ONE Championship 48's Aung La N Sang wants to win title 'for the people of Myanmar'

He no longer lives in the country, but Aung La N Sang is embracing his opportunity for superstar status in Myanmar ahead of Friday’s ONE Championship 48 bout against Michal Pasternak at Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium in the city of Yangon.

“Myanmar is my mother,” Sang told MMAjunkie through an interpreter. “It’s the country that made me who I am today. I will try my best to be a positive role model to everyone. There is no greater feeling than performing for all of my people here at home. I am truly honored for this opportunity, and I will do my best inside the cage on fight night.”

ONE Championship 48 streams via online pay-per-view in North America, with Sang (18-9) taking on Pasternak (11-1) in the middleweight co-headliner. After growing up in Myanmar, Sang relocated to the U.S. six years ago. He now lives and trains out of Crazy 88 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy in Baltimore.

Despite the move, Aung, 31, said he’s never forgotten his heritage. That’s why he’s so honored by the opportunity to compete in front of a partisan crowd under the ONE Championship banner.

“This is where my heart lives and has stayed, even though I was miles away in the United States,” Sang said. “I will always be home in Myanmar. They have embraced me just as I have embraced my roots. Myanmar will always be home to me. The time I spent growing up here is what makes me the man I am today. And for that I’ll always be grateful.”

“If I can inspire at least one person, one child, to know that anything is possible in this world, then I have done my job as a martial artist,” he continued. “Martial arts isn’t just about fighting; it’s about giving back to the world that has given you life. I’m doing this for my people, and when I fight for my people, nothing is ever difficult.”

Although Sang said his career has greater meaning than just punching, kicking or choking another man, that doesn’t mean he isn’t focused on the task at hand. Pasternak presents a difficult challenge, and the Polish fighter has won 11 of his 12 career bouts. Moreover, Pasternak is coming off his first career loss, which means he will be motivated to have his hand raised.

With all that said, though, Sang said he’s not the type to pay attention to what his opponent brings to the table and instead focuses on himself.

“Michal Pasternak is a good, solid fighter,” Sang said. “He’s tall and long, and uses range quite well. But I’m not worried about what he brings to the table. I’m only concerned with what I bring to the cage on fight night. I need to be in the best shape that I can possibly be, and that’s really where my success lies. Being the hardest working person in the cage is tantamount to victory.”

If Sang can get past Pasternak, he’ll be 4-0 since joining the ONE Championship roster in June 2014 and on his way to building an argument for bout with 185-pound titleholder Vitaly Bigdash (8-0). Sang said it’s a dream scenario, especially if he could defend it in Myanmar. Those are long-term goals, though, and short-term, he said it’s all about beating Pasternak.

“I think I’m one or two great performances away from challenging for a title,” Sang said. “I definitely want that belt. So whoever is in my way should watch out because I play to win. I’ll do what it takes to get a shot at that title, and when I finally get it, it will be an honor to win the belt for the people of Myanmar.

“Right now, however, I’m not even thinking about this,” he continued. “I have a beast in Pasternak in front of me that I have to take care of first and I’m not taking him lightly. This is MMA, and anything can happen in that cage. The last thing I need is a mental distraction. Whether or not a title shot comes after this, we’ll see. But right now, all my focus is on Pasternak.”

For more on ONE Championship 48, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.