- One’s middleweight champ says he’s ‘a different fighter’ from 2017 when they shared a victory apiece, both unanimous decisions
- ‘The Burmese Python’ also warns undefeated Reinier de Ridder ‘it’s gonna happen’ in 2020 after Dutchman calls him out
Aung La N Sang has just welcomed the birth of his second child, and first daughter, with his wife in Florida. But the celebrations have to be put on hold a little bit as he gets back to business with One Championship.
"I don't know about living the dream. We're putting in that work so I can put on a good performance," One's middleweight and light heavyweight champion told the Post from Florida.
"The Burmese Python" will defend his middleweight belt against Vitaly Bigdash (10-2) " the man he beat to claim the title in June 2017 " in what will be a trilogy rubber match at One: Infinity 1 in Jakarta on April 10.
The choice of opponent was perhaps a little surprising " Aung La (26-10) looked set to defend against Reinier de Ridder (12-0), after the undefeated Dutchman dispatched Leandro Ataides by unanimous decision in Indonesia earlier this month, in what was essentially a bout to determine the No 1 contender.
"Yeah, they were gonna send me the contract for Reinier, I was gonna sign it, but they said Reinier injured his knee, it got bummed or whatever. Then I see him on Instagram jumping out of the pool, it can't be that bad," Aung La said, laughing. "Opponents change all the time. I'm not really worried. I'm ready to fight anybody and everybody."
Could we still see Aung La and De Ridder clash down the line? "Oh for sure, it's gonna happen," said the champ, who successfully defended his light heavyweight title against Brandon Vera in Tokyo last August.
As coronavirus touches MMA world, One's Aung La 'praying for everyone'
"I would like to fight one more time in the summer, maybe if Reinier wants it, at middleweight. I'm so heavy since my last fight, I'm extremely heavy right now. I don't know what it is. During fight week I was way under weight and now I just ballooned up. I'm a lot heavier right now."
Aung La and Bigdash, who has not fought since a December 2018 win against Yuki Niimura, each hold a unanimous decision over the other " and the champ has vowed he won't leave it to the judges this time.
"I go for broke," he said. "If I touch him, I'm gonna put him out. I just have to touch him. Just have to make sure I'm on point with everything, my preparations."
"I'm definitely a different fighter than when I first fought him. I'm training full time now, that's a lot different, and the calibre of my training partners is a lot better."
"I'm shooting to become a better and more complete mixed martial artist, a better athlete. But also to become a better dad, a better husband, a better family man and better friend," added Aung La, who trains out of Sanford MMA under Henri Hooft, Greg Jones and Kami Barzini in the US.
"I can't complain because at least I'm not away for camp, it means my family are with me all the time."
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