WATCH: Former champ-champ Martin Nguyen flaunts his pedigree in textbook domination of Leonardo Casotti

ONE Championship all-time great Martin Nguyen turned back the clock with a vintage performance against Leonardo Casotti in February 2023 at ONE Fight Night 7.

Nguyen allowed Casotti to control the pace early to get a better read on the 32-year-old's strategy, which was a massive gamble. It ultimately worked out as he stunned Casotti with his signature overhand right midway through the first round.

Wisely targetting his foe's body with the occasional strike for the rest of the bout was wise on Nguyen's part since it prevented the Brazilian standout from getting into a rhythm. His ring generalship and picture-perfect striking abilities gave 'The Situ-Asian' the unanimous decision win.

Rewatch the entire fight below, which ONE posted on YouTube:

This performance was an absolute throwback to the Vietnamese-Australian megastar's glory days, landing his blows at will while deftly avoiding the Nova Uniao Phuket affiliate's big swings.

In his next bout, however, the former ONE lightweight and featherweight MMA world champion suffered a shocking first-round submission defeat to Garry Tonon at ONE 165 last January.

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Martin Nguyen seeks to return to form at ONE 171

Martin Nguyen has been on a rollercoaster in his last five fights, winning only two bouts. Never one to let his defeats define him, the first-ever two-division ONE MMA world champion is gearing up for an all-important featherweight MMA clash at ONE 171: Qatar.

Happening inside the Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, Qatar, on Thursday, Feb. 20, the Hard Knocks 365 affiliate will face fourth-ranked 155-pound MMA competitor Shamil Gasanov.

Nguyen, ranked fifth in the featherweight division, will have his work cut out for him owing to the excellent grappling that 'The Cobra' has leveraged into a three-fight winning streak.

Tickets for ONE 171 are available via Q-Tickets.

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