Martin Nguyen and Garry Tonon Set to Collide in a High-Stakes Featherweight MMA Bout at ONE 165 in Japan

A massive featherweight MMA battle is set to take place in Japan. Two ranked contenders will clash to potentially determine a clear-cut favorite to challenge for the division’s top prize whenever it gets sorted out. At ONE 165, scheduled for January 28, top-ranked Garry Tonon will face #3-ranked Martin Nguyen.

This is expected to be a blockbuster matchup at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Both men have called each other out on social media, and they have essentially trash-talked their faceoff into existence.

ONE 165 gets a crucial Featherweight MMA Bout

Reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Tang Kai was set to face former titleholder Thanh Le in a rematch earlier this year. However, the Chinese warrior suffered an injury that prevented him from defending his crown.

Instead, Le faced rising star Ilya Freymanov for the interim belt at ONE Fight Night 15 this past October. Moreover, he claimed the interim strap, making his rematch with Tang inevitable.

Not wanting to wait for the undisputed divisional king, Nguyen and Tonon took matters into their own hands. The two decided to mix it up in the hopes of getting the inside track on the winner of Tang versus Le.

A closer look at Tonon and Nguyen

Tonon has established himself as a strong contender for the gold following back-to-back victories in MMA. He now has eight wins in nine bouts under his belt in the all-encompassing sport, with his only loss coming at the hands of Le. Meanwhile, Nguyen has alternated between victory and defeat since losing the featherweight crown to Le in October 2020. His latest performance proved that the former two-division World Champion still has plenty left in his tank.

Both men are eager to avenge their loss to the interim World Champion. However, they would certainly welcome the challenge of facing the man who beats him. Their fight is the latest addition to ONE Championship’s return to Japan, which will be headlined by Takeru Segawa’s ONE debut opposite Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a flyweight kickboxing super-fight.

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Also announced for the card will be a lightweight MMA battle between Sage Northcutt and Japanese martial arts legend Shinya Aoki. More bouts are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.