Aung La N Sang gives his pick for the two best ONE fighters in 2022

When he observes excellence within the ONE Championship Circle, Aung La N Sang is not hesitant to acknowledge it. This year, two up-and-coming superstars really wowed him.

The earlier this month's main event of ONE on Prime Video 5 saw Anatoly Malykhin knock out Reinier de Ridder, and the former ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion was quite impressed.

“I expected it. I saw it going two ways. Either Anatoly knocks him out or Reinier tires him out. Anatoly has big power, and he was coming down from heavyweight, so he still had that heavyweight power,” Aung La said in an interview with ONE Championship.

He further broke down the fight between Malykhin and De Ridder.

“It really depended on whether Reinier was going to be able take him down and tire him out with his grappling. But they never got to the ground because of how well Anatoly kept his positioning. He put on a perfect performance. It was a great fight, something that the fans were entertained by, and something that I can learn from as well,” he added.

ALSO READ | Aung La N Sang ready to fight Anatoly Malykhin at Middleweight

Fabricio Andrade, a member of the Tiger Muay Thai squad with Anatoly Malykhin, was the other fighter to stand out for Aung La N Sang in 2022.

The 25-year-old Brazilian won two first-round knockouts to earn a shot at the ONE Bantamweight World Title. He was on the verge of winning the title against John Lineker at ONE on Prime Video 3 in October, but an untimely low blow led to a no-contest decision.

Despite the lacklustre conclusion to the World Title fight, "Wonder Boy," in Aung La N Sang's opinion, solidified his position as a powerhouse this past year.

“This year was the year for [Malykhin] and Fabricio Andrade, for sure. The next couple of years, they’re going to keep doing their thing. Both of them are fairly young. I think [Andrade] is one of those guys that you should look at long-term. He could probably fight for the next 10 years. He’s going to be a superstar. For a heavyweight, Anatoly is super young. He could fight for the next 10 years too. I’m excited for them,” Aung La said.

What do you think of the pick from Aung La N Sang? Let us know in the comments below.

When he observes excellence within the ONE Championship Circle, Aung La N Sang is not hesitant to acknowledge it. This year, two up-and-coming superstars really wowed him.

The earlier this month's main event of ONE on Prime Video 5 saw Anatoly Malykhin knock out Reinier de Ridder, and the former ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion was quite impressed.

“I expected it. I saw it going two ways. Either Anatoly knocks him out or Reinier tires him out. Anatoly has big power, and he was coming down from heavyweight, so he still had that heavyweight power,” Aung La said in an interview with ONE Championship.

He further broke down the fight between Malykhin and De Ridder.

“It really depended on whether Reinier was going to be able take him down and tire him out with his grappling. But they never got to the ground because of how well Anatoly kept his positioning. He put on a perfect performance. It was a great fight, something that the fans were entertained by, and something that I can learn from as well,” he added.

Fabricio Andrade, a member of the Tiger Muay Thai squad with Anatoly Malykhin, was the other fighter to stand out for Aung La N Sang in 2022.

The 25-year-old Brazilian won two first-round knockouts to earn a shot at the ONE Bantamweight World Title. He was on the verge of winning the title against John Lineker at ONE on Prime Video 3 in October, but an untimely low blow led to a no-contest decision.

Despite the lacklustre conclusion to the World Title fight, "Wonder Boy," in Aung La N Sang's opinion, solidified his position as a powerhouse this past year.

“This year was the year for [Malykhin] and Fabricio Andrade, for sure. The next couple of years, they’re going to keep doing their thing. Both of them are fairly young. I think [Andrade] is one of those guys that you should look at long-term. He could probably fight for the next 10 years. He’s going to be a superstar. For a heavyweight, Anatoly is super young. He could fight for the next 10 years too. I’m excited for them,” Aung La said.

ALSO READ | Aung La N Sang looking for another title shot with win over Fan Rong

What do you think of the pick from Aung La N Sang? Let us know in the comments below.

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