The Sky-High Stakes For The Stars Of ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS

ONE Championship returns to Myanmar on Friday, 26 October, and the intensity of the action inside the cage will be matched only by the support of the famously passionate fans.

When ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS takes places at Yangon’s Thuwunna Indoor Stadium, local favorites will guarantee a rapturous applause from the crowd, as a national hero tops the bill for a World Title defense and an undefeated Myanmar superstar aims to maintain his perfect record. 

They will be joined by world-class martial artists from around the globe who are also intent on winning the fans over with exciting performances and achieving glory for themselves. The action will be thrilling, and the stakes are sky-high.

Here is what is up for grabs for the heroes in Yangon on Friday night.

#1 The ONE Middleweight World Title

The night’s main event will feature Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang (23-10, 1 NC), the two-division ONE World Champion who has inspired his nation through his courageous performances in The Home Of Martial Arts.

He will meet undefeated Lebanese challenger Mohammad “O Lutador” Karaki (9-0), a multiple-division champion in his own right, who holds titles at middleweight and light heavyweight in the Middle East.

In his second ONE Middleweight World Title defense, the Myanmar sports icon will face a man with an 89 percent finishing rate and the confidence gained from an unblemished professional career. However, this is a huge step up for “O Lutador” in his ONE debut.

What Karaki lacks in experience compared to his rival, he will hope to make up for in momentum. However, Aung La N Sang‘s recent run is no joke, as he boasts an 8-1 promotional record and a four-bout winning streak against some top competitors.

Only one man can emerge with their hand raised – and the belt. They have five rounds to decide those matters at ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS.

#2 Staying Undefeated & On Track For Gold

In combat sports, the unbeaten tag brings a lot of prestige. Some athletes thrive on the confidence it gives them, but it can also bring a lot of pressure.

Karaki (9-0), Movlid “Killer” Khaibulaev (13-0), and Phoe “Bushido” Thaw (6-0) have all amassed impressive clean slates to date, but they will put them on the line against elite opposition in Yangon.

Khaibulaev faces BJJ specialist Rafael “Indio” Nunes (11-2), and Phoe Thaw gets battle-hardened Malaysian sensation Keanu Subba (6-3). Both matches will be contested in the featherweight division.

If any of these men can rise to the occasion and leave the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium without having tasted defeat yet again, huge opportunities could be in their futures. More world-class opponents, and possibly a World Title shot, could come into view after Friday’s blockbuster event.

#3 A Top ONE Super Series Light Heavyweight

Ibrahim “Mr. Cool” El Bouni (37-6-1) and Tarik Khbabez (43-5-1) will square off in a light heavyweight ONE Super Series kickboxing battle that could shape the World Title picture in a division that has yet to establish a champion.

The Dutch-Moroccan strikers both added knockout wins to their resumes in their ONE debuts over Andre “The Giant” Meunier and Alain “The Panther” Ngalani, respectively, and now they have the chance to solidify their status at the top of their weight class.

With 60 knockouts between them in 80 combined victories, the statistics favor a finish, but both men have ambitions of ONE gold fueling them, and that will help them to meet their rival head on and go for the knockout.

This has all the makings of an epic encounter, and with so much at stake, El Bouni and Khbabez will both bring their best to Yangon. Given their reputation as heavy hitters, that guarantees explosive action.