'Reug Reug' vs Anatoly Malykhin II world title rematch announced for ONE 173 in Tokyo on November 16

ONE heavyweight MMA world champion 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane will defend his prized possession against two-division kingpin Anatoly Malykhin at ONE 173 in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, November 16.

This colossal rematch was one of two blockbuster fights announced for the promotion's hotly anticipated return to "The Land of the Rising Sun" yesterday at the event's official press conference.

'Reug Reug' claimed his spot atop the throne against the Russian powerhouse when the two went toe-to-toe in a closely contested five-round battle at ONE 169 in November last year.

The Senegalese sensation left the ring with a split decision win, but he had to ensure he was on his A-game throughout the grueling war against the then-three-division MMA king.

Anatoly Malykhin's monstrous fists caught the Black Panther Sports and TRIPL3 MMA representative on several occasions. The Russian did have his moments at certain junctures, but more often than not, it was 'Reug Reug's all-around brilliance that stole the show.

He brought 'Sladkiy' to the canvas, dominated him on the ground, and clipped him several times behind his heavy combinations.

After 25 exciting minutes, he became the first African to claim 26 pounds of gold in the organization and became the first man to hand Anatoly Malykhin a defeat.

Before that pristine display, the 33-year-old heavyweight MMA kingpin earned four promotional victories in highlight-reel fashion against Boucher Ketchup, Batradz Gazzaev, Patrick Schmid, and Alain Ngalani.

'Reug Reug' also scored two dominant, unanimous decision triumphs over multi-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Marcus Almeida and Jasur Mirzamukhamedov.

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Anatoly Malykhin out for revenge against 'Reug Reug' in Tokyo showdown

Oumar Kane's ONE Championship campaign has been nothing short of incredible, and the Senegalese warrior is beyond pumped to continue building his brand and make it back-to-back wins over Anatoly Malykhin at ONE 173 on November 16.

However, getting his hand raised for the second time against a behemoth like 'Sladkiy' is going to be easier said than done.

Malykhin has his mind locked on redemption at all costs after tasting defeat for the first time in his career. Moreover, the ONE light heavyweight and middleweight MMA world champion wants to recreate history and become a triple champ.

While his loss to Kane left a sour taste in his mouth, the Russian martial arts hero doesn't have to look far for inspiration to know that he has all the capabilities to reclaim his throne.

The 37-year-old has wrapped up all his victories inside the distance, a list that includes Reinier de Ridder, Kirill Grishenko, Arjan Bhullar, Amir Aliakbari, and Alexandre Machado.

Malykhin's ground game prowess, creativity in striking, and ability to mix things up will be his key to victory against Kane. However, it remains to be seen whether he can impose his will on Kane to ensure results favor him this time around.

Fans should be in for a treat when these two hard-hitting knockout machines collide at ONE 173 in Tokyo, Japan, on November 16.

Will 'Reug Reug' have Anatoly Malykhin's number again, or will the latter exact revenge to perfection inside the Ariake Arena?

More fights will be added to the card in the coming months. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for any breaking news from this stacked card.