(Exclusive) Aung La N Sang talks rematch with "monster" Shamil Erdogan at ONE 171: Qatar

The ONE veteran was on a three-fight finishing streak before losing to Erdogan in September.

(ONE Championship)

Aung La N Sang has a chance to avenge his most recent loss this week at ONE 171: Qatar, and the former two-division ONE Championship titleholder spoke with MMA KO’s Drew Beaupré ahead of his rematch with the undefeated Shamil Erdogan.

Immediate Rematch With Erdogan

It’s not often that fighters get immediate rematches as non-champions, but Aung La wasn’t about to pass up the chance to face Erdogan again after coming up short against him at ONE 168 in September.

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“They had a couple other options, and they fell through. So this one wasn’t what the first option was, but I know ONE Championship wanted to put me back on. So I don’t know, I mean – I’m down to fight whoever, and to get a second shot back at Shamil, it’s gonna be nice.”

Shamil Erdogan ended Aung La N Sang's winning streak when they met at ONE 168. / (ONE Championship)

“We’re doing the work necessary to make it a more competitive fight. And we’re – it’s kind of hard for us, right? As the veterans here. It’s hard for us to study someone than for them to study us. At least I get to – I know what he brings to the table, so we can game plan a lot better, and it should be a different fight.”

"I’ve Always Only Focused On The Fight At Hand"

“The Burmese Python” previously held ONE’s middleweight and light heavyweight titles, and although he has no intention of looking past the challenge in front of him the 39-year-old is focused on making another run at ONE Championship gold.

“The title’s my goal. The title is my goal, and I think this fight - especially if the champ can’t defend it, it should be an interim title fight. But it is what it is. For me, I’m just focused on this fight. I don’t really care about what comes next, what comes before, or came after. I don’t really care. I’m really focused on this.”

Aung La N Sang previously held ONE's middleweight and light heavyweight titles. / (ONE Championship)

“I’ve always only focused on the fight at hand. Of course, I have goals. I have goals and I have plans. But right now, for me, it’s just to improve. And I like that – this is gonna be my 20th year of fighting, and I like how athletes and fighters are getting so much better. Across the board, like – Shamil is a monster. In any other promotions, I know they have like Top 10s and all that in other promotions, but Shamil is a monster. He would do well in any promotion, and you have a lot of these guys that are up and coming, and for me, I’m just enjoying the ride. And I’m enjoying the ride, but at the same time I still wanna compete and I still wanna put open a great show.”

ONE 171 & Growth Of ONE Championship

Aung La’s first matchup with Erdogan featured as part of a stacked ONE 168 card at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, and now he’s set to compete at another high-profile event in Qatar that includes a number of current and former ONE Championship titleholders.

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“I’m excited about Martin [Nguyen’s] fight. I’m excited about my boy Martin’s fight, and then like – they have a lot of good fights. ONE Championship always puts on a great card, and I know they always stack it up when they do a show in Qatar. And I’m just thankful to be a part of this, that card.”

Former two-division ONE Championship titleholder Martin Nguyen will fight Shamil Gasanov at ONE 171. / (ONE Championship)

“It’s kinda cool, right? It started as like a mom and pop – almost like a mom-and-pop company in 2014, when I first joined. And now it has like a global name now. For me, it’s like – I’ve seen it from the beginning. I was signed in 2013, and I fought in 2014. So, it’s really cool to see where it is today, and like it’s grown a lot, it’s grown a lot. ONE Championship has grown a lot. And I think there’s still a lot of potential too, especially with all these Muay Thai fights, all these superfights. And I’m just excited to be a part of it.”

Crossover Opportunities After Title Run

The longtime ONE Championship veteran is still fully focused on his MMA career and hasn’t tested himself in any of the various crossover fights the promotion offers, but don’t be surprised if “The Burmese Python” decides to take on that challenge at some point in the future.

“They did [approach me] for a mixed-rules fight, but I’m still focused on this. Maybe later on in a couple fights, maybe. But right now, I wanna focus on trying to get my title back…For sure [I want to focus on MMA]. I still believe that I could be in the title run, especially after a good performance. But maybe down the line, you never know…I would love that. I train all the time, I live this life. And I would just love to keep this momentum going.”

Aung La N Sang is still focused on his MMA career and earning another crack at ONE Championship gold. / (ONE Championship)

“I’m just excited to put on a show, man. I’m feeling good, training camp’s going well. And it’s gonna be a great one, we’re gonna put on a show. I like that he comes fight, so we’re gonna put on a good show.”

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ONE 171 takes place at Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, Qatar on February 20, and in addition to the rematch between Aung La and Erdogan the card features two title bouts and some of the biggest names on the ONE Championship roster.

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