The last time Tang Kai appeared at an event of One Championship took place nearly 2 years ago. It was the time when he suddenly defeated Thanh Le after 5 rounds. The victory by calculating the point helps Kai to become the One Championship champion in the MMA format, the Featherweight weight class.
Initially, Tang Kai was scheduled to protect the belt before Thanh Le in June 2023. However, the knee injury has made the day of returning to the Chinese boxer's floor 18 months later than expected. He will compete at the One 166 event, taking place on March 1 in Qatar. The opponent is still Thanh Le.
During the time of waiting for Tang Kai rematch, Thanh Le won against Ilya Freymanov. Heel Hook's blow not only helps Thanh Le Thang in the first half. He is currently the temporary championship in the Featherweight weight class, and aiming to win the absolute belt again.
Before a very strong opponent, Thanh Le, Tang Kai said he had upgraded himself to become a more comprehensive boxer during the break. This boxer also has new practitioners to help him improve the tight lock skills, besides strengthening the ability to produce strong striking.
“I hope fans can see that I have been better than before,” Tang Kai shared. He added: “I have coaches and you practice working with the best MMA boxers. Many of them are from Dagestan. They help me play in a simpler style, like Russian boxers.”
On the side of Thanh Le, the American overseas Vietnamese fighter affirmed that his fighting style was still based on the striking attacks. The One Championship champion will not change the style of competition, despite winning Freymanov with Heel Hook. Thanh Le also set the goal of defeating the opponent soon.