“Old school with a new twist on it” - Thanh Le talks about what fans can expect in his fight with Garry Tonon

Thanh Le can’t wait for his first world title defense, which comes against submission grappling superstar Garry Tonon. This classic striker versus grappler matchup has an interesting twist to it, according to the Vietnamese-American.

The two elite featherweights will lock horns in the main event of ONE: Lights Out, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium this Friday, March 11.

During the ONE: Lights Out virtual media day, Thanh Le talked about what fans can expect in this exciting clash of styles.

Le said:

“It’s got that old striker-versus-grappler feel, but it’s got that hybrid twist to it. Like an updated armor suit for Iron Man. He can grapple at the highest level and he can strike a little, and I can strike at the highest level but I can grapple a little bit. It’s going to be really interesting to see this play out. Old school with a new twist on it.”

Le has been working on his grappling with renowned UFC fighter Ryan Hall and says it has improved immensely ahead of the Tonon fight.

Meanwhile, Tonon has steadily upgraded his striking skills to achieve a perfect 6-0 professional slate since debuting for ONE Championship in 2018.

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Thanh Le says fight with Garry Tonon may come down to strategy

When you pit two highly-skilled fighters against each other, both adept in their own craft, there will be a fair bit of strategy at play. Le understands this and believes his showdown with Tonon could end up being a tactical battle.

“He’s a calculated dude, I’m a calculated dude, we both have good camps, smart guys helping us. We’re relatively smart guys, I’d say myself! It’s going to be a chess match.”

Whether it’s Le’s explosive and accurate striking or Garry Tonon’s tricky submissions on the mat, this fight doesn’t seem like it will last the full five rounds. In fact, both Le and Tonon’s professional records combine for 18 wins, including 17 finishes. It’s almost guaranteed not to go the distance.

The fate of the ONE featherweight world title hangs in the balance. Who will emerge victorious? Fans won’t have to wait long to find out.