WATCH: Turkish mauler Shamil Erdogan ends Burmese legend Aung La N Sang’s night with brutal one-shot KO finish

Shamil Erdogan left no doubt at ONE 171 last Friday, Feb. 20, proving that if he could defeat Aung La N Sang once, he could do it again — and in even more devastating fashion.

The Turkish powerhouse ran it back with the former two-division ONE world champion in a 210-pound catchweight MMA contest at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar, delivering an emphatic statement in their rematch.

Watch the highlights of that matchup below:

Unlike their first meeting at ONE 168 in September 2024, where Erdogan notched the finish near the three-minute mark of the opening salvo, this time he needed less than 30 seconds to close the show.

A thunderous head kick sent shockwaves through the arena, shutting Aung La N Sang’s lights off in dramatic fashion.

Determined to avenge his previous defeat, Aung La N Sang came out aggressively, looking to impose his will.

However, the undefeated Turkish juggernaut remained composed, weathering the early storm before unleashing a perfectly timed left high kick. The strike knocked “The Burmese Python” out cold before he even hit the canvas.

With the victory, Erdogan extended his perfect record to 11-0 and earned a $50,000 performance bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.

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Shamil Erdogan inches closer to world title shot

As he prevailed over Aung La N Sang once again at ONE 171, Shamil Erdogan inserted himself into the conversation for a potential shot at the ONE middleweight MMA world championship, currently held by two-division titleholder Anatoly Malykhin.

Malykhin claimed the middleweight crown by dethroning Reinier de Ridder in a March 2024 rematch, making history as the first mixed martial artist to hold world titles in three different weight classes simultaneously.

However, his aura of invincibility took a hit when he lost the heavyweight belt to Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane seven months later.

Now focused on reclaiming what Kane took from him, Malykhin also has to contend with a growing list of challengers eyeing his middleweight and light heavyweight straps.

With Erdogan’s short work of Aung La N Sang in Qatar, the possibility of Malykhin competing at 205 pounds again seems more likely than ever.