“Most dangerous guy on the planet” - UFC champ Islam Makhachev puts Anatoly Malykhin above everyone else

Three-division world champion Anatoly Malykhin can easily say he’s on top of the world, and a fellow Russian superstar can attest to that.

Islam Makhachev, the reigning UFC lightweight world champion, said the ONE middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight MMA world champion belongs on a tier all to himself.

In an Instagram Story, Makhachev said Malykhin is on a level above anyone else in the current mixed martial arts landscape.

“Most dangerous guy on the planet,” wrote Makhachev.

Anatoly Malykhin’s collection of belts alone proves Makhachev’s statements, yet that’s not the end of the triple-champ’s insane aura.

‘Sladkiy’ is arguably the most terrifying man in MMA, with all 14 of his career wins ending in either a submission or a knockout.

Despite his status as a Master of Sport in Freestyle Wrestling, Malykhin doesn’t rely too much on his grappling and instead uses his dynamite boxing to render his opponents unconscious.

Anatoly Malykhin is a perfect 6-0 in ONE Championship, with all six wins coming by way of knockout.

The 36-year-old first held gold in February 2022 when he knocked out Kirill Grishenko for the ONE interim heavyweight MMA world title. He then added the ONE light heavyweight MMA world title to his collection when he knocked out Reinier de Ridder in December 2022.

Malykhin became an undisputed two-division world champion when he mauled Arjan Bhullar at ONE Friday Fights 22 to unify the heavyweight belts.

He then reached rarified air when he scored a TKO win over de Ridder to claim the ONE middleweight MMA world title at ONE 166 this past weekend in Qatar.

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Anatoly Malykhin recounts the hard work he put in to reach triple-champ status

Becoming a world champion is the pinnacle of any fighter’s career, while reaching double-champ status is almost a fever dream.

Holding three world titles in as many divisions, however, is practically impossible.

Nevertheless, Anatoly Malykhin did the unthinkable when he beat Reinier de Ridder to add the ONE middleweight MMA world title to his collection.

In his post-fight press conference following ONE 166, Malykhin recalled the hard work he put in to become the ONE middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight MMA world champion.

“It’s been nothing but hard work for the past three years. Every day [Tiger Muay Thai coach] Jonny [Hutchinson] calls me at 4 am and says ‘Hey Anatoly wake up! Let’s go champ, let’s go!’ At 4 am! He’s a crazy coach. I love this guy.”

ONE 166 is available on free replay to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.