colin
It’s actually been a difficult 12 months for former ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen.
First, the Vietnamese-Australian’s matchup with “The Combating God” Kim Jae Woong was delayed a number of occasions because of well being and security protocols.
Then at ONE: REVOLUTION in September, the South Korean shocked Nguyen with a brief counter proper hand to the jaw, dropping “The Situ-Asian” and handing him his second consecutive knockout loss. Within the course of, Kim grabbed the division’s #1 rating and dropped Nguyen to #3.
It was a tricky blow for the ex-titleholder, who moved additional away from a possible rematch with reigning featherweight king Thanh Le. Nevertheless, the Vietnamese-Australian considered it as a sign to tighten up his recreation earlier than coming again stronger in 2022.
On this sit-down interview, Nguyen talks about that defeat, how he’s turning issues round, and his plans for a return. Additionally, he shares his ideas on Kim’s probabilities in a future ONE Featherweight World Title struggle.
ONE Championship: If you final competed within the Circle, you had been knocked out by Kim Jae Woong – and it was the primary time you ever tasted back-to-back defeats. The place do you’re feeling issues went mistaken in that bout?
Martin Nguyen: I really feel that second loss in opposition to Kim Jae Woong is form of waking me up, however to not the truth that I wanted to get woken up – it was simply the truth that I have to be higher.
Don’t get me mistaken, I’ve no excuses. I take the loss as a person, however up till I obtained caught with that one punch, I used to be successful the struggle. It was only a thoughts lapse of desirous to go for that shot at that very second. I may have fought smarter and blended it up a bit extra.
There have been choices, however I let my ego get forward of me as soon as once more. I landed a couple of jabs and I felt superb, and I used to be like, ‘You realize what? I can do that.’ And clearly, my opponent had studied me for that lengthy. He simply learn it, had excellent timing, after which caught me.
All it takes on this unforgiving sport is that one punch, and I’ve been there. I’ve been on his facet of the punches, they do really feel superb on the time as properly. So hats off to him, credit score to him. I take the loss as a person. I am going again, I get again to work, and get higher.
ONE: So what are some stuff you’ve been making an attempt to sharpen, and who have you ever been working with?
MN: I’ve been doing numerous jiu-jitsu simply to sharpen my floor recreation at Cabra Kai and been doing numerous my boxing with Nedal “Skinny” Hussein, who finally is an underground champion. He knocked down [Manny] Pacquiao with the jab for a 13-second rely, and nobody is aware of about it. You may convey it up on YouTube.
I nonetheless work with Chrysler [De Castro] as properly, my general coach for kickboxing and boxing. I nonetheless have my energy and conditioning program from Sanford, however general, I’ve superb coaching companions, guys which have simply been coaching that one explicit sport their entire lives, and me making an attempt to leap into their sport.
It’s like me going right into a struggle. I get the nerves and butterflies each time I roll with someone that I’ve by no means sparred with, and that’s what I must get used to as properly, so simply mixing with totally different our bodies that I’ve by no means been with – whether or not they’re Australian Champions, whether or not they’re jiu-jitsu black belts or brown belts, or simply folks of all calibers and totally different kind of kinds for me to get used to.
I must adapt to that and transfer ahead – even folks below the radar, particularly in Australia, however simply guys which were coaching their explicit type for therefore lengthy, you’re making an attempt to maneuver round, after which there’s one thing new that they hit you with, like, ‘Oh man, I’ve by no means seen that coming.’ And that’s the great thing about it, to study that kind of motion so it trains your physique to not ever be in that place once more.
ONE: How would you examine the coaching at Sanford MMA with the coaching you do in Australia?
MN: Sanford is without doubt one of the greatest groups I’ve ever skilled at, interval. I really feel like after I’m there, it’s a brief area of eight weeks of cramming all the things in – and it’s not the purpose that I’m studying, it’s extra sharpening up for a struggle.
Whereas after I’m in Australia, I have to be studying. I want so as to add new instruments, take away those that aren’t working, repair up no matter I’m missing, and go from there. After I’m in Australia, I’ve obtained time, there’s no rush for that.
So, in saying that, I really feel prefer it’s a blessing in disguise, having high-level jiu-jitsu coaches, putting coaches, and putting athletes which have come from Australia which might be underground, and simply studying as a lot as I can from them, honing my abilities, sparring, placing [my skills] to work to see in the event that they’re working or not, what I want to repair, after which going from there.
ONE: When do you wish to make your return to the Circle?
MN: Round March, after my birthday. I’m not in an excessive amount of of a rush to get again in [there] to show myself. In the meanwhile, I’m simply making an attempt to get higher and study new issues so I can come again with an entire set of latest instruments and never simply come again only for the sake of coming again.
I’m not in any monetary burden the place I must get again at this very second. I simply must get higher, rewrite my entire content material of books in combating kinds in my head, and follow them, and maintain training and repair the issues. After which, when it’s time to struggle, I’ll know when it’s time to struggle, however I’m not wanting anytime quickly.
ONE: As everyone knows, Thanh Le is defending the ONE Featherweight World Title in opposition to Garry Tonon subsequent. Who do you assume wins that matchup, and what do you assume Kim’s likelihood is in opposition to both man?
MN: If I needed to choose, I’d say the champ, Thanh, simply primarily based purely primarily based on my expertise.
I don’t see [Kim] beating any of them, to be trustworthy. Garry will take him down – one thing I ought to have finished – and submit him. I see Thanh Le transferring and irritating him like he did to me, choosing him aside. However in all honesty, I don’t actually care. The entire division’s there, everybody will likely be on discover after I’m again within the successful column.
ONE: Have you considered transferring right down to the bantamweight division?
MN: [Moving to bantamweight] was on my thoughts, however I’m not going to maneuver right down to bantamweight till I get the win within the featherweight division. Every part else shouldn’t be on my thoughts however getting a win within the featherweight division, in order that they’re on the again burner for now.
Had I gained the final one in opposition to Kim Jae Woong, it will have been a unique story as a result of, clearly, Thanh is combating Garry for the title. Me wanting to remain busy, I might have moved down. However now, I’m pressured to remain on this division — on my own — to get a win, get again into the successful column, and work my approach again up the ladder.
Learn extra: Joshua Pacio Shakes Off 2021 Pressures, Appears Ahead To Massive 2022
