On 28 January 2024, ONE165 will be held in Tokyo, Japan. Japan's renowned K-1 Champion Takeru Segawa will square off against ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang "The Ironman" Jitmuangnon in a superweight kickboxing bout under flyweight kickboxing rules, while American Sage "Super Saiyan" Northcut will square off against Japan's Shinya "Tobikan Judan" Shinya Aoki in a lightweight mixed martial arts bout. In addition, former two-division mixed martial arts champion Martin "The Asian Whirlwind" Nguyen, currently ranked No. 3 in the featherweight division, will face Featherweight No. 1 Garry "The Lion Killer" Tonon. This will be a confrontation between a strike master and a grappling powerhouse.
Tonon is considered the best grappling fighter in the featherweight division, and he won the IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu World Title and the IBJJF No-Gi World Title before stepping into the ONE Championship ring. After moving to mixed martial arts, he went on a seven-bout winning streak to earn a shot at then-World Champion Thanh Le. Unfortunately, Tonon was unable to seize the opportunity because he was in a hurry to complete the heel hook, and was knocked out by his opponent and failed to attack the World Title. It was also Tonon's only defeat in the MMA Circle. After that, Tonon submitted Johnny Nunez with a one-round Kimura lock. At "ONE: Pinnacle Series 12" in July, Tonon met top wrestler Shamil "Cobra" Gasanov, who has won all 13 fights. After being crushed by Gasanov's takedown in the first round, Tonon unleashed a wave of highlight-reel punches and kicks in the second round, and found a knee armbar on the canvas for a counter-submission.
The jiu-jitsu master proved himself to be both technically and mentally strong with a counterattack. The highlight-reel submission earned him a US$50,000 performance bonus and propelled Tonon to the top of the rankings. "Turning the tables around in the face of adversity builds confidence in myself, and I was able to overcome everything to win even when I faced a lot of difficulties, and that's the beauty of mixed martial arts. I went through a tough time in the first round and still pushed forward in the second round, which proves that I have the spirit of tenacity. Reigning Featherweight World Champion Tang Kai hasn't faced a top grappler yet. Tonon is the strongest in the featherweight grappling, and his style is likely to threaten Tang.
Nguyen didn't play as often in 2023, beating Leonardo Casotti by decision in February. The win was crucial for the former champion, as he had lost three of his previous four fights. In the bout against Cazotti, Nguyen not only shook his opponent with heavy punches, but also saw the opportunity to take down his opponent, riding to suppress and then smash the ground. In the past, Nguyen was known for his striking knockout ability, but now his skills are more versatile, and his tactical options for a combination of grappling and grappling are even more abundant. With his return to the winners, Nguyen has cemented his place in the top five rankings and plans to make a renewed push for the title. He once said that he was one victory away from the title challenge: "When I win one more match, I will be ready to challenge Tang Kai!"
If he can defeat the top-ranked Tonon, Nguyen will replace him as the number one in the division and rightfully claim the next title. If Tonon can beat Martin Nguyen, then he could very well be the next title challenger.
Which of them do you think will win?