“They are all the same to me” - Vitaly Bigdash says Aung La N Sang is just like “any other guy”

Vitaly Bigdash knows his next opponent quite well. After all, they have shared almost an hour together in the cage across 10 grueling rounds.

When Bigdash faces Aung La N Sang this Friday at ONE: Full Circle, he will look to execute his game plan and take home the victory. He claims he doesn't think about Aung La’s superstar status, or the fact that the Burmese star is a former two-division ONE world champion.

In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Bigdash claimed that Aung La is just like any other opponent he’s faced. He said:

“It won’t be more uncomfortable to fight Aung La N Sang than to challenge any other guy. They are all the same to me, I don’t give a special treatment to anyone. I treat all my opponents as steps in my career. I know that my job is just getting ready and showing up with a winner's attitude, then doing my best.”

Vitaly Bigdash and Aung La N Sang first squared off in January of 2017, with Bigdash winning a unanimous decision to retain his world title. Aung La returned the favor months later, capturing the coveted middleweight belt in the process.

However, Bigdash feels Aung La’s victory over him years ago is questionable. He believes that ‘The Burmese Python’ benefitted from the hometown advantage which ultimately swayed the judges’ decision. He added:

“I think that sometimes it's just extra hard to win on someone else's turf. That's all I can say. To be a winner, I will have to compellingly dominate during all the rounds and ideally win before the final whistle. I‘ve been thinking about it a lot during my fight camp this time. The first fight, [I won] quite confidently. As for the second fight, many MMA fans think [I won], they often leave comments in my support every time our fights surface online.”

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Vitaly Bigdash sees holes in Aung La N Sang’s game

Nearly five years removed from their last meeting, Vitaly Bigdash and Aung La N Sang have a chance to settle their rivalry for good in an all-important rubber match. Bigdash says he’s ready, both physically and mentally, to meet Aung La in the Circle once again.

He told ONE Championship:

“I know him better now and I've been training especially for him. But he also knows me well by now, there we are even. However, I have a clear advantage - my strong character and mental strength. All fighters have their weaknesses. I'm not going to tell you what holes in his game I’ve noticed. I will try and work according to my game plan, so I can fight in a manner that is comfortable for me, in a manner that will allow me to finish him in a spectacular fashion.”

As such, the 37-year-old Russian is confident he will emerge victorious over his longtime rival, and thus move on to bigger and better things. He added:

“I will not lose control, I will stay calm. I’ve been waiting for a long time to meet him again. But I am not nervous. I sleep well. My willpower and self-discipline has always helped me both in sports and life.”