Vietnamese MMA fighters dominate Chinese opponents after intense trash talk at LION Championship

Zhang Yanlong (left in blue) and Jia Yanqin (right in blue) fight Nguyen Thanh Thoan (left in red) and Ha The Anh (right) at LION Championship 24, at Tay Ho Stadium, Hanoi on July 12, 2025. Photo by Lion Championship

The highly anticipated bout that took place at Tay Ho Stadium featured a tag-team format, uncommon in Chinese MMA (mixed martial arts), and was the main highlight of the event. It attracted significant attention after both sides engaged in trash talk ahead of the fight.

The Anh, 23, stands at 1.83 m, is the reigning 68kg champion of Vietnam’s GMA martial arts tournament. He has a background in wushu and kickboxing, and has since expanded his skillset to jiu-jitsu, sambo and muay Thai. His teammate, 1.7 m tall Thanh Thoan, 22, is best known for muay Thai and kickboxing, and recently claimed his first MMA victory at LION Championship 22 in May.

On the Chinese side, Zhang and Jia, both with a string of losses since debuting in 2023, entered the bout with something to prove. Jia had previously lost to Vietnamese fighter Mui Trong Vinh by decision at the Angel Fighting Championship in September 2023.

The trash talk peaked at the weigh-in on July 11, when Jia wore a mask that The Anh snatched off before throwing it to the ground, triggering a scuffle that required referee intervention.

"I came here to teach these kids a lesson," Jia said. "They’ll pay for disrespecting me."

Zhang also drew attention with bold claims, saying: "I don’t normally study my opponents, but I watched one of their kickboxing fights. I turned it off because they were too weak for me."

In response, The Anh vowed to send his opponent out on a stretcher, while Thoan declared: "We cannot lose when we’re representing Vietnam."

When the fight began, the tension immediately erupted. The fighters skipped formalities and launched right into combat after the opening signal. Jia locked up The Anh against the cage, leaving Thoan and Zhang to battle for the outcome.

Despite being physically larger, Zhang was outmatched. Thoan landed a left hook that dropped him just 1 minute 41 seconds into the fight. A right-hand blow knocked him down again nearly two minutes later. At 4 minutes and 3 seconds, a high right kick to the head sent Zhang crashing to the mat for the third time, prompting the referee to stop the match.

Thoan then rushed to assist The Anh, catching Jia’s leg and helping bring him to the ground. The two Vietnamese fighters overwhelmed Jia with ground and pound, sealing the victory.

Ha The Anh (C) and Jia Yanqin laugh together after the match ended. Photo by Lion Championship

Despite the pre-fight tension, The Anh and Thoan offered handshakes and smiles to their opponents afterward. Jia accepted the sportsmanship, while Zhang was carried off the mat and transferred to hospital for examination.

The Anh later admitted he felt nervous before the bout but gained confidence from his teammate’s encouragement.

Thoan praised Zhang’s toughness after taking him down. "He surprised me. He kept standing after repeated hits. I respect his resilience."

Earlier in the night, LION Championship 24 featured two more Vietnam vs Cambodia matchups.

Do Nguyen Minh Quyen and Pham Huy Hoan defeated Sry Sran and Khan Tit with ease, while Le Van Vu and Vu Minh Nghia needed over five minutes to overcome Roem Kakada and Sot Seyha.