Two-weight ONE MMA world champion Anatoly Malykhin is moving down an unprecedented two weight classes in search of history.
‘Sladkiy’ already reigns over ONE’s heavyweight and light heavyweight MMA divisions, but in the ONE 166: Qatar headliner this Friday, he will look to add the middleweight MMA gold to his collection when he faces divisional king Reinier de Ridder for the second time.
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Malykhin will become the first MMA athlete in any organisation to hold three world titles at once if he can get the job done at Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, Qatar, on March 1.
The 36-year-old is confident heading into the rematch, given that he dispatched De Ridder inside one round to capture the ONE light heavyweight MMA world title back in 2022.
“At heavyweight, my skills allow me to consider myself the best. I have no weaknesses. And I’m one of the best light heavyweights, for sure. I can’t say that about myself in the middleweight division because this will be my first fight in this weight, and it would be arrogant to say that I’m the best without ever having fought in it,” he said.
“First of all, the plan now is to see how I feel at 93 kilograms. If it goes well and I feel fine, then I will defend all the belts. The more fights, the better for me. It’s simple. I love to fight.”
But first, he must make weight.
The hulking Russian last fought at the heavyweight limit of 265 pounds (120.2kg) when he took the heavyweight strap from long-time champion Arjan Bhullar this past June, but he will have to make ONE’s middleweight limit of 205 pounds (93kg) for a shot at a third 26-pound gold belt in Qatar.
The feat would be even more remarkable given ONE’s innovative weight in protocols. The organisation requires athletes to pass hydration tests before stepping on the scales to ensure that they are not draining themselves of water weight, as is commonplace in combat sports.
So, any shortfall cannot simply be made up for in a sweatsuit, meaning that it’s all diet and natural weight loss for Malykhin. For him to make it down to middleweight, he will first have to triumph over a struggle that many of us battle in our daily lives.
“My every day looks perfect! I wake up with my family by my side – my son, my wife. I know the reason for getting up every day. I am motivated and charged,” he said.
“The main strategy is to stay away from the fridge after 6pm. If I don’t come near the fridge after that, I’m fine – I’m making weight. It is clear that cardio is also important, but the main thing is not to raid the fridge after 6pm.”
Malykhin raised eyebrows ahead of his first fight against ‘The Dutch Knight’ when he made the light heavyweight limit of 225 pounds (102kg) for the first time with apparent ease. He even snacked on chocolate at the pre-fight press conference to demonstrate his success.
To shed a further nine kilograms, however, is a whole new level for the 5-foot-11 powerhouse, who remains unbeaten in MMA competition after 13 fights.
All of his five ONE Championship appearances have ended in devastating knockouts thus far, and he plans to make it six for six at ONE 166.
The one lingering question is whether he can carry his power and strength down two weight classes, but the Kemerovo native insists that he is doing everything in his power to get it done.
If the man himself is to be believed, then it’s all bad news for De Ridder if weigh-in day goes off without a hitch.
“I feel great this time around. Sometimes during shadowboxing or hitting bags, I get scared of myself. I’m very fast and very strong. I’m tough and very motivated,” he said.
“I want to make history, and that’s what pushes me to get up early in the morning and give it 100 per cent.”
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