5 Defining Moments: Aung La N Sang

Aung La N Sang’s accomplishments in the cage have allowed him to become a cultural phenomenon in his native Myanmar, even as he sets out to right one of the wrongs on his resume.

Sang will defend the One Championship light heavyweight title against the unbeaten Reinier de Ridder in the One on TNT 4 main event on Wednesday at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. It serves as a rematch between the two, with Ridder having submitted “The Burmese Python” with a first-round rear-naked choke at “Inside the Matrix” in October. Neither man has fought since.

As Sang makes final preparations for his second encounter with “The Dutch Knight,” a look at five of the moments that have come to define him:

1. Crossroads

Sang arrived at a fork in the road when he submitted to a Sam Oropeza triangle choke in the second round of their Matrix Fights 5 headliner on March 16, 2012 at Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 Union Hall in Philadelphia. Oropeza drew the curtain 56 seconds into Round 2. The Philadelphia Fight Factory export established his superiority over Sang throughout a largely one-sided first round, where he controlled the clinch, executed multiple takedowns and applied heavy ground-and-pound. Oropeza withstood a late flurry from the Burma native that included a jump switch kick and close-range elbows. They picked up where they left off in the middle stanza. Oropeza slipped on a high kick, allowing the Crazy 88 MMA rep to assume top position. However, safety proved to be an illusion for Sang. Oropeza deftly framed a triangle choke from the bottom, tightened his squeeze and prompted the stoppage inside the first minute of the second round. The loss left Sang with a middling 12-8 record and decisions to make. He won three of his next four fights before signing with One Championship and kickstarting a career renaissance.

2. Dazzling Debut

It was the strongest of first impressions. Sang needed a little more than a minute to announce his intentions in his One Championship debut, as he buried Mahmoud Salama with punches in the first round of their “Era of Champions” middleweight showcase on June 14, 2014 at Mata Elang International Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia. Salama succumbed to blows 67 seconds into Round 1. The disparity in skill was apparent from the start. Salama waded forward with wild power punches, wandered into a takedown and reversed into top position. However, Sang did not remain on his back for long. He swept into mount out of butterfly guard and dropped punches until his opponent was unconscious. Sang went on to win his first four fights under the One Championship banner, emerging as the No. 1 contender at 185 pounds.

3. Back to the Drawing Board

Vitaly Bigdash battered and bloodied Sang across five rounds and cruised to a unanimous decision to retain his middleweight crown in the One Championship “Quest for Power” main event on Jan. 14, 2017 at the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia. A replacement for the injured Marcin Prachnio, Sang did not enjoy his experience. Bigdash struck for repeated takedowns and hammered away with sustained bursts of ground-and-pound. Fatigue and resignation took hold of the challenger, who mustered little in the way of meaningful resistance and saw his four-fight winning streak snapped in decisive fashion. It was not the last time the two men tested one another’s mettle.

4. Golden Corral

Sang learned from past mistakes. The Sanford MMA export laid claim to the undisputed One Championship middleweight crown and avenged defeat five months prior with a five-round unanimous decision over Bigdash in the “Light of a Nation” headliner on June 30, 2017 at a raucous Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar. All three judges sided with the challenger in the rematch. Sang raced out of the gates and almost overwhelmed his rival inside the first five minutes. He rattled Bigdash with an overhand right, floored him with a left hook and swarmed with elbows and punches, a sustained burst of ground-and-pound nearly forcing a stoppage. It was not the end. Bigdash weathered the assault and turned to takedowns during the ensuing rounds, opening a cut with some elbow-laced strikes from top position. However, Sang managed to largely neutralize his efforts with an active bottom game and flexed his superiority in their standup exchanges whenever he was allowed to operate in open space. His gas tank paid dividends and kept him out of true danger when it mattered most.

5. Twice as Nice

Alexandre Machado knew he was outmatched on the feet when he met Sang for the vacant One Championship light heavyweight crown. It took less than a minute for his fears to be realized. Sang became the second competitor in One Championship history—Martin Nguyen was the first—to capture titles in multiple weight classes, as he cut down the Brazilian with a head kick and follow-up punches in the first round of their “Quest for Gold” main event on Feb. 23, 2018 at Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar. Machado succumbed to blows 56 seconds into Round 1. Sang was active with his legs from the start, targeting the body and legs before zeroing in on the head. His last kick went high, penetrated Machado’s defenses and sat down “Bebazao” at the base of the fence, where it soon became clear he was in no condition to defend himself from follow-up attacks.