“It’s very cool” - Aung La N Sang soaks in the chance to fight Yushin Okami at ONE 163

Former two-division world champion Aung La N Sang is nothing short of a combat sports legend. At ONE 163 on November 19, ‘The Burmese Python’ will step into the circle with another legend in the Japanese superstar Yushin ‘Thunder’ Okami.

The two warriors have been tied together for some time, but the highly-anticipated showdown will finally happen as ONE returns to a familiar setting at The Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The event will also feature notable Japanese superstars including Hiroki Akimoto, Shinya Aoki, and 23-year-old prodigy Itsuki Hirata.

Speaking to The MMA Super Fan, Aung La N Sang shared his excitement about facing another Asian legend like Okami:

“It’s very cool, it’s like you getting to work with somebody you looked up to in the industry, you know? For me to be able to work with him, and when I say work it’s to fight him to compete against him. It’s very cool.”

With the two fighters currently riding a rough patch, their ONE 163 showdown will be an important one. Aung La is currently 1-3 in his last four while ‘Thunder’ is 1-2 inside the circle. Another loss for either fighter could prove disastrous, threatening their spot under the ONE Championship banner.

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Aung La N Sang recognizes his need to evolve as a mixed martial artist to stay relevant

Debuting for ONE Championship in 2014, Aung La N Sang proved to be one of the most successful and dominant fighters in the promotion’s history. The Myanmar native has been on a bit of a skid in recent years, losing back-to-back fights against undefeated Dutch star Reinier de Ridder and losing his two ONE world titles in the process.

Understanding the need to evolve, ‘The Burmese Python’ shared his desire to keep fighting and work towards becoming a better fighter in an interview with The South China Morning Post:

“Well, I need to get better. I need to be more well-rounded. And I need to be better in all aspects of mixed martial arts. That's the reason why I still compete. It's because I want to keep growing, and I want to keep evolving as a mixed martial artist.”

Aung La will have his first opportunity to show off his evolution against Yushin Okami on November 19 when the two square off as part of a stacked ONE 163 lineup.