Anatoly Malykhin has the opportunity to make ONE Championship history as he faces Reinier de Ridder for the middleweight MMA world title. Will Malykhin maintain his power at middleweight? Find out more about the highly anticipated ONE 166: Qatar event.
| Fight | Result |
|---|---|
| Anatoly Malykhin vs. Reinier de Ridder | TBD |
On March 1, Anatoly Malykhin will have the opportunity to make ONE Championship history as he faces Reinier de Ridder, the reigning middleweight MMA world titleholder. Malykhin, who already holds the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles, aims to become the promotion’s first three-division world champion.
The first encounter between Malykhin and de Ridder took place at ONE on Prime Video 5, where Malykhin secured a first-round knockout victory, claiming de Ridder’s light heavyweight title. Now, more than a year later, they will meet again, with Malykhin vying for the middleweight crown.
Many fight fans were divided in their predictions for the December 2022 meeting between Malykhin and de Ridder. Some believed de Ridder’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills would be the key to victory, while others expected Malykhin’s powerful punches to prevail. Ultimately, Malykhin emerged victorious, but the move to middleweight raises questions about his performance in the rematch.
Will Malykhin maintain his signature power at middleweight? The change in weight class could potentially impact his cardio and power, giving de Ridder an opportunity to exploit Malykhin’s weaknesses and showcase his grappling prowess.
The highly anticipated ONE 166: Qatar event will take place at Lusail Sports Arena on March 1 and will be broadcasted globally via pay-per-view on watch.onefc.com.
| Fight | Result |
|---|---|
| Anatoly Malykhin vs. Reinier de Ridder | TBD |
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Edited by C. Naik
