Oliveira entered the octagon at Rach Mieu Gymnasium on Saturday night with excitement. He wore the Vietnamese flag on his shoulders and was warmly welcomed by the audience. Oliveira is a jiu-jitsu championship in Brazil.
Tran Ngoc Luong (L) won the Vietnam national jiu-jitsu championship three years in a row, along with titles in other martial arts.
The two entered the match with caution, but then Oliveira gradually prevailed. The Brazilian fighter used techniques such as grappling and take-down and had very effectively strikes on Luong.
The more Luong tried, the more underwhelmed he became. He only could kick and hug the opponent, but it was not effective.
Oliveira pressed Luong against the cage. The Brazilian boxer proved to be much tougher and more energetic than his opponent.
The Brazilian dominated throughout the three rounds, but could not deliver a knock-out.
Therefore, the match is decided by the scores from the judges. Two of the three judges gave the win to Luong with the score of 29-28, while the other gave it to Oliveira, 28-29.
Oliveira looked down when he left the octagon. He did not stay to receive his reward and left early with the Brazilian team.
The audience at the Rach Mieu Gymnasium also supported the Brazilian boxer, many booed the organizers when the referee announced the result.
Right after the event, the Vietnam Mixed Martial Arts Federation (VMMAF) admitted that the match between Luong and Oliveira "had signs of professional error." VMMAF then had a meeting with the LION Championship organizers about the match.
"VMMAF will review and re-evaluate the match as soon as possible, give the final conclusion and notify the fighters and judges," the VMMAF’s announcement read.
Brazilian fighter Robson Oliveira confused and frustrated after being declared the loser at the end of the fight. Video by VnExpress/Tue Nhi
