Former ONE Championship Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La N Sang will be an interested spectator on Friday, July 22, when two of his biggest foes square off in the night’s main event at ONE 159.
Reinier De Ridder, the man who dethroned “The Burmese Python” for both belts, will defend the ONE Middleweight World Championship against Vitaly Bigdash.
Bigdash, a former World Champion himself, earned his title shot by completing his trilogy with Aung La N Sang earlier in 2022 at ONE: Full Circle. However, the Myanmar superstar still sees another date with Bigdash in the future as neither man has scored a definitive victory over the other, regardless of the outcome.
“One of us has to get finished, one of us had to get, knocked out or one of us has to get put to sleep. It’s going to happen again, you know. I don’t feel like that trilogy was a good trilogy. It was like one of us has to be put to sleep or be put out,” Aung La N Sang told ONE.
The former two-division will wait on the sidelines to see how the title tilt plays out next month.
Unsatisfied with his recent performances, Aung La N Sang knows he needs multiple victories to get back in the title picture. But that is what he is planning to do, and all the while keeping tabs on the top of the division to know who he needs to aim for in an attempt to reclaim his gold.
Familiar with both men, the Sanford MMA representative is expecting a competitive battle.
“It’s going to be a good fight. They’re both very good competitors, so I’m excited for it, and I’m very familiar with both of them. It’s going to be a good one. It’s an exciting matchup for me and I’m really looking forward to who’s going to win that one,” said Aung La N Sang.
“To me, they could both potentially be my opponent again. So, with all due respect to them, I don’t intend to be their best friend anytime soon. Maybe down the line, if I get to know them more, maybe. But right now, we’re cordial, we’re respectful, and they’re both great athletes.”
“I’m friendly towards them and I’m respectful towards them. I’m not best friends with either of them. And given the chance, I’ll fight them again in a heartbeat. I don’t know, but I feel like if I finish the next few middleweights that I fight, I’ll be back in the mix.”
While there is no set date for the return of “The Burmese Python,” the middleweight division will continue marching forward with the title match between De Ridder and Bigdash on Friday, July 22, at ONE 159.
