“I would call it running if I was the interim champ” - Brandon Vera on Anatoly Malykhin-Arjan Bhullar beef

Brandon Vera would probably be just as frustrated as Anatoly Malykhin if the guy you were supposed to fight twice for the belt kept running away.

It’s nearly 578 days since ONE heavyweight world champion Arjan Bhullar competed inside the ONE Circle, and the frustration levels are running high as Bhullar continues to delay his return.

While Bhullar was settling for a new contract with ONE Championship, Anatoly Malykhin was given the opportunity to fight for an interim world title, which he won last February at ONE: Bad Blood.

Intending to unify both belts next, the Russian powerhouse had a war of words with Bhullar, calling him a “chicken” to draw him back into the competition.

Regrettably, their long awaited unification bout at ONE 161 was canceled, with Bhullar citing an injury.

When Brandon Vera, the former inaugural ONE heavyweight kingpin was asked to comment on the Malykhin-Bhullar beef, he told The MMA Superfan:

“I don’t know how that beef is. I know as an interim champ you’re supposed to meet the champ so you can make the belt one. That would probably really piss me off if the champ was avoiding my calls or not wanting to take the fight with the interim champ. That’s running, I would call it running if I was the interim champ.”

After getting blindsided by Bhullar last September, another opportunity has fallen into Malykhin’s favor. Luckily, there’s one world champion out there who’s willing to put his light heavyweight world title on the line against Malykhin.

Two-division king Reinier de Ridder and Anatoly Malykhin are expected to lock horns this Friday, December 2 at ONE on Prime Video 5.

North American subscribers can catch all the action live and for free on Amazon Prime Video.

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Brandon Vera says he would “rather die” than lose in the Philippines

‘The Truth’ Brandon Vera returns to competition as well this Saturday, December 3, on the double-header fight card at ONE 164: Pacio vs. Brooks.

The Filipino-American icon is thrilled to stage his comeback against long-time rival Amir Aliakbari, and promises his Filipino fan base that he’s not leaving the ONE Circle until his job is complete.

At a recent ONE 164 press-conference, Brandon Vera was asked that after taking a large break from fighting if he still had that fire within to come out with a victory.

The 45-year-old knockout artist said:

“I’d much rather die in the Circle, than to lose here in the Philippines.”