“I ran out of steam” - Anatoly Malykhin admits shortcomings after losing heavyweight MMA belt to ‘Reug Reug’ Oumar Kane
After running out of steam in his first heavyweight MMA world title defense, Anatoly Malykhin plans on training harder and returning even better.
Senegalese sensation 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane stunned fight fans at ONE 169 inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, scoring a split decision victory over the Russian juggernaut to claim the ONE heavyweight MMA world championship.
It was an unfortunate turn of events for Malykhin who lost not only one of his three titles but also his 'O.'
After suffering the first loss of his mixed martial arts career, 'Sladkiy' offered some insight into his lackluster performance, telling ONE Championship:
"My hands and arms felt too heavy. I ran out of steam. I tried to take him down, but it didn’t work out. My body just didn’t respond the way I wanted it to. He won, so I’ll take that as a signal to train harder."
Of course, Malykhin can take some solace in the fact that he's still a two-division world titleholder, carrying both the ONE middleweight and light heavyweight world MMA titles, but something tells us he'll be chomping at the bit to win back the 26 pounds of gold he lost in The Land of Smiles.
Anatoly Malykhin says 'Reug Reug' rematch could happen as early as March 2025
Though nothing has been officially announced, it sounds like a rematch between Anatoly Malykhin and 'Reug Reug' is a top priority for ONE Championship. On being asked about an immediate rematch going down in 2025, Malykhin said:
"Absolutely. I hope it happens soon. Matchmakers mentioned it might be in March, but the rematch isn't confirmed yet; it's still about 50/50."
If that bit of news proves to be true, we could see 'Reug Reug' vs. Malykhin 2 headline ONE Fight Night 29 on Friday, March 7, which is currently scheduled to emanate from Lumpinee Stadium.
Do you think an immediate rematch is a fight to make, or should Malykhin focus on defending one of his other belts first?
If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.