Vitaly Bigdash Beats Aung La N Sang In Historic Trilogy Showdown

Vitaly Bigdash waited for more than four years to get another shot at Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang, and he definitely made the most of the opportunity.

The former ONE Middleweight World Champion soundly beat his longtime rival via unanimous decision at ONE: FULL CIRCLE on Friday, 25 February, to come out on top in their historic trilogy matchup.

Like their previous World Title fights – which were split one victory apiece – the pace picked up quickly at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The two mixed martial artists exchanged strikes from the clinch, with “The Burmese Python” connecting on body shots and Bigdash utilizing knees before landing a takedown.

The Sanford MMA star quickly got back up and even connected with some clean shots as they broke apart, but Bigdash’s wrestling was too much to handle.

After an inadvertent headbutt, the Russian went big on the restart, scoring a double-leg takedown and taking the Myanmar icon’s back.

Another injury break from elbow shots to the back of the head gave Aung La N Sang a reprieve, but that didn’t halt Bigdash’s momentum. Instead, he brought his foe down to the canvas and secured a dominant position as the round ended.

The Russian continued to pressure in the second, connecting with a solid right hand and short left hook, which were followed by a takedown. Aung La N Sang had a ton of fight in him, though, as he regained his feet and connected with body shots.

But just as “The Burmese Python” was starting to feel himself on the feet, Bigdash ducked under a strike and connected with a perfectly timed takedown.

From his opponent’s back, the Russian tried a rear-naked choke, and while he couldn’t score the submission, he ended the round in another dominant position. 

The third frame was a continuation of the previous action, as Bigdash mounted his foe twice early. While it was tough to keep the former two-division titleholder in that position, it was tougher to stop Bigdash’s takedowns.

Finally, a huge double-leg midway through the round kept Aung La N Sang on the mat for good. The 37-year-old Bigdash meticulously rained down punches from top position – and this time, there was no escape.

In the end, Bigdash’s relentless pace earned him the nod from all three judges, as he improved to 12-2 overall. With his third straight win, the former middleweight king showed that he might challenge for the belt once again.

Read more: ONE: FULL CIRCLE – Results And Highlights For Every Fight