He has defended his belt, unified it, and carried China’s national flag through Lumpinee Stadium. Now Tang Kai has a son watching, and the weight of that is something no title belt can measure.
Tang Kai puts the ONE Featherweight MMA World Title on the line against Russian contender Shamil “The Cobra” Gasanov in the main event of ONE Fight Night 43: Tang vs. Gasanov on Prime Video, broadcasting live in U.S. primetime from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, May 15.
The 30-year-old Sunkin International Fight Club representative became China’s first male MMA World Champion when he stopped Thanh Le at ONE 160 in August 2022, unified the belts with a third-round TKO in their rematch at ONE 166, and has not competed since January 2025. In the months since, life changed. His son was born last September, and Tang has spent this camp thinking about what the title means beyond the record books.
The fighter who always prided himself on composure now carries something heavier into every training session. It is not pressure. It is purpose.
“Since becoming a father, I have greater responsibilities. I want my kids to have a better life than I had when I was young. I have to work harder, fight harder,” he said.
“The change is just becoming more mature and having more responsibility. I’m always thinking about family. It gives me more motivation.”
Tang Kai wants to be a role model for China’s next generation of fighters
Tang Kai has never needed external pressure to perform. The belt, the record, the undefeated streak that brought him to the title — all of it was built on quiet discipline and consistent work. But becoming China’s first male MMA World Champion placed something else on his shoulders: the expectations of a country watching its own fighters compete on the world stage for the first time.
Tang has embraced that role without reservation. Every defense matters not just to him but to the generation of Chinese fighters who grew up watching him become what he is.
“It’s a great honor and pride for me to wear the Chinese national flag, and it also gives me even more motivation. If I win the fight and get to carry the national flag again, it will fill me with even greater pride,” he said.
“I want to be a role model for the younger generation of Chinese fighters. I will give my all in every fight and strive to defend my title many more times.”