Music Monday: Aung La N Sang’s Electric Walkout Song
When two-division ONE World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang enters the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar and makes his walk to the Circle, he generates one of the most incredible reactions in the mixed martial arts world.
Aung La N Sang’s entrance is a sight to behold.
The lights fade to black, which makes the fans scream in anticipation. A pulsating drumbeat follows, the lights flicker red, the fireworks ignite, and then the epic rock anthem “Amae Like Akah” by Lay Phyu blasts over the speakers.
As the Myanmar sports icon walks down the ramp with a ONE World Title belt draped over his shoulder, his compatriots burst into song and serenade him.
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There are millions of fans watching around the globe who may not physically be in the stadium, but they can feel the atmosphere and might be left wondering what it is that unites the local crowd.
“Lay Phyu is a super-famous rocker in Myanmar. He has been famous since I was a little kid and grew up there,” the 34-year-old explains.
“This song is very popular during the Water Festival. The Water Festival is actually coming up soon, as well. It’s very popular, and it gets the Burmese people excited.”
Excited is an understatement.
The legions of Aung La N Sang’s countrymen who are in attendance reach a fever pitch as he approaches the Circle and gets ready for his main-event battle.
Although “The Burmese Python” had his compatriots in mind when choosing his walkout song, he also wanted to use a track that reflected his warrior mentality.
“When I fought in Myanmar, instead of choosing an English song, I ended up choosing that one and it really fired the crowd up,” the ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion offers.
“It’s a very good song to get the crowd pumped up. Ever since I made that switch, I’ve always used that one song.
“It’s like a hunter is hunting a deer, or looking for its prey, and that’s just the kind of attitude that you should have.”
The Myanmar superstar then feeds off their collective vibes and uses it to perform to the best of his abilities.
So far, it has worked. To date, he is undefeated in his homeland.
Aung La N Sang has won seven out of seven bouts inside the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium, and he credits his countrymen as part of the reason for his success.
“It’s crazy [to feel that energy from the crowd]. You’re no longer nervous or scared. You’re just ready to go out there and do your thing,” he says.
“You have so much energy from the crowd. It definitely makes you more alert, more aware, and more confident when you walk out.”
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