Malykhin Reclaims ONE Heavyweight Title With 4th-Round KO, Sparking Post-Fight Brawl
Updated
Updated · MMA Fighting · May 15
Malykhin Reclaims ONE Heavyweight Title With 4th-Round KO, Sparking Post-Fight Brawl
2 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · May 15
Bangkok saw Anatoly Malykhin regain the ONE heavyweight championship with a fourth-round knockout of Reug Reug at ONE Friday Fights 154, avenging a split-decision loss from 18 months earlier.
Round 4 turned the fight after a sluggish start: Reug Reug spent long stretches backing into the corner, but Malykhin found his range in Round 3 and dropped him with a huge right hand before follow-up punches ended it.
Post-fight chaos erupted when Malykhin landed kicks after the knockout, prompting Reug Reug’s corner to confront his team before a brief brawl broke out; Malykhin then tried to calm the scene.
At 38, Malykhin removed his gloves afterward in an apparent retirement signal, potentially ending his career at 15-1 with two ONE heavyweight title reigns and a light heavyweight championship.
From revenge and a brawl to retirement, what does Malykhin's final act reveal about the pressures on elite champions?
With its three-division king gone, how will ONE Championship crown new champions and prevent divisional chaos?
He retired a historic triple-champion, but did his brief reign truly cement his legacy among the all-time greats?