ONE Championship has a new heavyweight star on its hands. Ben Tynan has the skills and the personality to be a major star in MMA. After ONE Fight Night 21, he is even turning the head of the Russian powerhouse that stands at the top of the division. Tynan grabbed his second win in ONE with a TKO victory over Duke Didier. After the match, he showed even more of his charismatic personality in the post-match interview. The jorts-wearing heavyweight seems to be well on his way to title contention.
That prospect has ONE Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, and Middleweight MMA World Champion Anatoly Malykhin very happy. “Sladkiy” wants more competition, as any true champion does. But it is the bombastic interviews that really have him excited about Tynan’s rise in the division.
Anatoly Malykhin Eyes Charismatic Newcomer Ben Tynan
“I’m glad to see some new faces in ONE. Strong opposition is exactly what I need. I’m happy there are guys who are not only good in the ring, but also developing their own style outside of it. They definitely bring something unique,” Malykhin told ONE.
Unlike a jealous athlete wanting everything for himself, Malykhin is happy to see Tynan grab headlines. He even wants him to add some performance bonuses to his bank account. The Russian is a benevolent champion, seemingly pushing for all of his rivals to meet him at the top of the game.
“We all know Mr. Chatri always rewards fighters who deliver beautiful fights and who finish the fight in spectacular fashion. If he decided to give him a bonus, then it’s well deserved. After all, the guy finishes 100 percent of his fights early – and as a heavyweight,” the Russian remarked.
Although Tynan likely still has work to do before challenging for the gold, he is unquestionably making his way there quickly. With ONE’s return to U.S. soil set for this fall, Malykhin believes that is the ideal location for him to continue his ascent. Given Tynan trains at Elevation Fight Team, a match in Denver seems like a win-win scenario for all involved.
“I’m looking forward to sharing the ring with him. I think America sounds like the perfect place to really put him to the test,” Malykhin said.
In a recent episode of the Couch Warrior Podcast, host Mike welcomed Charalampos Grigoriou, who recently won a contract during season 7 of Dana White's Contender Series after knocking out Cameron Smotherman one minute into the fight. The conversation delved into Grigoriou's martial arts journey, his feelings on representing Cyprus and Greece, and future plans.
