Anatoly Malykhin still holds ONE Championship gold in two divisions, but his last outing at ONE 169 saw him lose the ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title to “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane. In the wake of the loss, the Russian has taken time away from competition before charging back in 2025. During his break, Anatoly Malykhin has been able to explore Thailand with his family.
Anatoly Malykhin Using Time Away From Ring to See the World
“Sladkiy” has familiarity with the region, training, and competing in the country. Traveling by car, he has now been able to see more of its beauty with his wife and child. The further north he traveled, the more he fell in love with Thailand’s nature.
“I really like northern Thailand – Chiang Mai. The nature there, the rivers, the wild jungles, the nature that is so raw, especially when you head up into the mountains. I love nature, and lately, Chiang Mai has really stood out to me,” Anatoly Malykhin happily said to ONE.
Anatoly Malykhin’s extensive travel schedule also allowed his family to experience more cultures around the world. One particular trip to Doha, Qatar, stood out to the two–division World Champion. The Russian likened the trip to a classic fairy tale.
Anatoly Malykhin Talks Trip to Qatar
“As for Qatar, that trip was amazing. It’s now my wife’s favorite place. It reminded me of Agrabah from ‘Aladdin.’ I loved that cartoon growing up, and being in a country that feels like it came out of that story was special. I feel like Qatar is the place where all those wonders could really happen,” Anatoly Malykhin stated.
Anatoly Malykhin Hungry for Heavyweight Belt
While Malykhin holds belts in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, getting the heavyweight title back is clearly his primary objective. Back in the gym, Anatoly Malykhin admitted he is bulking up. With renewed fire and dedication, he has thoughts of a rematch with “Reug Reug” driving his motivations.
“I’ve been focusing more on strength and conditioning. I’ve been doing a lot of strength training and working with weights. I bulked up again and hit the numbers I had back when I was fighting at heavyweight,” the two-division king remarked.
Malykhin Wants Rematch with Reug Reug
The first encounter saw a lot of clinch work as Kane attempted to implement his strong wrestling attack. After feeling the strength and power, Malykhin has felt the need to address that part of his game. Feeling prepared for what comes next, Anatoly Malykhin is just waiting for the call to return.
“I’ve bulked up. I used to be 100 kilos. Now I’m 117. I’ve been lifting a lot. As for my diet, I switched to keto – I cut out carbs completely. And so far, I feel great. I’ve never turned down a fight. If I’m healthy and not injured, I’m in. I’ve always been hungry to fight. There’s no ‘perfect’ date for me. I’m ready whenever ONE needs me,” Malykhin said.
