'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Things are beginning to heat up as we close in on the epic rematch between Reinier de Ridder and Anatoly Malykhin.
On Friday, March 1, ONE Championship will head to Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar for a loaded ONE 166 card headlined by a world title match between reigning and defending ONE middleweight MMA world champion Reinier de Ridder and two-division king Anatoly Malykhin. The bout will serve as a sequel to their first meeting in December 2022 when Malykhin scored a brutal first-round knockout of ‘The Dutch Knight.’
Malykhin — who also holds the ONE heavyweight MMA world title — claimed de Ridder’s light heavyweight MMA crown in their first meeting. If he can manage to take away the Dutchman’s middleweight MMA belt, ‘Sladkiy’ will make history as the first-ever three-division champion in ONE history.
“It's getting HEATED 🔥 How will Reinier de Ridder vs. Anatoly Malykhin II play out on March 1 at ONE 166: Qatar? 🏆”
ONE Championship fans throw their support behind Anatoly Malykhin
Offering their take in the comments section on Instagram, ONE Championship fans appear to be overwhelmingly in favor of Anatoly Malykhin coming out on top and leaving Qatar with 78 pounds of gold. They added comments like:
“I want to live in the same world RDR is to believe he can beat Malykhin”
“Just rewatched their 1st fight, Anatoly won that without even losing his breath. 🔥 RDR should be scared.”
“You belt I am belt, your champion my champion”
“RDR has no stand up game at all and malykhin is hard to take down whit his grappling background. This was proven in their first match. Either way it’s gonna be a great fight !! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥”
“3 belt coming 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼”
Will Malykhin etch his name in the history books, or will Reinier de Ridder earn redemption and even the score against his Russian opposition?
Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America can catch all the action at ONE 166: Qatar live and for free on Friday, March 1.
