‘I’m A Fan-Friendly Fighter’ – Aung La N Sang Aims To Knock Out Gilberto Galvao Despite Move Up In Weight
Aung La N Sang has had a change of opponent for his next outing on Friday, January 13, but his mission remains the same.
The former two-division ONE World Champion wants to add another win – and another finish – to his resume when he faces off against Brazilian veteran Gilberto Galvao at ONE Fight Night 6: Superbon vs. Allazov on Prime Video.
Aung La N Sang was originally set to face Fan Rong in a middleweight MMA bout on this card, but his matchup with Galvao will now come at a higher catchweight of 215 pounds.
While it will slightly change the dynamic of the fight, “The Burmese Python” once ruled the light heavyweight division (225 pounds) and was willing to accommodate his new foe.
He explained:
“They said that Gilberto can’t make the middleweight weight class and could we do a catchweight. We’re going to do a catchweight at 215, which is fine. I’m about 215, I’m not going to be super undersized.
“Everybody is around that weight class and that’s why they have that hydration test. We’re not too far off, and after the fight, they weigh you back again to make sure you’re not too heavy. So yeah, it’s good.
“This weight class is 10 pounds over my natural weight class, but I’ve fought at light heavyweight too, so it’s going to be alright.”
Of course, Galvao is a hulk of a man who brings a lot of tools to the Circle, but Aung La N Sang is not fazed by the Brazilian’s offense.
He’s already taken on the best of the best at middleweight and light heavyweight, from grapplers to strikers.
So, while the 37-year-old respects his opponent’s skill set, he is confident he can use his striking to bring the bout to an early conclusion.
The Myanmar icon said:
“[Galvao is] going to be physically strong. He’s a jiu-jitsu black belt. He’s down to throw power and looping shots as well. I feel like I’m a little bit better than him in the striking department, a little bit cleaner. I think on the ground, I’ll do okay against him. But I think my conditioning is better than his.
“If you watch any of my fights, I’m always looking for the finish. I want to get the finish and I’m going to work hard to get the finish.”
Aung La N Sang: ‘U.S. Fans Are In For A Treat’
After the heartache of losing the ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Titles, Aung La N Sang promised to get back to work and improve himself in every area of mixed martial arts.
Now on the winning track following his finish of Yushin Okami last time out, “The Burmese Python” wants to use his first bout of 2023 to show his supporters that he’s still on an upward trajectory.
He said:
“Evolution is what I hope the fans see. An evolution to my game, that I can do everything, that I can do it at a high level, and that I’m a fan-friendly fighter – meaning that it’s a fight that fans will get to enjoy.
“Fans don’t want to see fights [won] by points, they want to see finishes and they want to see great skills, and that’s what I feel like I’m gonna bring to the table in this fight.”
Beyond his upcoming matchup with Galvao, Aung La N Sang is excited for ONE Championship to make its on-ground North American debut with ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on May 5 in Colorado.
And in the meantime, he can’t wait to entertain those American fans with another intriguing card live in U.S. primetime on January 13.
It’s another opportunity to show viewers in the United States what ONE Championship is all about, with four different sports on display and a unique global rule set that encourages action.
Aung La N Sang added:
“ONE Championship is exciting because it forces fighters to work for the finish. We have yellow cards, no other promotion has yellow cards, and our fights aren’t scored by 10-9 rounds, it’s scored by the entirety of the fight. It makes it more interesting for sure. And the [Muay] Thai guys, they’re aggressive guys, they always look for finishes.
“The U.S. fans are in for a treat. The whole card, I don’t see any boring fights at all. It’s going to be a great show for sure.”
