ONE Championship: Martin Nguyen says ‘you know who I’m fighting’ as training camp gathers pace

ONE featherweight champ steps up fight camp at Sanford MMA after flying into Florida from Sydney, Australia

Nguyen stops short of confirming Thanh Le as opponent before official announcement, but says ‘it’s already out there, it’s just a matter of when’

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ONE featherweight champ Martin Nguyen at the Dawn of Heroes press conference in Manila. Photos: ONE Championship

Published: 8:26pm, 23 Sep 2020Updated: 8:26pm, 23 Sep 2020

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong revealed to SCMP MMA this month that Martin Nguyen would still be defending his featherweight title against Thanh Le at the next opportunity.

So after “The Situ-Asian” flew out from Sydney, Australia to Florida soon after to begin a training camp at Sanford MMA, it was easy to put the pieces together. But the 31-year-old Nguyen (13-3) is still keeping as tight-lipped as possible.

“We’re not allowed to say it until ONE Championship announces the fight, but you know who I’m fighting, man,” he told SCMP MMA. “It’s already out there, it’s just a matter of when. We’ll wait until Chatri says something.”

“I‘ve got the same hit list, man,” Nguyen added. “I’m here to fight anyone they put in front of me. It’s not a ‘no’ coming from my end, that’s the main thing they gotta know – once the fight is offered, I’m never turning it down. If it’s within the featherweight division, I’m signing on that dotted line.”

Nguyen is, as usual during fight camp, living in teammate Aung La N Sang’s house about half an hour’s drive from their Deerfield Beach gym, along with the ONE middleweight and light heavyweight champ’s fellow Burmese Tial “The Dragon Leg” Thang (2-0).