ONE Championship hosts open workouts for athletes at ONE: Hero’s Dream in Yangon
ONE Championship (ONE), recently held an open workout for athletes competing at ONE: HERO’S DREAM. Held at the Myanmar Plaza on 31 October, the ONE: HERO’S DREAM Open Workout featured main event competitors, reigning ONE Middleweight World Champion “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang and Muay Thai heavyweight champion Alain “The Panther” Ngalani. Also in attendance were local martial arts stars Phoe Thaw and Saw Ba Oo who will be competing on the supporting card.
ONE: HERO’S DREAM is set for 3 November at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.
Ticket information for ONE: HERO’S DREAM is available at www.onefc.com.
Aung La N Sang, ONE Middleweight World Champion, stated: “I understand the challenge that I’m taking on, so I am preparing the hardest I ever have for any match in my entire career. Taking on this massive warrior, Alain Ngalani, will be my toughest test, and I vow to bring honor and glory to Myanmar. I have spent an incredible amount of time in the gym, working on all areas of my game, so expect to see the best version of The Burmese Python in the ONE Championship cage.”
Alain Ngalani, ONE Athlete, stated: “Being able to help people is something that I love to do. I always want to do something positive for the community. This bout against Aung La will draw a lot of attention, and I hope to use this stage to highlight the beauty of martial arts and inspire everyone to practice it. I respect the champion and I think he is an honorable individual. This is about martial arts at the highest level of skill and I can’t wait to showcase our amazing talents.”
Phoe Thaw, ONE Athlete, stated: “It is an honor for me to represent my country. I love my home and will do my best to make my people proud. Since I joined ONE Championship, I have learned so much that has helped me throughout my career. I feel that I am ready to take the next step. My opponent is not easy, and it is going to be tough to face my fellow countryman, but I am prepared to do what it takes to win.”
Saw Ba Oo, ONE Athlete, stated: “Martial arts in Myanmar has really taken off and I am proud to be a part of the explosion. I have progressed a lot so far in my young career. The possibilities are endless for me and I will continue to work hard to make my family and my fans proud. This is an awesome opportunity to showcase my skills, so I will not take my opponent lightly.”
32-year-old Aung La N Sang is Myanmar’s most successful athlete in history, whose constricting style has earned him the moniker of ”The Burmese Python”. Born in Myitkyina in the mountainous Kachin State, he belongs to an ethnic minority known as the Kachin. In his most recent outing, Aung La N Sang stunned former champion Vitaly Bigdash of Russia in a highly-anticipated rematch to be crowned the new ONE Middleweight World Champion. Aung La N Sang is set to square off in his toughest challenge yet, against heavyweight behemoth Alain Ngalani.
Heavyweight knockout artist Alain “The Panther” Ngalani, who trains out of Impakt MMA in Hong Kong but is originally from Cameroon, is a terrifying combination of power and speed, and is always looking to end matches early. Owning a 25-7-1, 2 NC kickboxing record which includes 23 knockouts, Ngalani is a heavyweight world champion in Muay Thai and kickboxing. Fresh off his record-setting 11-second KO of former ONE Heavyweight World Title Challenger Hideki Sekine, “The Panther” is set to figure in ONE Championship’s first-ever ‘David vs Goliath’ super bout, as he takes on ONE Middleweight World Champion Aung La N Sang in an open weight contest.
An unbeaten 32-year-old martial artist from Yangon, Phoe Thaw (4-0) is set to return to action following a tremendous accomplishment at ONE: STATE OF WARRIORS where he won the ONE Myanmar Featherweight Tournament Championship. Prior to transitioning to the cage, Thaw was a successful Lethwei practitioner with a record of 3-0-2. So far in his career, Thaw has showcased a penchant for scoring highlight-reel stoppages, winning all four of his bouts by knockout. One of the fastest rising stars in Myanmar, Thaw is now set to face countryman Saw Ba Oo.
Saw Ba Oo is a martial artist hailing from Yangon, Myanmar, and is a promising young talent in ONE Championship’s featherweight division. He made a successful ONE debut in 2015, and has since gone 2-1 in his career. Prior to transitioning to the cage, Saw was a Lethwei star with a 16-4-18 record. In his most recent bout, Saw scored a second-round technical knockout victory over Kyal Sin Phyo. Next up, Saw will take on rising star Phoe Thaw.
