Aung La N Sang to receive ONE Championship Hall of Fame honor at ONE 173 in Tokyo

Myanmar’s greatest sports hero closes his legendary journey with the ultimate recognition. Aung La N Sang sacrificed two decades building a legacy that transcended personal glory to inspire an entire nation through martial arts excellence.

The 40-year-old former two-division ONE MMA World Champion receives his ONE Championship Hall of Fame induction at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16, inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena. He joins Demetrious Johnson and Bibiano Fernandes as the third fighter honored with this rare distinction. He closed his career with a second-round TKO of Zebaztian Kadestam at ONE Fight Night 36 in October.

His promotional record speaks volumes about sustained excellence. Fifteen victories across 11 years place him third behind only Christian Lee and Rodtang Jitmuangnon in organizational history. An 87 percent finishing rate proved he rarely left his fate in judges’ hands.

But numbers cannot capture what Aung La N Sang meant to Myanmar. His submission victory over Vitaly Bigdash in June 2017 crowned him as the country’s first-ever World Champion in any sport. That moment transformed Thuwunna Indoor Stadium into something sacred that night.

The win ignited a generation of dreamers across Myanmar who saw their own struggles reflected in his journey. From working as a migratory beekeeper after leaving home to becoming a six-time ONE World Champion, he embodied resilience that resonated far beyond combat sports.

Aung La N Sang became two-division ONE World Champion and earned permanent monument in Myanmar

Aung La N Sang’s 2018 campaign transcended his initial championship breakthrough. He captured the ONE Light Heavyweight MMA World Title by defeating Alexandre Machado in Yangon, joining the elite group of two-division ONE World Champions.

Few fighters seamlessly move between weight classes and dominate both. He accomplished this with grace and grit, unifying his nation each time his hand was raised before packed crowds who celebrated collective victories rather than individual achievements.

That same year brought recognition no athlete expects during their competitive prime. Myanmar erected a bronze statue in his hometown of Myitkyina depicting him in full fighting stance.

His promotional tenure produced countless memorable moments, none greater than his war against Ken Hasegawa at ONE: SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR in 2018. Both traded until he secured a dramatic fifth-round TKO.

The contest ranked number one in ONE’s “100 Greatest Fights” list published that year, widely hailed as one of the finest battles in promotional history. Fans still recall it as the night his legend became untouchable across Myanmar and beyond.