Thanh Le Looks to Prove Elite Status with High-Level Talent

One Championship featherweight title challenger Thanh Le won’t go as far as saying he’s the best striker champion Martin Nguyen has ever faced. However, the former Legacy Fighting Alliance featherweight champion is willing to admit he’s as good as previous Nguyen foes, and former titleholders, Kevin Belingon and Eduard Foloyang, while also being a far “different” challenge than his opponent has ever faced before.

“The way I mix it I think is unorthodox, it’s unusual [and] it’s impossible to replicate for training. I think that’s a big problem,” Le told Sherdog. “The guys he’s fought are ginormous names in the sport. There’s no sh*t talking way to say I’m better than anybody he’s ever faced, but I’m different than anybody he’s ever faced. [My mind] is a lot different than anybody in the sport [in] the way I approach the game. I think it’s important to keep myself grounded and understanding where I sit amongst these guys, but really knowing I belong at the top. I deserve this fight [and] belong fighting the champions of the world. We’ll see Oct. 30 if I have a belt wrapped around my waist.”

In his conversation with Sherdog, the 35-year-old broke down his title fight on Oct. 30 at One Championship: Inside the Matrix, and explained why Nguyen offers many dangers. He also spoke on the positive experiences he’s had over three fights as an employee of the promotion, and his hope that a win gives hurricane stricken locals in his native Louisiana something to cheer about.