“They welcomed me into the team” - Anatoly Malykhin joins Rodtang in Bangkok for a game of soccer
Anatoly Malykhin, ONE Championship's three-division king, has more than just fighting skills. He's proven to be a formidable player in soccer when joining fellow ONE world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon in the field.
'Sladkiy' pulled up his jersey for Fight Knights in a soccer match at Idol League, a local competition in Thailand that invites celebrities to raise money for charity.
While Rodtang is already a regular, Malykhin was visiting Bangkok for ONE 167 and got invited into the match.
He then jumped into the second half against Online Allstars and had a blast.
In his Instagram post, Malykhin gave his thoughts on the game:
“They welcomed me into the team and gave me the captain’s armband, which made me feel a sense of responsibility."
He added:
“I got incredibly cool impressions from it. They were kind, open, and cheerful people. I saw in them not just a football team, but a real family. Everyone helps each other, supports each other, and asks how things are going."
Who's next for Anatoly Malykhin?
Three division ONE world champion Anatoly Malykhin has repeatedly proven himself inside the cage, and has become one of the world's biggest MMA superstar.
He was last seen competing in March, when he defeated 'The Dutch Knight' Reinier de Ridder to capture the ONE middleweight MMA world title – the third golden strap in his name so far.
While there are many options for Malykhin to choose as a ruler of three divisions, the biggest possibilities for him is to defend his strap in heavyweight, where there are fearsome fighters like Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane, Iran's Amir Aliakbari, and former BJJ world champion Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida.
'Sladkiy' spoke to ONE recently, teasing his return:
"I just got back from Russia, where I ate very well. I had chebureks, blini - my favorite Russian cuisine. My weight is definitely closest to heavyweight."