Aung La N Sang To Defend Middleweight Belt In Yangon

The ONE Middleweight World Title will be on the line when ONE Championship returns to the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.

In the main event of ONE: SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR on 29 June, Myanmar national hero and two-division ONE World Champion, Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang, will defend one of his belts against Japan’s Ken Hasegawa.

Since Aung La N Sang captured the middleweight world title in a thrilling rematch with Vitaly Bigdash last June, he has gone on to make history.

The 33-year-old defeated Alain Ngalani in the organization’s first Open Weight Super-Bout at ONE: HERO’S DREAM, and then captured the ONE Light Heavyweight World Championship with a KO of Alexandre Machado at ONE: QUEST FOR GOLD in February.

Now, the man from Myanmar will return to the middleweight division to defend his title for the first time against Hasegawa. It will be no easy task, as the Japanese could very well be the greatest threat Aung La N Sang has ever faced.

“It is always a pleasure and a privilege to share my skills and talents with everyone back home. As champion, I am willing to take on all comers,” he says.

“It is an honor to represent the country of Myanmar on the biggest global stage of martial arts competition.

“This world championship means a lot to me, to those who have been behind my career from the very beginning, to my family, and to my friends. I will do everything in my power to defend this title against the hungry lion that is Ken Hasegawa.”

Hasegawa is an exciting Japanese veteran who has built an impressive 16-2-1 record since his mixed martial arts debut in 2011. Now, he is taking his place among the world’s best martial artists by making his ONE debut.

The Japanese is no stranger to elite competition, however, having faced opponents from around the globe in world-renowned promotions including DEEP – where he became the promotion’s Openweight Champion.

The 31-year-old from Kanagawa, Japan, is well-known for thrilling fans with his finishing skills. He has recorded 10 victories via stoppage, including six knockouts and four submissions, proving he is indeed a well-rounded threat in the cage.

“After eight years of excellence as a professional, I have reached the next stage in my career, and I can’t be any more excited for what is in store for me,” he says.

“I am grateful to ONE Championship for giving me the opportunity to showcase my talents to the world.

“It is an honor to face Aung La N Sang for the belt. I respect him and what he has accomplished, but I am confident of victory, and my hand will be raised as the new middleweight champion.”

ONE’s amazing shows in Myanmar are famed for generating some of the most passionate and loudest atmospheres in all of martial arts.

With Myanmar’s national hero returning to compete against another dangerous challenger for his ONE Middleweight World Title – along with a stacked undercard to be confirmed soon – the world can expect yet another unforgettable evening of action on 29 June.