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Three-division MMA world champion Anatoly Malykhin is intrigued by rising heavyweight contender Ben Tynan.
In November 2023, Tynan made his ONE Championship debut and put the division on notice with a third-round submission win against Kang Ji Won. 'Vanilla Thunder' returned last Friday at ONE Fight Night 21, defeating Duke Didier by first-round TKO to secure a $50,000 performance bonus.
Following his dominant win, the Canadian rising contender called out the division's champion, Malykhin, who was in attendance at ONE Fight Night 21. During an interview with ONE, the triple MMA champion had this to say about Tynan:
"I'm glad to see some new faces in ONE. A strong opposition is exactly what I need. I'm happy there are guys who are not only good in the ring, but also develop their own style outside of it. They definitely bring something unique."
The replay of ONE Fight Night 21, including Tynan's first-round finish, can be watched for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Watch Tynan finish Didier at OFN 21 below:
Who deserves the next heavyweight MMA world title shot against Anatoly Malykhin?
'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane and Amir Aliakbari are the top contenders in the ONE heavyweight MMA division.
In August 2023, 'Reug Reug' made a statement by securing a unanimous decision win against legendary jiu-jitsu practitioner Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida. Now holding a 6-1 promotional record, the Senegalese powerhouse could be next for Anatoly Malykhin.
Meanwhile, Aliakbari arguably deserves the next heavyweight world title shot more than 'Reug Reug.' The Iranian grappler is riding a four-fight winning streak, all inside the distance, including a win against former world champion Arjan Bhullar last time out. He also wants to avenge a first-round knockout loss against Malykhin back in September 2021.
Regardless of who's next, they must be prepared for a war, as Malykhin has solidified himself as one of the most dangerous fighters on the planet. The Russian knockout artist holds a 14-0 professional MMA record (6-0 in ONE), with every win under the ONE banner coming by KO/TKO.
Watch Anatoly Malykhin respond to Ben Tynan's callout:
