Friday’s ONE Championship heavyweight title struggle has been anticipated to be a doozy for some time, and that was confirmed on the information convention.
Tempers weren’t precisely saved in test when three-division champ Anatoly Malykhin and Oumar Kane (aka “Reug Reug”) squared off for the ONE 169 heavyweight title most important occasion.
Malykhin (14-0) acquired a bodily response from Kane (6-1) of their faceoff, and after just a few extra bodily choices they needed to be separated.
Former UFC middleweight champion and present ONE VP Wealthy Franklin thinks there’s purpose to really feel a buzz across the heavyweight headliner as a result of Malykhin is again within the division and never down a weight class or two.
“It’s been some time since we’ve had a heavyweight title match, significantly with Malykhin bouncing round and the completely different matches he did within the completely different weight courses,” Franklin informed MMA Junkie Radio. “That is the primary time we’ve had the king in that division again once more (shortly), so this can be a huge deal.”
Malykhin by no means has been out of the third spherical and has all 14 of his wins by end, together with two over former two-division champ Reinier de Ridder, who makes his UFC debut Saturday within the co-main occasion.
His dominance has led to him being a prohibitive 10-1 favourite on the betting window towards Kane. However Franklin cautioned towards counting out the 32-year-old from Senegal.
“‘Reug Reug’ – I’ll say this: I wasn’t a giant believer when he got here into the group. I used to be like, meh,” Franklin mentioned. “However every struggle, he’s been capable of shut the hole a bit extra and a bit extra. I believe Malykhin goes to be a troublesome opponent for him – a really robust opponent – so he’ll have to up his sport as a result of Malykhin is extra of the entire package deal.
“I do consider ‘Reug Reug’ should depend on his wrestling extra. However ‘Reug Reug’ is a brilliant athletic man, and due to his wrestling, he’s a bit extra unorthodox along with his putting – in order that can oftentimes make dangerous fighters look good, as effectively.”
You should definitely go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of blended martial arts.
