Anatoly Malykhin bags ONE Championship’s 2022 MMA Fighter of the Year award

Newly crowned two-division world champion Anatoly Malykhin has been named ONE Championship’s 2022 MMA Fighter of the Year. The promotion made the announcement on Instagram earlier this week.

“Anatoly Malykhin TRULY made a name for himself in 2022 🏆 The Russian powerhouse became a two-division king – and he is looking for MORE next year 🤯”

Malykhin’s selection should come as no surprise to ONE Championship fans who have watched the Russian juggernaut rise from being a relatively unknown fighter to becoming a two-division world champion last year. In February at ONE: Bad Blood, Malykhin captured his first world title with a second-round knockout of Kirill Grishenko to win the ONE interim heavyweight world championship.

Following the win, Malykhin bided his time while waiting for what seemed like an inevitable showdown with reigning heavyweight titleholder Arjan Bhullar. As that fight never materialized, Malykhin set his sights on capturing another ONE world title by facing Reinier de Ridder for the light heavyweight title.

‘The Dutch Knight’ was one of the most feared competitors in ONE, sporting an undefeated record with two pieces of ONE gold draped on his shoulders. None of that intimidated Anatoly Malykhin, who was determined to close out 2022 in a big way. He did exactly that at ONE on Prime Video 5 in December, when he knocked out de Ridder and took his light heavyweight world championship.

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ONE Championship’s CEO calls Anatoly Malykhin the best heavyweight on the planet

Nobody was more thrilled to see Anatoly Malykhin announced as the Fighter of the Year than the CEO and founder himself, Chatri Sityodtong. Responding to the announcement on Instagram, the ONE CEO reacted to the news by pointing out all the things that make ‘Sladkiy’ a success.

“Bar none, anatoly is the best heavyweight on the planet today with his russian national champion wrestling, big ko power, endless cardio, and natural speed and athleticism.”

As 2022 comes to a close, big things are expected of Malykhin in 2023, including an eventual showdown with ONE heavyweight world champion Arjan Bhullar. The two have taken verbal jabs at one another for the better part of a year, and with Bhullar announcing that he has been cleared for a return to the circle, his first stop will likely be a long-awaited unification bout with ONE Championship’s newest heavyweight sensation.