“It was his day” - Anatoly Malykhin commends new champ ‘Reug Reug’ for a job well done in his upset victory at ONE 169
Anatoly Malykhin showcased his sportsmanship by giving 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane credit for defeating him.
Heading into ONE 169, Malykhin was an undefeated three-division MMA world champion who seemed nearly unbeatable. The Russian powerhouse was expected to continue his reign of terror in the November 8 main event against the upset-minded 'Reug Reug,' who was confident he'd emerge victorious.
'Reug Reug' proved his prediction was right by securing a split decision win against Malykhin. The Senegalese heavyweight extended his promotional MMA record to 6-1 and left the event as the new world champion.
During an interview with ONE, Malykhin reflected on his ONE 169 loss and complimented 'Reug Reug' for his performance:
"Sometimes it’s hard to explain, but my body just wasn’t right that morning. It was his day. He’s a strong guy, and he did his job well."
'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane's winning streak was extended to four at ONE 169. Considering the result was a split decision, ONE Championship could book an immediate rematch between the Senegalese heavyweight and Anatoly Malykhin or give another top contender a massive opportunity.
The ONE 169 replay, including Kane's title-winning performance against Malykhin, can be seen for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Anatoly Malykhin leaves ONE 169 with two MMA world titles
In March, Anatoly Malykhin made history by becoming the first three-division MMA world champion (middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight). Therefore, the 36-year-old has plenty of potential matchups moving forward, even if the promotion doesn't offer him an immediate rematch against 'Reug Reug.'
Malykhin already has a contender waiting at middleweight. On September 6, Shamil Erdogan extended his promotional record to 2-0 with a second-round finish against former two-division champion Aung La N Sang. Erdogan's dominant performance proved he's ready for a ONE world title opportunity.
Assuming Erdogan stays at middleweight, the light heavyweight MMA division is somewhat lacking top contenders. One potential title challenger would be Aung La, who has the power and experience to test Malykhin.
Firstly, Malykhin must decide what division intrigues him the most, as re-capturing the three-division world champion status could be his priority.