ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Tang Kai is eager to show how much he’s sharpened his skills when he returns to the spotlight this weekend. On Friday, March 1, the Chinese superstar will meet interim titleholder Thanh Le in a World Title unification bout at ONE 166: Qatar, and he wants to put on a show after 18 months on the sidelines.

Tang defeated Le to claim the divisional crown in August 2022, but he hasn’t been able to compete since due to injury. His absence left the stacked division hungry for something to fight for, and his old rival secured the interim strap by submitting current #2-ranked contender Ilya Freymanov last October to set up a monumental grudge match at ONE’s return to the Middle East.

Tang Kai has to remain careful of Thanh Le

Speaking to the promotion ahead of their clash, the Sunkin International Fight Cub standout acknowledged that Le may not be the same fighter he faced before, but he noted that he has also added new facets to his game.

“I believe that both of us have improved because no one will stay where they are, but it’s all about who’s making more and faster progress. Let’s see in the fight,” Tang said. “Our new coaching team comes from Dagestan, Russia, and focuses more on simple and practical fighting styles.”

“The seamless transition from striking to the ground is the strength of the Russian style of fighting, and I hope that the fans will be able to see a different me, I mean a fully upgraded version.” Their first encounter at ONE 160 saw Tang put on a technical masterclass.

He neutralized Le’s best weapons and pushed the Vietnamese-American star to go the distance for the first time in his professional career. Asked if he was planning to go all five rounds again, the featherweight king said that his focus is only on getting his hand raised in victory.

Winning is the key

“I think it’s normal that I went five rounds as a challenger. The most important thing for a professional fighter is to win,” he said. Tang has won four of his six fights in the world’s largest martial arts organization via knockout, so he knows how to get the job done.

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There may be some pressure surrounding his return, but the 28-year-old doesn’t feel put off by it. Instead, he thinks that Le should be feeling the heat ahead of Friday’s rematch. “I won last time, so why would I be stressed? He’s the one who should be stressed. Don’t blink, I’ll KO him very soon,” Tang said. ONE 166: Qatar will be broadcast to fans in 190 countries around the world, including in North America, where Prime Video subscribers can watch it live and for free.

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