AUNG La N Sang relied on an explosive start and then survived every subsequent challenge by Vitaly Bigdash to fulfill the hopes and dreams of his nation by winning the ONE Championship World Middleweight championship.
Myanmar national icon “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang brought the crowd up to their feet with a spectacular victory over Russia’s Bigdash.
In the first round, Aung La staggered Bigdash with a blistering combination that had him reeling against the cage fence. Bigdash, in a display of incredible toughness and warrior mindset, survived the round to the best of his ability. The rest of the bout saw both competitors each have their moments in what was a very close contest.
In the end, all three judges scored in favor of Aung La who took home a hard-earned unanimous decision victory.
“AGD Bank is proud of our national hero Aung La N Sang for his tremendous achievement tonight. He has united the nation and serves as an inspiration to all of us. We are also very proud of the Myanmar athletes who have fought tonight. I hope this is the start of a golden era of Myanmar Lethwei martial arts athletes excelling on the international stage,” said Htoo Htet Tay Za, Managing Director of AGD Bank.
The result torpedoed a projected super fight between Bigdash and ONE Championship Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren.
“Last time, I was preparing for one opponent, but got Aung La N Sang instead. This time, I am ready for him. I will finish him first, and then I would like to fight (ONE Welterweight World Champion) Ben Askren. He has been very vocal about me recently,” said Bigdash in an interview shortly before the fight.
In the Yangon Flyweight Tournament Final, Saw Min Min captured the championship trophy, earning the respect of his hometown crowd with a spirited performance against compatriot Shwe Kyaung Thar. Saw Min Min finished his opponent via guillotine choke just under two minutes into the first round to be crowned Tournament Champion. It was a delightful showcase of local talent, one that promises a bright future for Myanmar’s budding martial arts ecosystem.
The bout electrified crowd at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium as the beautiful city of Yangon played host to ONE: Light of a Nation which showcased the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent.
Meanwhile, in a back-and-forth battle between two former ONE world title challengers, Japan’s Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi and Chinese Taipei’s Jenny Huang brought the crowd up to their feet with a spectacular performance.
It was a battle of two well-rounded competitors who each had their moments in a tough bout. After a first round which saw Yamaguchi take Huang down to the canvas with her wrestling, the Japanese martial artist opened up the second round looking to put on the finishing touches. Using her experience, Yamaguchi took Huang’s back and sunk in a rear naked choke to force the tap.
Former Brazilian jiu-jitsu No Gi world champion Bruno Pucci scored the first technical knockout victory of his career, stopping Filipino featherweight Jimmy “The Silencer” Yabo with a volley of strikes from full mount. As soon as the bout began, Pucci wasted no time in hunting for the takedown which he got on the first attempt. On the mat, Pucci easily passed guard, earning the finish shortly after.
In a stunning battle between two former Lethwei practitioners, local bantamweight Tha Pyay Nyo made very quick work of opponent Htet Aung Oo to win by shocking knockout. As soon as the bell rang, the two warriors collided at the center of the cage looking to throw haymakers. Tha Pyay Nyo then connected on a picture-perfect right straight to send Htet Aung Oo crashing to the canvas, ending the bout just 16-seconds into the very first round.
South Korean prospect Kevin “Oldboy” Chung made his ONE Championship debut opposite Chinese warrior Zhong Qing Ya in an action-packed affair. In the first round, Chung used his speed and power to connect on a handful of thudding strikes on Zhong who defended well against takedown attempts. In the second round, Chung finally took Zhong down with a double-leg and went straight to work on the ground-and-pound, landing a series of sharp elbows. Referee Yuji Shimada called a halt to the contest in round two after Chung connected cleanly on two knees from side control.
In two tough contests, the Yangon Flyweight Tournament kicked off all the action at ONE: LIGHT OF A NATION with explosive semi-final matchups. Saw Min Min won the first bout, knocking out opponent Kyar Ba Hein, while Ye Thway Ne battled Pat Kyaw Lin Naing in the second bout to win by unanimous decision after two rounds.
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