Fascination unfolds—and justifiably so—when a fighter from the
heavier weight classes boasts an undefeated record in a sport rife
with pitfalls where one mere mistake can snuff out victory. Such is
the nature of the game, and the career of
Anatoly
Malykhin, reigning two-division
ONE
Championship titleholder, serves as a glowing example of
someone who has defied the traditional paradigm. The towering
Russian is undefeated in his 13-fight professional career, and he
has rattled off all of those victories by knockout, technical
knockout or submission.
He is now set to take on an established nemesis in
Reinier
de Ridder in a clash that is destined to shake up the mixed
martial arts world. The Russian prepares to redefine history by
dropping down to the middleweight division in an attempt to become
the first three-division ONE mixed martial arts champion. It is
crystal clear in the promotional videos leading up to the fight
that despite the previous decisive knockout victory over de Ridder
for the 225-pound strap, Malykhin refuses to rely solely on his
laurels and has left no stone unturned in preparation for the
impending showdown.
With the stage set for the colossal rematch in the main event of
ONE 166 this Friday at the Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail,
Qatar, here are five things you might not know about Malykhin:
1. He built a legacy on the mat.
Malykhin’s grandfather introduced him to wrestling when he was
young. He naturally gravitated toward the competitiveness of the
sport, and the drive for competition piqued his interest. As a
reward for his success, which included national medals, Malykhin
earned the honorary title of Master of Sport in freestyle wrestling
in his homeland. He won the bronze medal at the 2013 Russian
championships. The same year, he also won gold at the President Cup
of Buryatia Republic in freestyle wrestling and placed third at the
Russian national championship in the heavyweight bracket. Following
a hiatus of two years, he made his return in 2016. He competed in
submission grappling, winning at the championships for the Kemerovo
region and the Siberian Federal District to qualify for the
All-Russian championships. The Russian stood as the runner-up at
the All-Russian championships and subsequently qualified for the
UWW European championships. Malykhin won gold in the 100+ kilogram
division at the European grappling championships in July.
2. A revered coach served as his mentor.
Malykhin yearned for recognition following a successful grappling
history, yet his hometown Kemerovo, with limited prospects, failed
to nurture wrestling prodigies. The recognition of untapped
potential led Malykhin’s path to intertwine with renowned coach
Vladimir Osiy, an acclaimed figure in the realm of coaching
brilliance in Russia. Osiy was celebrated as the mastermind behind
five Russian fighters who clinched gold at the World MMA
Championships in Astana. Under his tutelage, “Sladkiy” emerged as a
force to be reckoned with, and his dominance echoed through the
ranks between May and October in 2017.
3. He was influenced by an icon.
The ONE Championship two-division titleholder paid homage to MMA
legend
Fedor
Emelianenko following his final fight against
Ryan Bader at
Bellator 290. While “The Last Emperor” called an end to an
illustrious career that spanned over 20 years with a loss, the life
and legacy of the MMA luminary are forever etched in the annals of
sports history. Malykhin, recognizing the legacy, took to Instagram
to honor his fellow countryman, wishing Emelianenko good health and
a long life. He wrote the following: “The legend is gone. God bless
him with health. Long years of life. To love his family and
appreciate life. And I really want the future generation not to
forget him and remember his contribution to mixed martial
arts!”
4. He likes to test himself.
Malykhin has proven through his MMA journey that he is a monolithic
force, and the aforementioned distinction of rattling all victories
through finishes speaks volumes about the imposing shadow that has
swept across all competition. With that said, he remains hungry for
more and forever on the lookout for the next challenge. In the
past, he expressed his desire to challenge former UFC heavyweight
king
Francis
Ngannou, aiming to test his renowned strength firsthand. “I
would like to meet Francis Ngannou, of course,” he said, “to see
what he’s capable of, if he’s as strong as everyone thinks he
is.”
5. He aims to pass on what he has learned.
Malykhin in August embarked on a soul-nurturing expedition back to
his roots in Kemerovo, Russia. The 36-year-old humbly returned to
his childhood wrestling school following the emphatic victory over
de Ridder, reconnecting with friends and mentors who helped shape
his path in combat sports. He also shared stories of modest origin
while imparting wisdom and inspiration to the young wrestlers in
attendance. “I am very glad that I came to my hometown of Kemerovo,
where I was able to recharge myself with this Siberian strength,
power and energy. I was also glad to see all my friends with whom I
had trained before,” he said. “A lot of guys were happy to see me,
and I was very happy to see them. We discussed some things,
remembered some stories from childhood and youth and how we used to
train.” The lessons he imparted to the young minds echoed through
the gym: “When we were small and used to do long-distance running
as part of training, I was already a heavy-built kid and, of
course, could not run in the front. I was always the last or
second-to-last one running. Still, my coach loved me very much, and
in order not to belittle me, but on the contrary to cheer me up and
help me, he ran ahead and always took bread with him. He had small
squares of sliced bread, which he sprinkled with salt and buttered;
and on the way, when the race was long, he fed me so that I had
strength to run and energy. It was such a simple form of human
care, and I have the warmest memories of that time.”