Former double champ Aung La N Sang shoots down retirement talk: “I still have that dog in me”
Aung La N Sang does not plan on retiring anytime soon.
'The Burmese Python' is one of the most beloved fighters in ONE Championship history. He has claimed both the ONE middleweight and light heavyweight MMA world titles while establishing himself as one of the most prolific finishers in promotional history.
After winning 10 straight inside the Circle, Aung La appeared to hit a brick wall named Reinier de Ridder. The Myanmar superstar suffered back-to-back losses against 'The Dutch Knight,' surrendering both of his belts in the process.
Dropping another contest to Vitaly Bigdash, Aung La's career appeared to be all but over. Then, suddenly, everything changed.
Since losing three out of four, he's bounced back with three wins in a row—all finishes. That includes knockouts against Yushin Okami and Gilberto Galvao and a second-round submission over Fan Rong.
During a recent interview with Cageside Press, the 39-year-old fan favorite made it clear that he has no plans to hang up his gloves anytime soon.
"I still love this, I still can do this, and I still have that dog in me. I still feel healthy, hungry, and motivated every day."
Aung La N Sang returns to the Circle at ONE 168: Denver on September 6
On Friday, September 6, Aung La N Sang will return to the Circle seeking his fourth-straight victory when ONE Championships heads back to the United States for a loaded ONE 168: Denver card emanating from Ball Arena in The Mile High City.
Standing in Aung La's way of another big win in the middleweight division will be undefeated standout Shamil Erdogan.
Thus far, Erdogan is a perfect 9-0 in his mixed martial arts career, including a first-round finish against the aforementioned Fan Rong in his promotional debut at ONE Friday Fights 22 last year.
With a win over 'The Burmese Python,' Erdogan would quickly establish himself as the next big contender in the middleweight division, setting the stage for a potential clash with three-division king Anatoly Malykhin.
Who comes out on top when a prospect meets a legend on martial arts' biggest global stage?
Follow this link for tickets for ONE 168: Denver on September 6 at Ball Arena.