Middleweight champion Aung La Nsang was handed an unconventional assignment at ONE: Hero’s Dream in Yangon on Friday. He was up against Alain Ngalani, an opponent who normally tips the scales at around 230 pounds, although neither man was required to actually weigh in.
It was the promotion’s first ever open weight contest and things got off to a bad start for La Nsang. After using an overhand right to set up a takedown, he found himself underneath Ngalani and was repeatedly frustrated in his attempts to establish butterfly guard or sweep the Cameroonian.
The hometown hero eventually used the cage to work his way up and immediately attempted to sink in a standing guillotine choke. It looked tight, but when La Nsang pulled guard and dropped to the floor in an attempt to complete it Ngalani immediately popped his head out.
La Nsang immediately transitioned to an armbar, but Ngalani escaped again. The two men eventually worked their way back to standing and the Burmese attempted another guillotine choke on an opponent who seemed to be rapidly approaching the point of exhaustion.
This time the choke was deep and, when La Nsang pulled guard and dragged his opponent to the floor, Ngalani tapped immediately. The win takes the middleweight champion to 21-10-0-1, while his opponent drops to 3-4-0-1 after losing this non-title fight.
Afterward, La Nsang had a message of peace for the sold out crowd at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium, telling them that,