Regardless of being MMA’s first simultaneous three-division world champion Anatoly Malykhin is much from being a family title on this planet of fight sports activities. Nevertheless, a scrap with former UFC titleholder Francis Ngannou may change that.
Boasting a powerful 14-0 file with a 100% end charge, ‘Sladkiy’ has established himself as considered one of ONE Championship’s most formidable foes throughout three completely different divisions. Beginning with capturing the interim heavyweight belt, Malykhin inevitably traded in his non permanent title for undisputed gold towards the division’s former king, Arjan Bhullar—however not earlier than changing into a two-division champion with a highlight-reel knockout of Reinier de Ridder to assert the sunshine heavyweight title.
Decided to etch his title within the historical past books, Malykhin dropped down two weight lessons, difficult de Ridder for the middleweight title at ONE 166 in Qatar. Although it took him a bit bit longer the second time round, the end result was the identical. Malykhin completed ‘The Dutch Knight’ in spherical three to assert his third strap.
Throughout a current interview with MMA Preventing, Malykhin addressed a possible matchup with Ngannou, suggesting that he may very well be “an enormous downside” for the previous UFC-turned-PFL celebrity.
“I can say that my sturdy factors are that I transfer higher than him and in addition I do nice physique photographs,” Malykhin mentioned by way of an interpreter. “I feel me on my toes could be an enormous downside for him.”
ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong has little curiosity in seeing Anatoly Malykhin battle Francis Ngannou
A battle between Anatoly Malykhin and Francis Ngannou could be an enormous alternative for the 13-year-old promotion because it continues to battle for its piece of the pie within the U.S. market, however ONE Championship’s founder and CEO, Chatri Sityodtong, doesn’t look like terribly within the heavyweight superfight.
Commenting on the potential showdown, Sityodtong made it clear that the hurdles of a cross-promotion with PFL are usually not the difficulty. It’s that he merely doesn’t consider Ngannou could be a lot of a problem for his three-division star.
“I don’t assume it could be aggressive,” Sityodtong advised MMA Preventing. “Francis has one-punch KO energy, nice placing, however he doesn’t have a floor sport. I imply, genuinely [he has] blue belt stage jiu-jitsu and no wrestling. Anatoly would take him down in a heartbeat. I don’t assume it could be aggressive, simply to be very blunt, and I’m talking as a lifelong martial artist. I’m making an attempt to be as goal as doable, and I’ve been doing 40 years of Muay Thai and 15 years of jiu-jitsu. I’m simply talking from private expertise and I’m making an attempt to be goal.
“Everyone knows in all of the completely different weight lessons, wrestling is the one self-discipline that permits you to dictate the place the battle takes place. If a wrestler desires to maintain it standing, he retains it standing. If he desires to take you down or she desires to take you down, they’ll take you down, particularly a world-class wrestler — a Russian nationwide staff wrestler like Anatoly Malykhin. [But] we’ve at all times been open [to cross promotion].”
Earlier than signing with the Skilled Fighters League, Ngannou met with Sityodtong to work out a possible deal. ONE finally walked away from the negotiating desk with the CEO noting that he and ‘The Predator’ weren’t totally aligned on “non-financial issues.”
Contemplating it’s been greater than a yr since Ngannou signed with the PFL and he has but to make his Sensible Cage debut, it kinda looks like Sityodtong made the appropriate transfer.
