ONE 166: De Ridder vs. Malykhin II – Middleweight Title Rematch Set. Reinier de Ridder looks to defend his middleweight crown against Anatoly Malykhin, who aims to achieve triple crown status in MMA. Get all the details on this highly anticipated rematch and the upcoming ONE 166 event.
| Main Event | Reinier de Ridder vs. Anatoly Malykhin II |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, March 1, 2024 |
| Venue | Lusail Sports Arena, Qatar |
| Title | Middleweight Championship Rematch |
The main event for ONE 166 has been announced, featuring a rematch between Reinier de Ridder and Anatoly Malykhin. De Ridder will be looking to defend his middleweight crown, while Malykhin aims to achieve triple crown status in MMA. The event will take place on Friday, March 1, 2024, at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar.
In addition to the main event, a strawweight title fight between Jarred Brooks and Joshua Pacio will also be featured, adding to the excitement of the event.
ONE Championship officials have announced the main event for ONE 166, set to take place in Qatar this March. The event will feature a highly anticipated rematch between Reinier de Ridder and Anatoly Malykhin, with de Ridder looking to defend his middleweight crown and Malykhin aiming to achieve triple crown status in MMA.
De Ridder, with a record of 16-1, suffered his only loss to Malykhin in their initial meeting, where he was knocked out and lost his light heavyweight title. However, he has since bounced back with victories over notable fighters such as Fan Rong, Aung N Sang, and former champ Vitaly Bigdash.
Malykhin, on the other hand, holds an undefeated record of 13-0 and is the current heavyweight champion in ONE Championship. He secured the light heavyweight gold against de Ridder and went on to dethrone Arjhan Bhullar to capture the heavyweight crown earlier this year. With 13 finishes in his 13 fights, Malykhin is a formidable opponent.
The double-champ status is a rare achievement in MMA, and Malykhin aims to join the ranks of Salahdine Parnasse and Patricio Pitbull by seeking a third title. This feat has yet to be successfully accomplished in a major MMA promotion.
ONE 166 will take place at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar on Friday, March 1, 2024. Alongside the highly anticipated main event, a strawweight title fight between Jarred Brooks and Joshua Pacio will also be featured, adding to the excitement of the event.
