Battle-tested Thanh Le says he’s been aging like fine wine: “I understand martial arts better”

While he is no longer a spring chicken, veteran fighter Thanh Le believes that he has adjusted his game well in this late stage of his successful career. This, even as he said there is a lot of fight still left in him.

The 38-year-old American-Vietnamese shared this following his impressive victory at ONE Fight Night 15 on Prime Video on October 6 in Bangkok. There, he made short work of Russian rising star Ilya Freymanov with a first-round submission (heel hook) to claim the interim ONE featherweight MMA world title.

Thanh Le said that at this point of his career, he has a different perspective on the game, which he has harnessed for sustained success. He said:

“It's not like I'm getting a little slower but more powerful, but I understand martial arts better. It's just all around and I think I'm just trying to approach training the right way and listening to the guys that know what they're talking about. And try to sort through the information the right way. And you know, of course, you're gonna make mistakes and do things wrong and try to make it better but that's martial arts, that's being a martial artist.”

Watch the interview below:

The victory at ONE Fight Night 15 was a bounce-back win for Thanh Le, who lost the ONE featherweight MMA world title in his previous fight in August last year by unanimous decision to Tang Kai of China.

He has been angling for a rematch with the reigning champion since. Unfortunately, Tang Kai is currently out injured (knee) and cannot compete at the moment, leaving the promotion to instead hold an interim featherweight championship fight.

Thanh Le is hoping to unite the featherweight belts at the soonest time possible to complete what for him is an unfinished business against Tang Kai.

The replay of ONE Fight Night 15 is available on ONE Championship’s official YouTube page.