, of Brazil, Nguyen is given yet another opportunity to become a three-division world champion. On July 27, 2018, he and Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon, 30, of the Philippines will compete for the ONE Interim Bantamweight World Championship at “ONE: Reign of Kings” at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

It is yet another high-stake scenario for Nguyen, who will face a ton of pressure as he squares off with a man who has looked phenomenal putting five wins in a row together. In Belingon’s most recent outing, he thrilled the Filipino crowd with a stunning second-round spinning back kick stoppage of American stalwart Andrew Leone to solidify his position as the number one contender in the bantamweight division.

“This is a fan-friendly match-up between two aggressive, young beasts, and I can’t wait to lock horns with Kevin,” Nguyen said. “There will be fireworks.”

For Nguyen, travelling to his opponent’s home country is nothing new. On November 10, 2017, he dethroned Belingon’s Team Lakay teammate Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, 34, who was then the reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion, at “ONE: Legends of the World” at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Like the match against Folayang, Nguyen expects a tough match against Belingon. The reigning ONE Featherweight and Lightweight World Champion said, “This match is going to be difficult.”  

For Nguyen, his familiarity with Wushu stylists like Belingon will be an extra advantage in their five-round championship clash. The Vietnamese-Australian MMA fighter said, “I feel my advantages, to be blunt, have to be my championship round experience and my gas tank.”

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