Anatoly Malykhin inspires new generation of fighters in his hometown of Kemerovo

Reigning ONE light-heavyweight and heavyweight world champion Anatoly Malykhin is one of the latest entries in the long line of Russian world champions in MMA. Being the first Russian heavyweight world champion since the great Fedor Emelianenko, 'Sladkiy' has tremendous pressure on his shoulders to set a great example to his countrymen.

In a recent Instagram post, Anatoly Malykhin was seen mingling and interacting with his fans in his hometown of Kemerovo:

"We share the atmosphere of Anatoly Sergeevich's meeting with fans in his native Kemerovo)) Children are our bright future ❤️"

Though he may seem brutish and violent inside the Circle, Malykhin is a kind-hearted man outside of it. He always makes sure to use his influence on a global platform to inspire others to be the best versions of themselves. He uses the tenets of martial arts to teach honor, discipline, dedication, and community.

Make no mistakes, however, once the bells rings, Mr. Nice Guy Malykhin immediately leaves the building. In his last performance in ONE Championship, 'Sladkiy' absolutely demolished his rival Arjan Bhullar for the undisputed ONE heavyweight world title at ONE Friday Fights 22 last June.

Malykhin showcased his masterful sense of controlled chaos as he methodically dismantled 'Singh' inside three rounds. The heavy-handed Russian used his piston-like jab and followed it up with sledgehammer-like right hands that increasingly broke down Bhullar's will.

By round 3, Bhullar was on desperation wrestling with Anatoly Malykhin effortlessly thwarting all of the Indian-Canadian's takedown attempts. Once the fight hit the ground, however, 'Sladkiy' managed to maintain top position, where pummeled his foe 'til the referee called for a stop in the contest.

At the moment, no official opponent has been signed to challenge Anatoly Malykhin for one of his world titles yet. Two heavyweights on 3-fight winning streaks, Amir Alaikbari and Oumar Kane, might pose legitimate challenges for the 2-division world champion. We'll just have to wait and see.