Anatoly Malykhin, the two-division MMA world champion from Russia, has set his sights on a remarkable goal for 2026 – to reclaim his unprecedented three-division champion status. However, in order to achieve this, he must first avenge the only defeat of his illustrious MMA career at the hands of the current ONE heavyweight MMA world champion, ‘Reug Reug’ Oumar Kane.
In a recent Instagram post, ONE Championship shared screenshots of their conversation with the champions, asking who they would like to face in the upcoming year. Malykhin, the reigning ONE middleweight and light heavyweight king, responded by stating his desire to fight 3-4 times in 2026, with his first target being ‘Reug Reug’.
With an impressive record of 14-0 and a 100 percent finishing rate, Malykhin was the favorite going into his 2024 showdown with ‘Reug Reug’ at ONE 169. However, the Senegalese giant pulled off a major upset by defeating ‘Sladkiy’ via unanimous decision after a grueling five-round battle. A rematch was scheduled for ONE 173 in Tokyo, Japan, but was postponed due to ‘Reug Reug’ sustaining serious injuries in a car accident.
In other news, as ‘Reug Reug’ Oumar Kane continues to recover from his injuries, he recently extended a warm welcome to popular streamer IShowSpeed in his hometown of Dakar, Senegal. The ONE heavyweight MMA champion introduced Speed to the country’s traditional martial art, ‘mbapatte’, and even demonstrated the Sabar dance ritual, which he proudly performs on the global stage at ONE events.
Speed also had the opportunity to engage in a spontaneous wrestling match with a local wrestler, showcasing the techniques he learned from ‘Reug Reug’. The interaction between the two personalities highlighted the cultural exchange and mutual respect within the MMA community.
As Malykhin and ‘Reug Reug’ prepare for a potential rematch in the future, fans eagerly anticipate the outcome of their next encounter. Stay tuned for more updates on One Championship Rankings and MMA news on Sportskeeda.
Publisher: Edited by Saiyed Adeem Karim
