Martin Nguyen will return at ONE Championship: Roots of Honor in April, headlining the card as part of one of two title fights on the night.
ONE Championship has announced the return of featherweight champ Martin Nguyen. At Roots of Honor at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines in April, Nguyen will put his featherweight title on the line against former champion Narantungalag ‘Tungaa’ Jadambaa. In addition to that main event booking, the card will also see ONE Strawweight World Champion Yosuke Saruta make his first title defense in a rematch with Joshua Pacio.
Saruta (19-8) won the belt from Pacio in January at Eternal Glory. The Japanese fighter stepped into the bout on short notice, replacing countryman Hayato Suzuki. Pacio (16-3) will be looking for vengeance after their first fight ended in a close split decision.
It’s Martin Nguyen (11-3), however, who will no doubt be the star of the show. ‘The Situ-Asian’ was a double champion (featherweight and lightweight) in ONE, but was never able to defend his second belt. He was granted a shot at a bantamweight title, as well as a chance at an interim title in the division, but came up short both times. Now, having vacated the lightweight belt, he has but one division to focus on.
In Narantungalag Jadambaa (14-5) he faces a former champion who, despite being 43 years old, had a successful 2018, winning both his fights.
ONE Championship’s Roots of Honor takes place April 12, 2019.
