'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane Says Malykhin Will Never Beat Him Ahead of ONE World Title Rematch

The 34-year-old Senegalese monster defends his crown in a rematch against the Russian at The Inner Circle on Friday, May 15, streaming exclusively on live.onefc.com.

Kane claimed the ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title at ONE 169 in November 2024, outpointing Malykhin in a tough split decision to hand the Russian his first career defeat. The two were scheduled to run it back last year before a car accident in Dubai forced Kane to withdraw. He is now fully recovered and more motivated than ever.

Malykhin, 38, remains the reigning ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight MMA World Champion and carries a 14-1 career record into Bangkok. The Russian trains out of One Chance Team and Tiger Muay Thai, and he has made it clear that the heavyweight crown will be his once again.

Kane Says the 'New Oumar' Is Coming

Kane has not stood still since the first fight. The Senegalese champion has used the time between their original clash and the confirmed rematch to improve across every facet of his game, while being honest enough to acknowledge that Malykhin will also arrive better prepared.

"I've changed everything, made upgrades in every skill set. The new Oumar is coming. You can expect me to be stronger, more powerful – and faster. At the same time, I think Anatoly is going to be better also. It would be wrong to underestimate him," Kane stated.

Kane trains out of Black Panther Sports and ReugReug MMA, and he built the foundation of his combat sports career in Senegalese wrestling. His 7-1 MMA record includes four finishes, and his four-bout winning streak reflects a champion who has not lost a step since claiming the heavyweight gold.

Kane Believes Malykhin Has Gone Quiet Because He Knows the Truth

 

The verbal back-and-forth between the two camps has been a feature of the rivalry since the first battle, but Kane has noticed a shift in the Russian's public posture heading into the rematch. The champion has a straightforward explanation for why Malykhin has dialed back the trash talk.

"He's quiet now because he knows I'm the better fighter. He's not talking now because he's scared. That's the honest truth. If he talks and then he loses, that won't be good for him. So he's not in the position to talk much," he explained.

Kane is one of the biggest sporting superstars in Senegal, and the weight of that national pride accompanies him into every fight. Defending the heavyweight title in a rematch against the man he dethroned adds another chapter to one of the most celebrated stories in Senegalese combat sports history.

Kane Insists He and Malykhin Are Not on the Same Level

Kane saved his most definitive statement for the question of where the two fighters stand relative to each other. The champion pulled no punches in his assessment, while making clear his respect for Malykhin as a competitor is genuine.

"Don't get me wrong, he's a good fighter. But after facing him, now I know we're not on the same level. There's a big difference. Heading into this fight, I know that Anatoly and I are not on the same level. But still, I give him the respect he deserves. No doubt, he's a good fighter. But he still can't beat me. He will never beat me," Kane said.

Malykhin's 14-1 record includes six ONE victories all via finish, and the reigning two-division champion is not the kind of fighter who accepts a single defeat as the final word. Whether he can prove Kane wrong on May 15 is the question that makes this rematch one of the most anticipated heavyweight MMA fights of the year.

Watch The Inner Circle live on Friday, May 15, exclusively on live.onefc.com starting at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT.