“That's what pushes me” – Anatoly Malykhin on the cusp of history-making third world title run

ONE heavyweight and light heavyweight MMA world champion Anatoly Malykhin is on the cusp of making history as an unprecedented three-division world champion this Friday, March 1 at ONE 166: Qatar.

For many in the sport, even just capturing one belt at the highest level is a very difficult thing to achieve. But Anatoly Malykhin, as always, makes it look so easy, although if you ask him, it’s probably the hardest thing he’s ever trained for.

Competing across three divisions, for instance, is extremely hard on the body and mind. There’s a lot of risk involved when you move from one weight class to the next.

But when you’re so close to achieving something that very few athletes have been able to pull off, you better make sure that you’re the best version of yourself yet. That appears to be what is pushing Malykhin, when speaking to ONE Championship said:

“I want to make history...And that's what pushes me to get up early in the morning and give it 100%.”

The Russian juggernaut is ready to transcend beyond what’s possible with another great finish over ‘The Dutch Knight’ Reinier de Ridder.

The two titans first met back in December 2022, when Malykhin challenged the former double world champion for his ONE light heavyweight crown. During their showdown, Malykhin showcased another level of dominance that we hadn’t seen in his previous matches.

He was patient, calm, strategic, and precise. There’s nothing he could’ve done better after putting on such a flawless performance. However, if you’re Malykhin, there’s always room for improvement.

ONE 166: Qatar will air live on March 1 free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

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Anatoly Malykhin pantomimes shoveling Reinier de Ridder’s grave ahead of blockbuster rematch

It’s not uncommon to see Anatoly Malykhin poke fun at some of MMA's most high-profile stars. Reinier de Ridder, of course, isn’t safe from ridicule and has been the butt of every joke since their rematch was announced.

This time, Malykhin teasingly called his opposition a “meatball” on Instagram, as he wrote:

’I’m a monster, I’m hungry, well, where are you my meatball @deriddermma?”