Tang Kai says main goal in Qatar was to prove that he’s ‘the real champion’: “Came here to prove it”

ONE featherweight MMA world champion Tang Kai was true to his promise of finishing Thanh Le in their second meeting for the unification of the division’s coveted belt at ONE 166: Qatar last weekend inside the Lusail Sports Arena.

Kai pulled off a third-round TKO finish of Le to extend his unbeaten streak under the world’s largest martial arts organization to eight. During his post-event interview, he pointed out the difference and main key that propelled him to this latest triumph.

The Chinese world champion stated:

“First time, I got a tremendous pressure because that was when I was challenging Thanh Le. But this time, I’m the champion. I just came here to prove it, I'm the real champion. So I have no pressure. I have proved to myself that I’m a real champion.”

The 27-year-old sensation claimed that the pressure has shifted between him and Le because he only needed to verify that he is indeed the best featherweight MMA fighter on the planet.

Tang Kai also brushed off two yellow cards from referee Olivier Coste, which slightly disrupted his technical and cerebral approach to the match, thus forcing him to pursue a finish that occurred in the third round of their showdown.

Tang Kai is expected to have another hero’s welcome after another spectacular victory

When Kai first won the 26-pound golden belt over Le in August 2022 at ONE 160, he received a hero’s welcome from his countrymen in China because of his historic achievement of becoming the first Chinese male MMA world champion.

Now that he has officially closed his rivalry with Le, the Sunkin International Fight Club-affiliated athlete is expected to have a similar celebration when he gets home.

North American viewers with an active Prime Video subscription can rewatch all the action from ONE 166: Qatar via the free event replay.