Aung La N Sang on Middleweight focus and ONE on TNT IV bout
ONE on TNT IV took place on Wednesday, April 28th. The ONE Championship event emanated from Singapore Indoor Stadium. I spoke with Aung La N Sang after he dropped his light heavyweight world championship in the ONE on TNT IV Post-Fight Presser.
The pride of Myanmar fielded questions regarding the moment he realized middleweight would become his primary focus and the length of Reinier de Ridder presenting issues.
A theme I’ve heard throughout the scrum here is that middleweight seems to be the main priority for your last few bouts this calendar year here.
How long has maintaining a path in one division been on your mind? How long have you been mulling over this?
“Since, I would say since 2019. When I fought Brandon (Vera). It’s hard, man. The training camp is just a hard training camp. And at middleweight, it’s easier. It suits my body a lot better. I didn’t have to eat as much. I didn’t have to force-feed myself to make that light heavyweight weight class. Naturally, my frame is not a light heavyweight frame. Honestly, I could fight anyone. I’m down to compete against anybody. But to be the best version of myself, I think middleweight should be the home.”
Aung La N Sang
You were talking about how the submissions weren’t necessarily super tight. I’m curious was it more of a position over submission, functional strength kind of a thing he brought to the table?
“Yeah, his length is always an issue. I’ve always had issues with longer guys that want to grapple more than strike. Because long guys that want to strike, I close the distance. In striking range against a long guy, I close the distance. But this is a long guy that wants to grapple. So it’s stylistically a harder matchup for me.”
