ONE Championship boss Chatri Sityodtong revealed Aung La N Sang performed a dramatic U-turn on retirement after his 28-second KO loss in Qatar, with the Myanmar MMA legend now eyeing “one last dance”.
After Bibiano Fernandes and Martin Nguyen had earlier both laid down their gloves in the Circle at ONE 171, it looked as if there may have been a third legend joining them.
Former middleweight and light heavyweight MMA champion N Sang had begun to take off his gloves immediately after being knocked out in the first round by Shamil Erdogan at Lusail Sports Arena.
But “The Burmese Python” then walked out of the cage without putting his gloves on the canvas, declining an interview with commentator Mitch Chilson too.
It left the commentator – and the fans – confused, but ONE’s chairman and CEO confirmed N Sang simply changed his mind on calling it quits.
“From my understanding, with the ringside doctor, when Aung La got knocked out, he woke up and said ‘I’m retiring, I’m done’,” Chatri said at the post-event press conference when asked for clarification on the situation by the Bangkok Post.
“Then, about a minute later when he fully came to, he said ‘No, no, no – I’m not’, So he didn’t put his gloves down in the Circle.
“So that’s why there was a little bit of confusion at that point. I don’t really know, but I’ll have to talk to Aung La as well.”
The 39-year-old N Sang, who failed to pass hydration for the middleweight bout, has largely remained silent after suffering back-to-back losses to Turkey’s Erdogan.
But while his manager admitted “the journey is reaching its end”, he also insisted there will be “one last dance” for the former middleweight and light heavyweight king.
“Humble in victory, gracious in defeat,” Phone Kyaw Moe Myint said in a social post. “There are no excuses for this loss we faced, but there are many positive lessons to be taken away.
“Our opponent was young, tough and I reckon he is on the way to be the next champion very soon, while at the same time, we are not getting any younger. The game has changed and the next generation of fighters are reaching new levels that none have seen before.
“I watched Aung La go through his toughest weight cut, enduring pain and suffering that no human body should withstand, let alone survive.
“His determination to make weight and hydration truly was inspirational as 99 percent of humans would have simply given up and walked away but not him. Giving up is simply not in his vocabulary and he fought against all the odds.
“I have never met anyone that represents the pure spirit of a warrior, a lion, a legend and I am so damn proud of my brother. Our days are numbered but we’ve still got one last dance.”
