Regardless of being MMA’s first simultaneous three-division world champion Anatoly Malykhin is way from being a family identify on the planet of fight sports activities. Nevertheless, a scrap with former UFC titleholder Francis Ngannou might change that.
Boasting a formidable 14-0 file with a 100% end fee, ‘Sladkiy’ has established himself as one of ONE Championship’s most formidable foes across three different divisions. Beginning with capturing the interim heavyweight belt, Malykhin inevitably traded in his non permanent title for undisputed gold in opposition to 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 identify 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 slightly bit longer the second time round, the outcome was the identical. Malykhin finished ‘The Dutch Knight’ in round three to assert his third strap.
Throughout a latest interview with MMA Fighting, Malykhin addressed a possible matchup with Ngannou, suggesting that he might be “a giant downside” for the previous UFC-turned-PFL famous person.
“I can say that my robust factors are that I transfer higher than him and likewise I do nice physique photographs,” Malykhin stated by an interpreter. “I believe me on my toes can be a giant downside for him.”
ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong has little curiosity in seeing Anatoly Malykhin combat Francis Ngannou
A combat between Anatoly Malykhin and Francis Ngannou can be an enormous alternative for the 13-year-old promotion because it continues to combat for its piece of the pie within the U.S. market, however ONE Championship’s founder and CEO, Chatri Sityodtong, doesn’t seem like terribly within the heavyweight superfight.
Commenting on the potential showdown, Sityodtong made it clear that the hurdles of a cross-promotion with PFL aren’t the problem. It’s that he merely doesn’t imagine Ngannou can be a lot of a problem for his three-division star.
“I don’t assume it might be aggressive,” Sityodtong informed MMA Combating. “Francis has one-punch KO energy, nice putting, 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 might be aggressive, simply to be very blunt, and I’m talking as a lifelong martial artist. I’m attempting to be as goal as potential, 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 attempting to be goal.
“Everyone knows in all of the totally different weight lessons, wrestling is the one self-discipline that lets you dictate the place the combat takes place. If a wrestler needs to maintain it standing, he retains it standing. If he needs to take you down or she needs to take you down, they’ll take you down, particularly a world-class wrestler — a Russian nationwide group wrestler like Anatoly Malykhin. [But] we’ve all the time 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’ were not fully aligned on “non-financial matters.”
Contemplating it’s been greater than a 12 months since Ngannou signed with the PFL and he has but to make his Sensible Cage debut, it kinda seems like Sityodtong made the correct transfer.
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