WATCH: Vietnamese sensation Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat’s brutal head-kick destruction of Yuta Watanabe
Veteran Vietnamese Muay Thai fighter Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat has only fought three times in ONE Championship and has been impressive in the victories he has had. One of them was over Japan's Yuta Watanabe in November 2019, who he dismantled with devastating head kicks for a knockout victory in the second round.
ONE Championship relived that moment in a recent Instragram post, in line with Nguyen's return to action this week at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut on June 7 at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
The video clip shows the 35-year-old Hochiminh City Muay Team standout's three devastating head kicks that led to his KO win over Watanabe. The first two came late in the opening round, which the Japanese fighter survived.
But the five-time WMF Muay Thai champion was simply not to be stopped with his onslaught, immediately going to work at the start of the second frame and scoring the third and final head-kick knockdown just 30 seconds into it.
Watch the clip below:
At ONE 167, Nguyen will battle teenage phenom Johan Ghazali, 17, in a flyweight Muay Thai showdown. He is out for a rebound victory after losing to fellow veteran fighter Denis Puric in his last fight in December.
Malaysian-American fighter Ghazali, meanwhile, seeks to extend his impressive run to date in ONE, which has seen him win his first five matches since debuting in February 2023. Four of his victories came by way of KO.
ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut is available live and for free in U.S. primetime on June 7 to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat sees young self in upcoming opponent Johan Ghazali
Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat is looking forward to testing the mettle of surging phenom Johan Ghazali, particularly since he sees a younger version of himself in his upcoming opponent.
The two world-class strikers will collide in a flyweight Muay Thai clash at ONE 167 on June 7 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Speaking to BJPenn.com in an interview, Nguyen shared his thoughts on 'Jojo', including how his aggressive style reminds him of himself early in his career.
He said:
"Johan is brave, aggressive, and puts a lot of pressure on his opponents. It reminds me of how I had fought in my younger years as a fighter."
The veteran Vietnamese fighter had a nearly four-year interval before returning to ONE Championship last December, losing to Denis Puric. He is out to make up for lost time, continuing with ONE 167.