Aung La N Sang to rematch the last man who beat him at ONE 171: Qatar

Former two-weight ONE World Champion Aung La N Sang will be looking for some redemption at ONE 171: Qatar.  

“The Burmese Python” meets unbeaten Turk Shamil Erdogan in a middleweight MMA rematch on Thursday, February 20, inside Qatar’s Lusail Sports Arena. The stakes will be higher than ever as the victor would take a drastic step closer to challenging for divisional gold.

The pair met last September at ONE 168: Denver, where Erdogan scored a second-round TKO over the Myanmar great.  

However, with a rematch scheduled in a few weeks’ time, Aung La N Sang is hellbent on avenging his prior defeat. In fact, he’s focused on making every moment count in 2025.  

And should he bring Erdogan’s momentum to a halt, he might just get another crack at two-weight ONE World Champion Anatoly Malykhin’s middleweight throne. 

“As I step into my 20th year as an MMA fighter, I feel more excited and hungry than ever to see what this next chapter holds,” he said on Instagram. 

Why Aung La N Sang must win at ONE 171

Former two-weight ONE World Champion Aung La N Sang once sat at the top of the mountain. But as time passed, it wasn’t the kindest of rides for him. 

After parting ways with the middleweight and light heavyweight crowns, he seemed to be rejuvenated. He amassed a three-fight winning streak against Yushin Okami, Gilbert Galvao, and Fan Rong.  

But when faced with the new generation in the form of Shamil Erdogan, “The Burmese Python” stumbled and fell short to the wrath of the Turkish tussler.  

So, if he wants to challenge for the gold, he must surpass Erdogan in this fateful rematch next month.