2023 will be a massive year for ONE Championship. The organization will kick it off in January with ONE on Prime Video 6: Superbon vs. Allazov before beginning its ONE Lumpinee series in the historic Lumpinee Stadium. And that venue has captured the eye of one of the biggest stars in the company.
Former two-division World Champion Aung La N Sang has competed around the world and in some of the biggest venues in combat sports. After closing 2022 with a crushing TKO over Yushin Okami at ONE 163, he is hoping for an active 2023 to get back into title contention. And he would be ecstatic if one of those matches happened in Lumpinee Stadium.
“I would love to be on one of those cards. It would be amazing. As a fighter, for us to go to Japan and compete in the sumo arena, that was historical and amazing. To do that in Lumpinee Stadium would be amazing as well. It’s one of those things that you can only dream of. Not many fighters can say they fought in Lumpinee Stadium. Not many fighters can say they fought in the sumo Arena in Tokyo. It would be great for me,” Aung La N Sang told ONE.
In addition to ONE Lumpinee, the promotion is going to shake up the combat sports world when they arrive in the United States on Friday, May 5. ONE on Prime Video 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III is slated to main event from the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado, for the company’s first-ever on-ground event in the U.S. While “The Burmese Python” would like to be on that card as well, he also sees the opportunity for others, specifically Muay Thai’s top stars.
“They have to showcase Rodtang [Jitmuangnon] and the Muay Thai guys because Muay Thai in 4-ounce gloves is amazing. There are a lot of Muay Thai fans here in the East Coast and the West Coast who love Muay Thai. [They’re] fanatics. They’re going to fill up the arena,” said “The Burmese Python.”
But it is not just Muay Thai that the former two-division champ wants to see showcased on the massive platform. Aung La N Sang is also championing the biggest names in kickboxing. And following his recent win in the ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix, Aung La N Sang would love to see Roman Kryklia bring his heavy strikes to a domestic audience.
“There are a lot of kickboxing fans too. [Regian] Eersel should be in there. The new Grand Prix Champion and the light heavyweight champion should be in there as well – Roman [Kryklia]. Those would be amazing for the U.S. cards. They’ll get a lot of eyes off that card, for sure,” said Aung La N Sang.
The Kill Cliff FC representative is ready for another big year in ONE for both himself and others. Aung La N Sang wants one more crack at the ONE Middleweight World Championship and is prepared to make that push as the calendar turns over to 2023. With ONE’s U.S. debut just a few months away, he is ready to help lead the charge himself and elevate the sport for martial artists around the world.
