Aung La N Sang gearing up for tricky test against undefeated Shamil Erdogan: “One of the better fighters”

Former two-division MMA world champion Aung La N Sang knows he's in for a tough test against Shamil Erdogan.

16 months removed from his second-round submission victory over Fan Rong at ONE Fight Night 10, 'The Burmese Python' returns to The Mile High City on Friday, September 6, for a high-stakes scrap with undefeated Turkish standout at ONE 168: Denver.

'The Burmese Python' may not see Erdogan as the best fighter he's ever faced, but that doesn't mean he isn't taking the challenge seriously.

"He's probably one of the better fighters I've fought in a while," Aung La N Sang told the South China Morning Post. "Definitely not the best fighter I've fought. It's going to be good."

The Burmese superstar goes into ONE 168: Denver sitting on a three-fight win streak — an especially impressive feat for the 39-year-old considering before that, he had lost three out of four, including back-to-back title fights against Reinier de Ridder.

If the Kill Cliff FC athlete can bag another big win in The Centennial State, he could very well be the next man in line for a shot at the middleweight MMA crown.

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Shamil Erdogan sees Aung La N Sang as a stepping stool to ONE Championship gold

Like his opponent, Shamil Erdogan has his sights set on claiming 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold, and he believes a win over the former two-division titleholder will be his ticket to earning that opportunity.

"Aung La N Sang is one of the best," Erdogan told ONE. "He has a legacy. He was a two-weight champion in his time. My hope is a win over him will open the door for me to a championship belt."

Thus far, Erdogan is a perfect 9-0 in his mixed martial arts career, including a second-round submission victory over the aforementioned Fan Rong in his promotional debut at ONE Friday Fights 22 last year.

Will Erdogan keep his 'O' intact and take another step toward a shot at the middleweight crown, or will Aung La N Sang's career resurgence continue with a fourth-straight win?

Follow this link for tickets for ONE 168: Denver on September 6 at Ball Arena.