“He is a puzzle that I have to solve” - Aung La Nsang on fighting Reinier de Ridder again

Aung La Nsang is determined to take on former foe Reinier de Ridder again and recapture his world titles. However, the 36-year-old knows that in order to reclaim his lost glory, he will have to figure out a way to beat the reigning ONE Championship middleweight and light heavyweight champ-champ.

The former two-division world champion lost both, the 205 lbs and the 225 lbs belts to de Ridder in back-to-back fights just months apart. It was one of the quickest falls from grace ever from a ONE world champion.

However, one thing that has not wavered is Aung La Nsang’s confidence. 'The Burmese Python' is adamant he can and will take back his throne and defeat de Ridder once and for all.

Aung La Nsang spoke to the South China Morning Post in a recent interview and had some interesting things to say.

“In ONE Championship history, I’m one of the most dominant champions. I would like for them to give me a rematch. There are two mindsets when you’re defending, your mindset’s something, and when you’re conquering, when you’re attacking it’s a different mindset. My mindset is to get my belt back, to attack, and if I were to be matched up with Reinier again, it would be a different fight for sure.”

“Just grapple him. Grapple him and use my hands. I mean, of course, I predict myself winning by knockout but I’m ready for anything and I’m coming after something that I believe that I’m going to get. So it’s going to be a different style of fight.”

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Is there bad blood between Aung La Nsang and Reinier de Ridder?

The two athletes have jockeyed back-and-forth previously, taking slight jabs at each other through the media, but Aung La Nsang says it’s nothing personal between them.

Aung La Nsang maintains that he harbors no ill-feelings toward ‘The Dutch Knight’ and is just focused on becoming a better martial artist. However, Aung La Nsang can’t say the same for de Ridder.

“I don’t [have bad blood], he might. I don’t, my fans might have bad blood but I don’t. I just see it like a puzzle that I have to solve, like somebody that’s going to make me a better person, a better mixed martial artist. I don’t care what people say, I don’t care. It doesn’t really bother me and I got to be level-headed and I got to be a good person foremost. There’s no bad blood.”

Aung La Nsang was last seen in the ONE Championship cage in July, when he stopped highly-regarded Leandro Ataides via first-round knockout.

He’s currently lobbying for a match with UFC veteran Yushin ‘Thunder’ Okami next, and says that it’s in line with the kind of fights he wants, particularly in 2022.

“Just putting on exciting matchups but the belt is my goal but I don’t care if I have to fight for the belt next. I don’t care if it’s two or three fights from now. I just want to prove myself and continue to grow as a mixed martial artist and be a good athlete that fans want to watch. You know, at least three or four competitions next year. To put on the best performance that I can, to train well, and to get my grappling and wrestling a lot better. To just grow as a mixed martial artist, the competition is against myself, and be the best version of myself this coming year.”