https://www.scmp.com/rss/502462/feed Aung La N Sang is a Burmese-born American mixed martial artist who fights in One Championship also known as the Burmese Python. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Aung La N Sang has seen enough heartbreak in MMA to know the sport rarely hands out happy endings. But at ONE Fight Night 36, the “Burmese Python” walked away with one of the most cinematic exits in recent memory. The 40-year-old former two-division king stopped ex-welterweight champion Zebaztian Kadestam in the second round of their middleweight clash at Lumpinee Stadium, before learning he would be inducted into the ONE Championship Hall of Fame at ONE 173 in Tokyo on November 16. “You... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3327960/one-championship-hall-fame-looms-legendary-aung-la?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3327960/one-championship-hall-fame-looms-legendary-aung-la?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 03:48:33 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Aung La N Sang, the 40-year-old former double champion in mixed martial arts, has confirmed that his clash with Zebaztian Kadestam at ONE Fight Night 36 next month will be his last fight, marking the end of an era for one of Asia’s most beloved fighters. The Myanmar icon, who has held both the middleweight and light heavyweight world titles in ONE Championship, said that after almost two decades in the sport, it was time to close the book on competition. “You can’t fight forever,” Aung La told... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3327377/one-championship-myanmar-icon-aung-la-n-sang-call-it-day-after-fight-night-36?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3327377/one-championship-myanmar-icon-aung-la-n-sang-call-it-day-after-fight-night-36?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 08:19:26 +0000 Aung La N Sang has revealed his contract is up with ONE Championship after getting his third straight finish at the promotion’s US debut last week. “The Burmese Python” continued his quest to reclaim the middleweight MMA title by submitting China’s Fan Rong at ONE Fight Night 10 in Denver. The 37-year-old lost the belt in October 2020 to Reinier de Ridder, who also swiped the light heavyweight title from N Sang six months later with a unanimous decision. N Sang called for another crack at De... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3220523/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-reveals-his-contract-calls-title-shot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3220523/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-reveals-his-contract-calls-title-shot?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 May 2023 09:34:45 +0000 Aung La N Sang felt the love in Singapore, and returned the favour as he came back to fight in front of a live crowd for the first time in more than three years. “The Burmese Python” blew the roof off Singapore Indoor Stadium with a first-round TKO of Japanese veteran Yushin Okami at Saturday night’s ONE Championship 163 event. They chanted his name endlessly, and he clearly enjoyed himself, taking selfies with fans on his way out of the cage. “We have to savour every moment – this could be my... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3200271/one-championship-163-burmese-python-aung-la-n-sang-tells-myanmar-stay-strong-he-feels-love-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3200271/one-championship-163-burmese-python-aung-la-n-sang-tells-myanmar-stay-strong-he-feels-love-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Nov 2022 00:30:13 +0000 The pressure of any fight week can already be overbearing for most fighters. But when Aung La N Sang makes the walk to the ONE Championship cage on Saturday, he will be thinking about his friend and former training partner Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, who died on Sunday aged 38 after a long battle with an undisclosed illness. Johnson joined the UFC in 2007 and was a two-time light heavyweight title challenger before hanging up his gloves in 2017. He came out of retirement four years later and got a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3199731/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-dedicates-singapore-fight-anthony-rumble-johnson-after-death-illness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3199731/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-dedicates-singapore-fight-anthony-rumble-johnson-after-death-illness?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Nov 2022 12:50:18 +0000 Aung La N Sang’s South Florida home is full of ONE Championship title belts, but he is still not satisfied with his collection. The Burmese-American, 37, is one of the promotion’s most accomplished champions, having formerly held its middleweight and light heavyweight MMA titles and defended both. He ultimately lost both to unbeaten Dutchman Reinier de Ridder, but is optimistic that another title win is within reach. “I do believe I still have a run in me,” N Sang told the Post. “I want to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3197993/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-plots-climb-back-top-starting-yushin-okami?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3197993/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-plots-climb-back-top-starting-yushin-okami?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Nov 2022 08:23:02 +0000 Aung La N Sang has signed the contract for his next fight in ONE Championship. The 37-year-old Burmese-American, who previously held the Singapore-based promotion’s middleweight and light heavyweight titles, teased an imminent match-up announcement on Instagram this week, but did not specify a date or opponent. “Contract signed,” he wrote. “I know my team [Kill Cliff FC] will get me ready for war.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aung La... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3193448/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-getting-ready?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3193448/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-getting-ready?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Sep 2022 14:15:11 +0000 ONE Championship has promoted million-dollar Grand Prix tournaments in a number of its most exciting weight classes, but so far, the middleweight division has been deprived of any such action. Aung La N Sang, the division’s former champion, would like to see that change. “That would be amazing,” the 36-year-old Burmese-American star told the Post when asked about a potential middleweight Grand Prix. “A million-dollar tournament for the middleweights? Make it happen, man.” ONE Championship has... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3175747/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3175747/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Apr 2022 18:10:27 +0000 Aung La N Sang and Yushin Okami, two of the top middleweight mixed martial artists out of Asia, are keen to set up a fight in the ONE Championship Circle. Myanmar’s Aung La, who now lives in South Florida, was first to broach the match-up, challenging his Japanese rival to a fight on Twitter, and suggesting June 3 as the date. @_Yushin_Okami_ shall we dance? June 3rd? @ONEChampionship @ONECHAMPJP #AbemaTV pic.twitter.com/rEfHogQ2OP — Aung LA Nsang (@AungLANsang) April 13, 2022 It did not take... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3174500/one-championship-aung-la-okami-aim-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3174500/one-championship-aung-la-okami-aim-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Apr 2022 12:30:21 +0000 Aung La N Sang has sent a message to his Burmese fans after coming up short against Vitaly Bigdash. “The Burmese Python”, who was born in Myanmar but now lives in South Florida, met Russia’s Bigdash on the main card of the ONE: Full Circle event on Friday night in Singapore. It was the third time the two middleweights met, after picking up a decision win apiece in a pair of title fights in 2017. N Sang gave a valiant effort in the third round, but was taken down multiple times and controlled for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3168483/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-apologises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3168483/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-apologises?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Feb 2022 18:40:05 +0000 Vitaly Bigdash failed to make weight and pass hydration tests on Thursday in Singapore for his ONE Championship middleweight trilogy bout with Aung La N Sang. The Russian missed the 205-pound limit by 2 pounds when he stepped on the scales for ONE’s ceremonial weigh-ins at Singapore Indoor Stadium. The 37-year-old Bigdash (11-2) now has until 12pm on Friday afternoon to pass weight and hydration. Otherwise he will lose a percentage of his fight purse, and will have to negotiate a catchweight... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3168309/one-championship-vitaly-bigdash-misses-weight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3168309/one-championship-vitaly-bigdash-misses-weight?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Feb 2022 17:33:25 +0000 Aung La N Sang and Vitaly Bigdash are both planning to put their rivalry to bed at ONE Championship’s Full Circle event on Friday in Singapore. “This fight’s going to end with a bang,” N Sang said in a pre-fight virtual interview alongside the Russian. “If we both do our jobs, we’re going to put on an epic fight.” “This fight is very meaningful for me,” Bigdash said, echoing his great rival’s sentiments. “I’m ready for any result. I’m ready for a finish.” This will be the third time “The Burmese... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3168021/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-and-vitaly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3168021/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-and-vitaly?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Feb 2022 21:32:30 +0000 The planned line-up for the upcoming ONE Championship: Full Circle event has been revealed. The Asian martial arts organisation dropped the line-up for the event, scheduled for February 25 at Singapore Indoor Stadium, early on Friday morning. The card will be topped by a rare champion versus champion bout, as Reinier de Ridder (14-0), who holds the ONE light heavyweight and middleweight belts, defends the latter strap against welterweight champion Kiamrian Abbasov (23-4). The bout will be De... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3165828/one-championship-full-circle-line-features?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3165828/one-championship-full-circle-line-features?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Feb 2022 08:06:06 +0000 Aung La N Sang insists he is ready to slide into next month’s ONE Championship middleweight title fight on short notice next month. Champ Reinier de Ridder (14-0) is set to defend his belt against welterweight king Kiamrian Abbasov (23-4) in February 25’s ONE: Full Circle main event at Singapore Indoor Stadium, and a positive Covid-19 test or injury for either man could open up an opportunity for “The Burmese Python”. The 36-year-old N Sang (27-12, 1 no contest) is booked for the same card in a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3164058/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-staying-ready?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3164058/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-staying-ready?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jan 2022 07:06:08 +0000 “The Burmese Python” will be back in the ONE Circle in February. ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong has confirmed Aung La N Sang will return to action next month for a long-awaited trilogy against Russia’s Vitaly Bigdash. Former middleweight and light heavyweight champion N Sang (27-12, 1 no contest) is seemingly set to feature on February 11’s ONE: Bad Blood card. The event will be headlined by bantamweight MMA champion Bibiano Fernandes’ title fight with fellow Brazilian John Lineker. “He... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3163549/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-returns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3163549/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-returns?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jan 2022 16:41:16 +0000 ONE Championship kicked off what should be an exciting 2022 with the stacked ONE: Heavy Hitters event on January 14 inside the Singapore Indoor Arena. But SCMP MMA’s Post Fight Podcast recently crew got together to recap the promotion’s biggest moments of 2021 and hand out some year-end awards. While Asian martial arts organisation ONE promotes kick-boxing, Muay Thai and MMA bouts, awards were limited to the latter sport. Best knockout – Aung La N Sang defeats Leandro Ataides with second-round... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3162442/one-championship-2021-mma-awards-best-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3162442/one-championship-2021-mma-awards-best-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jan 2022 21:00:14 +0000 “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang wants back on the ONE Championship middleweight throne, and believes a fight with Japanese veteran Yushin Okami will push him in that direction. N Sang, 36, previously ruled over the ONE middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, but lost both titles to suffocating Dutch grappler Reinier de Ridder in a six-month span between October last year and April. It was an undeniably tough stretch for N Sang (27-12), but one he was able to put behind him when he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155809/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-eyes-yushin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155809/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-eyes-yushin?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Nov 2021 05:22:08 +0000 Demetrious Johnson’s special rules fight against Rodtang Jitmuangnon has got the combat sports world buzzing, for sure. The flyweight MMA “GOAT” (greatest of all time) will take on Muay Thai icon Rodtang at ONE Championship’s 10th anniversary show on December 5. The 35-year-old American Johnson (30-4-1) is in Singapore this week for Friday’s ONE: Revolution card, on cornering duty for a teammate – as is former ONE middleweight and light heavyweight champ Aung La N Sang, who broke down the fight... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3149578/one-championship-demetrious-johnson-will-get?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3149578/one-championship-demetrious-johnson-will-get?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Sep 2021 09:50:15 +0000 Reinier De Ridder called out ONE Championship heavyweight king Brandon Vera after adding Aung La N Sang’s light heavyweight title to his collection on Thursday morning with a dominant unanimous decision. The undefeated Dutchman (14-0) – who also took the middleweight title from “The Burmese Python” last October in Singapore – is looking to claim an unprecedented hat-trick of world championships in the Asian promotion. But the 35-year-old former double champ (26-12) insists De Ridder might be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3131651/one-championship-reinier-de-ridder-biting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3131651/one-championship-reinier-de-ridder-biting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Apr 2021 10:53:39 +0000 When the military seized control of Myanmar in February 1’s coup, the country’s most famous athlete did not know what to do. “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang (26-11, one no contest) has amassed nearly three million Facebook followers back home. He even had his own bronze statue unveiled in 2018 at the Kachin National Manau Park in his hometown of Myitkyina, after shooting to superstardom by winning the middleweight and light heavyweight titles in Asian martial arts organisation ONE... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3126698/one-championships-burmese-python-aung-la-n?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3126698/one-championships-burmese-python-aung-la-n?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Mar 2021 00:00:17 +0000 ONE Championship light heavyweight champ Aung La N Sang has voiced his support for Myanmar’s people as protests continue following a military coup this month. The 35-year-old “Burmese Python” (26-11, one no contest), who trains in Florida having moved to the US to study in 2004, returns to the MMA cage in April for a trilogy bout against Vitaly Bigdash (10-2) in the headliner of the ONE on TNT 3 card. N Sang took the Russian’s middleweight title at Yangon’s Thuwanna National Indoor Stadium in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3122123/burmese-mma-champion-aung-la-n-sang-calls-reversal-unlawful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3122123/burmese-mma-champion-aung-la-n-sang-calls-reversal-unlawful?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Feb 2021 02:00:17 +0000 Aung La N Sang is targeting a return to ONE Championship around April and has warned middleweight champ Reinier De Ridder “I’m gonna get my belt back”. “The Burmese Python” (26-11) is in Singapore this week to corner his countryman and Sanford MMA teammate Tial “The Dragon Leg” Thang (2-0) in his fight against Paul Lumihi (7-4). The bout will be recorded before Friday’s live ONE: Unbreakable event, and broadcast at a later date. De Ridder (13-0) fulfilled his bold prediction of securing a shock... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3118323/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-targets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3118323/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-targets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jan 2021 08:11:04 +0000 ONE Championship got things done in 2020, putting on fight cards when that looked, for a while, to be nigh on impossible, and providing nights of high drama when those events came to fruition. There were new champions crowned at middleweight (Dutchman Reinier De Ridder) and at featherweight (Vietnamese-American Thanh Le). There was further proof that Xiong Jingnan owns the strawweight division, with the Chinese fighter’s fourth defence of her crown. “2020 has been a tough year, but above all... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3114950/one-championship-five-storylines-watch-2021?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3114950/one-championship-five-storylines-watch-2021?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Dec 2020 01:00:17 +0000 Reinier de Ridder said he was going to choke out Aung La N Sang in 10 seconds. It wasn’t quite that brief, but the undefeated “Dutch Knight” submitted “The Burmese Python” with a first-round rear-naked choke to walk away with the ONE Championship middleweight title on a night of shocks at Inside The Matrix in Singapore. N Sang (26-11) had seemingly been annoyed by De Ridder’s (13-0) confidence heading into the fight at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. But the 35-year-old was powerless to stop the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3107878/one-championship-reinier-de-ridder-submits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3107878/one-championship-reinier-de-ridder-submits?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Oct 2020 16:35:29 +0000 It was all respect between Reinier de Ridder and Aung La N Sang when they joined SCMP MMA for a live “face-to-face” interview from their homes this month ahead of their ONE Championship: Inside The Matrix main event on October 30 in Singapore. But the undefeated “Dutch Knight” (12-0) seemingly crossed the line when he claimed in a subsequent media interview he is confident of submitting ONE’s middleweight champ in 10 seconds. “He’s much more respectful when we’re in the same room, and that’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3107485/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-says-hell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3107485/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-says-hell?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Oct 2020 12:49:48 +0000 Reinier de Ridder is by all accounts the underdog going into ONE Championship’s Inside The Matrix headliner against Aung La N Sang for the middleweight title. But the undefeated “Dutch Knight” (12-0) is slightly bemused at the pre-fight chatter ahead of October 30’s clash in Singapore. “I’m the undefeated guy, I’m on a tear right now. So I don’t know, I think I shouldn’t be the underdog,” De Ridder said during a live face-off interview with N Sang for SCMP MMA. “But it’s all right. It’s a good... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3106430/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-says-hes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3106430/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-says-hes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Oct 2020 06:47:57 +0000 Aung La N Sang has no intention of losing his ONE Championship middleweight title. But he won’t demand an immediate rematch if Reinier de Ridder walks away with the belt at Inside The Matrix in Singapore on October 30. “The Burmese Python” (26-10) faces the undefeated “Dutch Knight” (12-0) next weekend in the headliner of a stacked ONE card featuring four title fights. It will be 35-year-old N Sang’s fourth middleweight title defence after he successfully defended his light heavyweight title for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3106064/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-will-refuse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3106064/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-will-refuse?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Oct 2020 03:43:18 +0000 ONE Championship is looking to the likes of international MMA superstars Aung La N Sang, Eddie Alvarez and Demetrious Johnson to help return some sense of normalcy to an Asian sporting scene brought to a standstill for more than six months by the Covid-19 pandemic. “In many ways we are the international pilot test. If we are successful then we will have the blueprint for other international events to start in Singapore,” said ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong in a conference call on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3104507/one-championship-working-eddie-alvarez-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3104507/one-championship-working-eddie-alvarez-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2020 06:40:03 +0000 ONE Championship’s Inside The Matrix card on October 30 will feature four title fights, chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong has announced. SCMP MMA revealed last month “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang (26-10) would defend his middleweight belt against the undefeated “Dutch Knight” Reinier De Ridder (12-0), and Chatri confirmed the bout will serve as the main event of ONE’s biggest show since October 2019’s Century double header in Tokyo. “The Warrior” Christian Lee (13-3) will also put his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3104285/one-championship-announces-four-title-fights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3104285/one-championship-announces-four-title-fights?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2020 16:07:14 +0000 Reinier De Ridder said he’d have to submit Aung La N Sang in their upcoming ONE Championship title fight, because “nobody’s knocking that guy out”. On that they can agree, but “The Burmese Python” (26-10) warned the undefeated “Dutch Knight” (12-0) that he’s about to face a huge step up in competition in the ONE circle. “Yeah, I mean he’s right – he’s not gonna knock me out,” N Sang told SCMP MMA. “His strong suit is BJJ [Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu], so I’m doing a lot of preparation for that as... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3102708/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-warns-reinier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3102708/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-warns-reinier?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2020 09:22:52 +0000 Michael Chandler’s long-awaited move to the UFC is finally a reality, and his Sanford MMA teammates Aung La N Sang and Martin Nguyen think he’s destined for big things. The 34-year-old American (21-5), a former two-time lightweight champ with Bellator, entered free agency last month after signing off a 10-year spell in the promotion with an impressive first-round KO of former UFC champ Benson Henderson. Dana White was more than happy to snap Chandler up, saying he had “earned” the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3102650/michael-chandler-will-do-big-things-ufc-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3102650/michael-chandler-will-do-big-things-ufc-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2020 05:32:25 +0000 Aung La N Sang will defend his ONE Championship middleweight title against Dutch challenger Reinier De Ridder, as the Asian martial arts organisation gets back to using its internationally based stars, founder and CEO Chatri Sityodtong has told SCMP MMA. ONE returned to action in Bangkok last month with the first in a series of shows at the Impact Arena in the Thai capital, but has been limited to using fighters based in the country because of coronavirus restrictions. Like many of ONE’s MMA... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3100761/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-defend-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3100761/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-defend-title?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2020 17:00:58 +0000 There might be plenty of fresh blood in the ONE Championship heavyweight ranks, but champ Brandon Vera is open to facing an old foe down the line. Filipino 42-year-old Vera (15-7, one no contest) fell in his bid to wrest the light heavyweight championship from “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang (26-10) – who is also the promotion’s middleweight champ – last October at ONE: Century Part II in Tokyo. And should the 35-year-old from Myanmar want to take a crack at becoming a three-division champ,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3099281/one-championship-brandon-vera-would-love-give?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3099281/one-championship-brandon-vera-would-love-give?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2020 08:45:38 +0000 Ali Abdelaziz is expanding into Asia and bringing some of his free agents to ONE Championship. But it’s a fighter already on the Singapore-based promotion’s roster that he has the most admiration for. “I have a lot of respect for Aung La N Sang,” the Dominance MMA Management CEO told SCMP MMA’s Post Fight. “I think he’s a great champion. He holds the promotion in such regard. I think he’s an example. “If you chose one fighter out there, in the whole world, and said show an example of martial... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3095220/one-championships-aung-la-n-sang-pound-pound?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3095220/one-championships-aung-la-n-sang-pound-pound?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jul 2020 12:22:58 +0000 Gilbert Burns has tested positive for Covid-19 and is out of next weekend’s UFC 251 main event against welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. It was reported by MMA Junkie that neither fighter boarded a charter flight to Abu Dhabi on Friday night. MMA Junkie later reported the Brazilian and two of his cornermen – his brother and fellow UFC star Herbert Burns, and coach Greg Jones – had returned positive tests. They had travelled from Florida to Las Vegas, which the UFC is using as a hub to test... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3091816/ufc-251-gilbert-burns-tests-positive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3091816/ufc-251-gilbert-burns-tests-positive?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Jul 2020 04:39:32 +0000 Aung La N Sang has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 35-year-old ONE Championship double belt holder – middleweight and light heavyweight – made the announcement on an Instagram post on Friday. “My family and I will be quarantining ourselves for the next 14 days,” he wrote on a post which also showed his test results for Covid-19. N Sang lives and trains in Florida which reported a record number of cases of Covid-19 on Thursday with more than 10,000, which is the biggest one day increase... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3091640/aung-la-n-sang-one-championship-fighter-tests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3091640/aung-la-n-sang-one-championship-fighter-tests?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jul 2020 02:39:19 +0000 It’s been a heartbreaking week for many employees at ONE Championship, with the promotion announcing it had laid off 20 per cent of its global workforce because of the coronavirus. ONE, which also announced it had raised US$70 million from investors to safeguard its future, has not held an event since February’s King of the Jungle in Singapore, which was behind closed doors, with its home city still on lockdown because of the pandemic. The Asian martial arts company returns this weekend with a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3089618/aung-la-n-sang-says-one-championship-job-cuts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3089618/aung-la-n-sang-says-one-championship-job-cuts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jun 2020 09:23:26 +0000 ONE Championship has confirmed it is postponing all events through May amid the global Covid-19 pandemic. The Asian organisation last put on an event behind closed doors in Singapore in February, but government lockdown regulations have prevented ONE from holding further events in its home city. “All May events for ONE Championship will be postponed until further notice due to the recent Covid-19 developments (border closings and lockdowns) across most countries in Asia,” ONE chief executive... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3081870/one-championship-postpones-may-events-working?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3081870/one-championship-postpones-may-events-working?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2020 05:19:45 +0000 ONE Championship has released its first official rankings for select divisions of mixed martial arts, Muay Thai and kick-boxing. Rankings for the middleweight and light heavyweight MMA divisions – ruled by Aung La N Sang – and heavyweight MMA division, whose champion is Brandon Vera, will be added at a later date, according to a press release. “The rankings will bring more clarity and transparency for our athletes as they chase their dreams for a world championship title,” said ONE CEO Chatri... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3081705/one-championship-releases-first-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3081705/one-championship-releases-first-official?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2020 07:08:56 +0000 Kyrgyzstan’s Kiamrian Abbasov only recently captured the One Championship welterweight title, but he already has big plans for his reign. Abbasov won the belt with a lopsided decision defeat of Swedish knockout artist Zebaztian Kadestam in October of 2019. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to defend his title yet, initially because of lingering injuries, and now because of the coronavirus pandemic. He's hoping that changes soon. “I needed to recover after the fight with Kadestam and work on the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3080005/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-welterweight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3080005/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-welterweight?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2020 05:30:38 +0000 Aung La N Sang was supposed to fly out to Singapore this week, ahead of a hastily-rearranged middleweight title defence against Vitaly Bigdash. Amid the escalating global Covid-19 outbreak, One Championship’s “Infinity 1” card had already been moved from Jakarta, Indonesia, to the Asian MMA organisation’s home city, for what was going to be a behind-closed-doors event on April 10. But then more upheaval struck, with the Singapore government placing a travel ban on all foreign visitors, which... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3077888/one-championships-aung-la-n-sang-counting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3077888/one-championships-aung-la-n-sang-counting?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2020 05:00:15 +0000 One Championship has announced it will move its events behind closed doors with live audiences suspended until at least May 29 in Manila following the global escalation of the coronavirus outbreak. The Asian MMA organisation’s next four shows will all be held in Singapore and are initially set for April 17, April 24, May 1 and May 8. One’s first blockbuster “Infinity” show, which had originally been set for April 10 in Jakarta, will now take place in the Philippines “but it’s subject to change... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3075055/coronavirus-one-championship-moves-all-events?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3075055/coronavirus-one-championship-moves-all-events?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2020 05:03:50 +0000 Aung La N Sang has just welcomed the birth of his second child, and first daughter, with his wife in Florida. But the celebrations have to be put on hold a little bit as he gets back to business with One Championship. “I don’t know about living the dream. We’re putting in that work so I can put on a good performance,” One’s middleweight and light heavyweight champion told the Post from Florida. “The Burmese Python” will defend his middleweight belt against Vitaly Bigdash (10-2) – the man he beat... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3052431/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-vows-put?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3052431/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-vows-put?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2020 07:05:09 +0000 Even the world of MMA is not immune from the deadly coronavirus outbreak in Asia, with One Championship putting Friday’s King of the Jungle card in Singapore behind closed doors. And One’s middleweight and light heavyweight champion Aung La N Sang personally knows just how much the situation is affecting everybody. “I feel really bad – my mom was supposed to go home [to Myanmar], but then she had to cancel her flight as well,” he told the Post from Florida. “I feel really bad for the people that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3052417/one-championships-aung-la-n-sang-coronavirus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3052417/one-championships-aung-la-n-sang-coronavirus?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2020 03:50:45 +0000 Asian mixed martial arts has simply gone from strength to strength over the past 12 months, what with China seeing its first UFC champ crowned in strawweight Zhang “Magnum” Weili, and the Singapore-based One Championship shaking things up for the first time in Japan with three monster cards. The region’s potential – in terms of both fighters and audiences – has been on show each and every week across promotions everywhere. But we here at SCMP Martial Arts are now looking forward, and to the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3043147/top-20-asian-mma-fighters-2020-part-3-aung-la?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3043147/top-20-asian-mma-fighters-2020-part-3-aung-la?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2019 07:00:07 +0000 Walking to the One Championship cage flanked by his “brothers” on Friday night, Tial Thang knew it was all on him now. And “The Dragon Leg” duly delivered in front of his new-found adoring Burmese fan army. There are 600,000 Burmese living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and a fair few of them were in the Axiata Arena screaming on Thang. “I had to control my emotion because it was before the fight,” Thang told the Post. “It almost brought me to tears.” It helps when you have Aung La N Sang in your... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3041071/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-promises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3041071/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-promises?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Dec 2019 07:22:01 +0000 When he steps into the One Championship ring to fight Kim Woun-kyoum at Mark of Greatness on Friday night in Kuala Lumpur, Myanmar’s Tial Thang knows he will have come full circle. Thang is fighting out of Florida’s Sanford MMA – formerly Hard Knocks 365 – where he trains in the illustrious company of One world champions Aung La N Sang and Martin Nguyen. The two men – “my brothers”, as he calls them – have accompanied him to Malaysia and will corner him for his fight against One Warrior Series... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3040808/one-championships-tial-thang-goes-refugee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3040808/one-championships-tial-thang-goes-refugee?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2019 10:33:48 +0000 Aung La N Sang has targeted a return to One Championship action by April after undergoing surgery on his thumb – and called out undefeated middleweight Reinier de Ridder. “The Burmese Python” revealed the cast on his right hand will be coming off in two weeks, and he’ll be ready to resume full training. “Sleeping good, eating good, but I can’t train so well right now,” the light heavyweight and middleweight champion told the Post in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. N Sang suffered the injury during his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3040592/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-calls-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3040592/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-calls-out?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2019 08:54:32 +0000 Aung La N Sang went through a war with Brandon Vera in Tokyo. But he says he’s ready to get back in the One Championship cage again in 2019. “The Burmese Python” stopped Vera with a second-round TKO in an intense slugfest at Sumo Hall to successfully defend his light heavyweight title. Also the One middleweight champion, the 34-year-old is looking to defend his other strap next, even as early as December 6 in Kuala Lumpur. “What’s next? Middleweight,” N Sang said at the post-event press... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3033401/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-wants-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3033401/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-wants-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2019 09:29:12 +0000 Amid a spine tingling atmosphere at Sumo Hall for the main event of One Championship’s Century Part 2, Aung La N Sang blasted out Brandon Vera to defend his light heavyweight title with a stunning TKO victory. “The Burmese Python” had plenty of travelling support from Myanmar, and they were left delirious when referee Olivier Coste stepped in at 3:23 of the second round. N Sang rocked the heavyweight champion with a spinning back elbow and then dropped him before delivering some strikes against... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3032743/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-blasts-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3032743/one-championship-aung-la-n-sang-blasts-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Oct 2019 13:49:06 +0000