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After its historic event in Qatar, which was topped by Anatoly Malykhin’s historic feat, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong reiterated that the promotion houses the best martial arts athletes in the world.
During the post-event press conference, Sityodtong stated that he is still very much open to a potential clash between ONE Championship and its Northern American counterpart, UFC, for a champion-versus-champion showdown.
The ONE head honcho shared:
“One of the most common questions I get asked is would I ever agree to a ONE vs UFC champion versus champion event. I would do it in a heartbeat. I truly believe we have the best champions on the planet, best athletes on the planet, and best fighters. Across all disciplines.”
Anatoly Malykhin’s ground-breaking achievement of becoming the first-ever athlete in MMA history to win three world titles in three different divisions has sparked the conversation about the leading fight promotion in the world.
The undefeated Russian star picked up a third-round TKO finish of Reinier de Ridder in the main event of ONE 166: Qatar to become the new undisputed king of the middleweight MMA division, thus reasserting his mastery over ‘The Dutch Knight.’
Anatoly Malykhin bags $50,000 bonus and pays respect to Reinier de Ridder
The impeccable performance of Anatoly Malykhin in the headliner of the event has warranted him an additional $50,000 bonus from Sityodtong as he joined ONE featherweight MMA world champion Tang Kai as the standout from the stacked card.
Additionally, Malykhin has paid respect to de Ridder and called him a legend of the sport despite absorbing back-to-back losses from him. The Russian powerhouse also praised de Ridder’s improved striking, which made him more competitive in their rematch.
North American viewers with an active Prime Video subscription can rewatch all the action from ONE 166: Qatar via the free event replay.
