Culture - Sports

Gods of Martial Arts to hunt for Vietnam’s finest MMA fighters

The Gods of Martial Arts (GMA) series will be officially started next month at the Lien Phong MMA dojo in Ho Chi Minh City.

General Director Johnny Trí Nguyễn introduces his Gods of Martial Arts fighting contest which will begin on August 24 in HCM City. (Photo of GMA)
General Director Johnny Trí Nguyễn introduces his Gods of Martial Arts fighting contest which will begin on August 24 in HCM City. (Photo of GMA)

HCM City (VNS/VNA) - The Gods of Martial Arts (GMA) series will be officially started next month at the Lien Phong MMA dojo in Ho Chi Minh City.

It is a professional martial art competition launched by master-actor Johnny Tri Nguyen, with the support of the HCM City Mixed Martial Arts Federation.

It aims to create elite competition mat for fighters, promote martial spirit and provide thrilling bouts to MMA lovers.

As the series' general director Tri Nguyen, who is rich in experience of martial art and cinema, promised to optimally support participants during the competition, ensuring the tournament "the place where legends are born".

Previously, he successfully organised Mekong Fighting Championship, the Coco Championship and the Dragon Fight League.

Athletes will compete following pro MMA rules within a hexagonal structure cage (normally it is an octagonal one) wrapped up in a ring ropes with open space like rings of boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai.

In only a short time post launch more than 100 fighters have already registered to compete in five weight categories of 55kg, 57kg, 59kg, 63kg and 68kg.

Organisers will pick the best four from each class, based on their background and wins, who will then take part in the quarter-finals which are scheduled to be held on August 24.

The winners will then advance to the semi-finals on October 26.

Two fighters have already been given a wildcard to play from the semis' 59kg - LION Championship Pham Van Nam and architect-fighter Tran Trong Kim, who placed fifth in his class.

The semi-final winners will face off with champions of different national MMA tournaments such as Nguyen Hoang Thach, Bui Truong Sinh, Nguyen Vu Phuong Hoai and Ha The Anh, at the finals for the GMA belts on December 28.

“(Through GMA) we want to find fighters with fiery spirit and resilient hearts that never give up, and above all, those whose minds and bodies always conquer extreme challenges,” said Tri Nguyen.

In addition to broadcasting matches live, organisers will also hold several of activities and sideline clips on social networks with a view to making the event even more popular to the domestic and international MMA communities.

As is the case of the world's largest martial art organisations UFC and One Championship, GMA bonuses are not published, they are for negotiation between the organisers and the fighters./.

VNA
#MMA fighters #boxing #kickboxing #Muay Thai #Vietnam #Vietnamplus #Vietnam News Agency
Follow VietnamPlus

Related News

See more

The Duong Long tower complex is a special national relic built by the Cham people in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. (Photo: nhandan.vn)

Restoration breathes new life into Southeast Asia's tallest Cham tower

After more than 800 years, the towers have suffered damage from weather, time and plant growth. In late 2025, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched a restoration project worth more than 90 billion VND (3.4 million USD). Scheduled to last 10 months, the project now sees 40% of its workload completed.

A space for performing traditional Vietnamese music at the Temple of Literature. (Photo: VNA)

Art breathes new life into Vietnam's heritage spaces

In Hanoi, many historical and cultural landmarks have successfully enhanced their value through creative artistic activities. The Thang Long Imperial Citadel regularly hosts historical re-enactments, exhibitions and cultural experiences, while popular night tours at Hoa Lo Prison relic site demonstrate the effectiveness of storytelling through the combination of sound, light and performance.

An art performance at the Vietnam-Japan Festival 2026 in Da Nang city. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam-Japan Festival 2026 opens in Da Nang

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairwoman of the municipal People's Committee and head of the festival's organising committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi said that after many editions, the festival has become one of the city's signature external affairs events, helping reinforce the increasingly close partnership between Da Nang and Japanese localities and partners.

Visitors participate in a live demonstration of pho roll preparation at the event. (Photo: VNA)

Pho takes Vietnam’s flavours, identity on Europe journey

More than a food showcase, the programme combines live cooking demonstrations, cultural talks, chef-to-chef exchanges, and business networking to strengthen the global profile of Vietnamese cuisine and promote deeper international connections through gastronomy.

The opening ceremony of The Grand Esports 2026 on July 9 (Photo courtesy of the Sports Authority of Vietnam)

The Grand Esports 2026 opens in Hanoi

The Grand Esports 2026 officially opened in Hanoi on July 9, demonstrating that esports has entered a new stage of development and is increasingly recognised as an important part of Vietnam's national sports strategy, cultural industries and digital economy.

The poem inscribed on the roof ridge of Ngo Mon Gate is part of the Poetry on Hue Royal Architecture collection, which was recognised by UNESCO as documentary heritage under the Memory of the World Programme for Asia and the Pacific. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Workforce vital to documentary heritage

The combination of a transparent legal framework, a comprehensive digitisation strategy and an internationally qualified workforce will provide a solid foundation for preserving, utilising and disseminating the value of Vietnam’s documentary heritage, enabling the nation’s collective memory to be passed on sustainably to future generations.

Members of the Vovinam club in Paris. (Photo: VNA)

Paris Vovinam club promotes Vietnamese culture in France

The club currently has nearly 50 members aged from seven to over 70, with regular training sessions held on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, alongside extended weekend classes for both children and adults. The classes are led by a father-and-daughter team, assisted by between two and six instructors depending on the session.

Viewers watch Thang Long Capital show featuring 3D mapping and digital experiential spaces. (Photo: VNA)

Digital technologies unlock new value from Vietnam’s cultural heritage

Vietnam possesses a wealth of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, with tens of thousands of historical and cultural sites nationwide. Experts believe that, supported by digital technologies, these resources can become a major driver of culture, tourism, education and creative industries.

Children experience traditional craft (Photo: VNA)

Promoting souvenir industry to spread national image

Experts said that with market-oriented development, improved functionality, stronger storytelling and greater involvement from designers, businesses and market-connecting organisations, souvenirs could become a bridge linking Vietnam with the world while contributing to the growth of cultural industries and the creative economy.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Slovakia Pham Truong Giang presents a certificate of merit from the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to the executive board of the Vietnamese People Association in Slovakia in recognition of its efforts to unite and support the overseas Vietnamese community. (Photo: published by VNA)

Vietnam Day 2026 promotes Vietnamese culture in Slovakia

Jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy and community in Slovakia, the annual event showcased Vietnam's rich cultural heritage while promoting people-to-people exchanges and strengthening friendship between the two countries.

Vietnamese players will compete at the Esports Grand Championship 2026 this July. (Photo: Sports Authority of Vietnam)

Vietnam to host Esports Grand Championship for first time

The international tournament, endorsed by the Southeast Asian Esports Federation and recognised under Olympic-standard achievement criteria, will take place from July 9 to 12 at the My Dinh Athletics Palace in Hanoi as part of The Grand Esports 2026 series.