Hanoi 13 July, 2025 – In a highly anticipated tag-team MMA battle at LION Championship 24 on July 12, Vietnamese fighters Ha The Anh and Nguyen Thanh Thoan delivered a dominant performance, defeating Chinese pair Zhang Yanlong and Jia Yanqin at Tay Ho Gymnasium in Hanoi.
The Anh, born in 2002 and standing 1.83 meters tall, is the reigning 68kg champion of the Vietnamese GMA tournament. With a strong foundation in wushu sanda and kickboxing, he has also trained in jiu-jitsu, sambo, and Muay Thai. His teammate Thanh Thoan, a 2003-born fighter standing 1.70 meters tall, is known for his striking skills in Muay Thai and kickboxing. He previously secured his first MMA victory against Tran Huy Hai at LION Championship 22 in May.
On the other side, Zhang Yanlong and Jia Yanqin only started competing in MMA in 2023 and came into the bout with three consecutive losses each. Notably, Jia had lost to Vietnamese fighter Mui Trong Vinh via decision at Angel Fighting Championship in September 2023.
The tag-team format, uncommon in Chinese MMA, intrigued Zhang and Jia, who eagerly accepted the challenge. However, Zhang stirred attention pre-fight by belittling his opponents: “I watched a kickboxing match of theirs but turned it off early. They were too bad compared to me.”
Tensions peaked during the weigh-in and face-off on July 11 when Jia appeared wearing a mask, which The Anh snatched off and threw on the ground, triggering a brief scuffle that required referee intervention. “I’m here to teach these kids a lesson,” Jia declared, vowing retribution for the mask incident. The Anh responded confidently, promising to send his opponents out on stretchers. Thanh Thoan emphasized national pride: “We cannot lose when representing Vietnam.”
Once the fight began, the Vietnamese duo showed their superiority from the outset. Jia quickly clinched The Anh against the cage, forcing Thanh Thoan to battle Zhang one-on-one. Despite Zhang’s size advantage, Thoan overwhelmed him with precise and powerful strikes. After just 1 minute and 41 seconds, a left hook from Thoan dropped Zhang. Two more knockdowns followed—one from a right-hand punch and another from a high right kick—before the referee stepped in at 4 minutes and 3 seconds.
With Zhang neutralized, Thanh Thoan rushed to support The Anh. The two Vietnamese fighters worked together to take Jia down and unleashed a relentless ground-and-pound barrage, forcing the referee to stop the contest and awarding Vietnam the tag-team victory.
Despite the fiery buildup and trash talk, The Anh and Thoan displayed sportsmanship post-fight, exchanging hugs and handshakes with Jia. Zhang, meanwhile, was carried off the mat and taken to the hospital for evaluation.
The Anh later admitted to feeling slightly nervous before the match but credited Thoan for encouraging him to push forward. Thoan praised Zhang’s resilience: “I was surprised by his toughness. He took a lot of hits but kept standing. I respect his courage.”
Earlier in the event, LION Championship 24 featured two other tag-team bouts between Vietnamese and Cambodian fighters. Do Nguyen Minh Quyen and Pham Huy Hoan cruised past Sry Sran and Khan Tit, while Le Van Vu and Vu Minh Nghia needed over five minutes to defeat Roem Kakada and Sot Seyha.
LION Championship 24 once again highlighted the growing talent and competitive spirit of Vietnamese MMA on the regional stage.
Dang Long
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