WBC Muay Thai World Champion Dates at MMA LION Championship 26

LION Championship 26 (LC 26) - an event of the number one mixed martial arts tournament in Vietnam - will return to Tay Ho Stadium, Hanoi on September 13, gathering top domestic and foreign boxers.

The most anticipated match is the debut of Vietnamese fighter Truong Cao Minh Phat against Irish opponent - Aaron Clarke in the 61kg MMA Striking format.

Truong Cao Minh Phat was born in 1995, and is one of the outstanding fighters of Muay Nam Vietnam in recent years. He has won the national championship for 8 consecutive years, participating in the national team at the 31st SEA Games ( silvery medal) and 32nd SEA Games (copper medal). On professional boxing events, he has made his mark with the runner-up position in the Super Champ tournament in Thailand and the world championship in the WBC Muay Thai system - one of the most prestigious professional systems in the world.

On the other side of the ring, Aaron Clarke, born in 1999, is a bright face of kickboxing Ireland. This boxer has won the ISKA Kickboxing domestic championship twice, having played 16 professional matches with 10 wins. Clarke also has experience in large-scale tournaments such as K-1 kickboxing. In particular, in 2023, he made a splash when he held the ball for three sets against world champion Yuki Yoza (Japan).

The confrontation between Minh Phat and Clarke is not only a personal test, but also part of LION Championship's expansion strategy to create more opportunities for Vietnamese fighters to compete with international opponents.

At the same time, the match is also a step to continue introducing the MMA Striking format - one of four new formats introduced by the tournament in 2025. This format focuses on standing spikes such as punches, kicks, knees, shovels, objects and locking locks when in a standing position. This is considered a "connector" to help fighters from Muay Thai, kickboxing, wushu tan tan lu, karate, taekwondo or pencak silat platforms get acquainted before stepping into the MMA ring.

Not only Minh Phat's highlight match, LC 26 also brought many matches that promised to be dramatic. In the 56kg weight class, veteran Tran Trong Kim will face Nguyen Phu Thinh - a young fighter who is in impressive form. This encounter is likened to a "generational transition" in the heart of the tournament, when young talents have enough courage to challenge veteran boxers.

The 60kg category witnessed the rematch between Thanh Quoc and world traditional martial arts champion Nguyen Hop Hai. In 2023, Hop Hai won after three rounds, but Danh Quoc has improved significantly since then. The reunion match promises many surprises and will certainly heat up the atmosphere at Tay Ho Stadium.

In addition, LC 26 also welcomed the return of Cambodian fighters, bringing the quintessence of Kun Khmer - a famous traditional martial art. This will be an important test for young Vietnamese fighters who want to assert themselves in the professional arena.

With exciting matches, LION Championship 26 is not only a place for fighters to show off their bravery but also a testament to Vietnamese martial arts' efforts to reach international standards.