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Nicolas Atkin

“The Burmese Python” will be back in the ONE Circle in February.
ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong has confirmed Aung La N Sang will return to action next month for a long-awaited trilogy against Russia’s Vitaly Bigdash.
Former middleweight and light heavyweight champion N Sang (27-12, 1 no contest) is seemingly set to feature on February 11’s ONE: Bad Blood card. The event will be headlined by bantamweight MMA champion Bibiano Fernandes’ title fight with fellow Brazilian John Lineker.
“He [N Sang] is going to be fighting, I believe next month,” Chatri told the Post on a media call after Friday’s ONE: Heavy Hitters event in Singapore.


“Yeah, it’s a trilogy fight with Bigdash. Vitaly’s had a string of injuries in the past couple of years, that’s what has sidelined him.
“He says he’s 100 per cent healthy and ready to take on Aung La. That’s another fight we’ve been trying to make for a while.”

Fernandes and Lineker’s fight was originally set to feature on ONE: X in December, but the promotion postponed its 10th anniversary show amid a surge in Covid-19 cases in Singapore.
The event has now been rescheduled for March 26, but the bantamweight title bout was moved to a different card – as was Thanh Le’s lightweight title defence against Garry Tonon, which will headline ONE: Lights Out on March 11, also at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
“It’s just one of these things about timing,” Chatri said. “Garry and Thanh Le were supposed to fight a few times already. They both had injuries. That fight has been postponed, then Covid hit, then we scheduled it again, then Garry got hurt.
ONE Championship will no longer conduct fight reviews
“Just one thing after another. We just said let’s get this fight on and they both agreed and knock on wood this fight happens. They’ve both been waiting for each other. Let’s just get the show on the road.”
“Bibi was in contact negotiations with us,” Chatri added. “We finally concluded that and he wanted to fight ASAP. So did Lineker. There’s real bad blood there, they wanted to fight in the streets of Brazil. It’s very personal.”
ONE also announced a middleweight title fight between champion Reinier de Ridder and welterweight king Kiamrian Abbasov. The bout will main event February 25’s ONE: Full Circle event.

The undefeated “Dutch Knight” De Ridder (14-0) has not fought since taking a second belt from N Sang – the light heavyweight championship – last April in a unanimous decision.
“You’d be surprised, a lot of people are turning down Reinier,” Chatri said. “They don’t want to fight Reinier. So it’s been a little bit hard for us to find him an opponent.
“But literally every day, week and month we are always constantly on the lookout for the best athletes in every weight division. So Reinier will have his hands full. But Kiamrian wanted to challenge him, so that could be a fun fight.”


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ONE Championship: Superbon insists his longevity, success are rooted in discipline over sacrifice

ONE Championship: Mohammad Siasarani finally gets coveted contract – now he wants the belt

ONE Championship: Liu Mengyang believes win over Tawanchai is ‘turning point of my career’

ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Aung La N Sang returns in February for Vitaly Bigdash trilogy

Aung La N Sang looks on ahead of his fight with Leandro Ataides at ONE: Battleground. Photos: ONE Championship

Aung La Nsang celebrates after claiming the ONE middleweight title from Vitaly Bigdash in Yangon, Myanmar.

Reinier De Ridder celebrates with his two titles at ONE on TNT 4. 

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong says Arjan Bhullar’s manager ‘combative and arrogant’ in negotiations

Arjan Bhullar celebrates with the ONE heavyweight title. Photo: Dux Carvajal/ONE Championship

Arjan Bhullar’s arm is raised after with win vs Brandon Vera. Photo: David Ash/ONE Championship

ONE Championship will no longer conduct fight reviews, with competition committee disbanded, as Supergirl and Ekaterina Vandaryeva agree immediate rematch

Supergirl’s arm is raised after winning a controversial split decision against Ekaterina Vandaryeva (right) at ONE: Heavy Hitters. Photos: David Ash/ONE Championship

Ekaterina Vandaryeva punches Supergirl at ONE: Heavy Hitters. 

Ekaterina Vandaryeva (right) congratulates Supergirl.

Khabib Nurmagomedov felt ‘completely terrible’ before Covid-19 positive, ONE Championship boss Chatri Sityodtong reveals

Khabib Nurmagomedov poses before his fight with Justin Gaethje. Photo: REUTERS/Christopher Pike

Khabib Nurmagomedov protégé Saygid Izagakhmaev prepares to fight James Nakashima at ONE: Heavy Hitters. Photo: ONE Championship

Khabib Nurmagomedov protégé Saygid Izagakhmaev celebrates a submission win over James Nakashima at ONE: Heavy Hitters. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Chatri Sityodtong questions Xiong Jingnan’s ‘lack of killer instinct’ in win over Ayaka Miura

Xiong Jingnan kicks Ayaka Miura. Photo: Ryan Peters/ONE Championship

Xiong Jingnan’s arm is raised after her victory over Ayaka Miura. Photo: David Ash/ONE Championship

Xiong Jingnan celebrates her win over Ayaka Miura

Xiong Jingnan throws a punch at Ayaka Miura. Photo: David Ash/ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Giannis Stoforidis stuns commentators with ‘highlight reel’ double knockdown KO in Singapore

Russia’s Beybulat Isaev suffers a knockout loss to Greece’s Giannis Stoforidis at ONE: Heavy Hitters. Photo: ONE Championship

Greek kick-boxer Giannis Stoforidis celebrates a knockout win over Russia’s Beybulat Isaev at ONE: Heavy Hitters in Singapore. Photo: ONE Championship

Sport

Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts


Chatri Sityodtong confirms ‘The Burmese Python’ will be back in the ONE Circle next month – ‘that’s another fight we’ve been trying to make for a while’
CEO provides update on several big title fights, and reveals ‘a lot of people are turning down’ chance to fight two-weight champ Reinier de Ridder



Chatri Sityodtong confirms ‘The Burmese Python’ Aung La N Sang will be back in ONE Championship action next month, and provides update on several big title fights.


Aung La N Sang