“I have no weak points” - Triple-champ Anatoly Malykhin says he’s practically unstoppable in MMA
Though Anatoly Malykhin is best known for getting the job done with his fists, the three-division ONE world champion is more than confident in his ability to hold his own on the ground.
'Sladkiy' has had a legendary run in ONE Championship, starting with an interim heavyweight MMA world title victory over Kirill Grishenko in February 2022. Nine months later, he claimed his second world title, defeating Reinier de Ridder via a first-round TKO to capture the light heavyweight MMA world title.
He followed that up with a win over former heavyweight MMA king Arjan Bhullar to turn his interim belt into undisputed gold at ONE Friday Fights 22 last summer.
On March 1, he returned to the Circle at ONE 166: Qatar for a main event rematch with de Ridder, this time taking the Dutchman's middleweight MMA crown to become the first-ever simultaneous three-division champion.
Speaking with Morning Kombat, Anatoly Malykhin offered some background info on his accomplishments before signing with ONE and suggested that there are no weaknesses in his game.
"I have been a member of the Russian national team for many years, and we all know how strong the wrestling school is in Russia," Malykhin said. "I was the European grappling champion so I think I have no weak points."
Anatoly Malykhon's impeccable MMA record and potential next opponent
It's certainly hard to argue with Anatoly Malykhin's self-assessment when you consider that the Russian juggernaut is 14-0 in his mixed martial career and maintains a 100% finish rate. That includes 11 victories by way of knockout and three via submission.
All six of his wins in ONE Championship have come via KO, including a highlight-reel finish against a man who could very well be his next challenger for the ONE heavyweight MMA world title, Amir Aliakbari.
The Iranian powerhouse defeated former world champion Arjan Bhullar at ONE 166, landing his third win in a row and establishing himself as one of the division's most formidable foes.
If you missed any of the action or want to relive an epic night in ONE Championship history, the ONE 166: Qatar replay can be watched on demand via Amazon Prime Video in North America.