Anatoly Malykhin: FREE FULL FIGHT: Anatoly Malykhin arrives on the global stage with brutal mauling of Alexandre Machado in ONE debut

Before Anatoly Malykhin made history as the first mixed martial artist to hold three major world titles in different weight classes simultaneously, he announced his arrival in ONE Championship by delivering a stellar debut performance.

This transpired when the Russian behemoth locked horns with Brazilian stalwart Alexandre Machado in a heavyweight MMA tussle at ONE: Fists of Fury II, held before a spectator-less Singapore Indoor Stadium during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021.

Watch the full fight uploaded by the promotion on its official YouTube channel below:

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In that encounter, Malykhin exhibited his dominant wrestling, taking control of Machado on the canvas and overpowering him to earn a technical knockout victory in the opening round.

Wasting no time, "Sladkiy" quickly closed the distance and secured an early takedown. Once on the mat, he transitioned to a mounted crucifix position and unleashed a relentless barrage of ground-and-pound, sealing the finish at the 3:28 mark.

Anatoly Malykhin achieved three-division MMA glory in ONE

Following his conquest of Alexandre Machado, Anatoly Malykhin's trajectory in the world's largest martial arts organization soared even higher.

He tasted his first 26 pounds of gold when he thwarted Kirill Grishenko in the second round of their matchup at ONE: Bad Blood in February 2022 to capture the ONE interim heavyweight MMA world championship.

Malykhin added another intricately crafted belt when he overthrew Renier de Ridder for the ONE light heavyweight MMA world title at ONE on Prime Video 5 in December 2022.

Six months later, "Sladkiy" cemented his status as the undisputed heavyweight MMA kingpin by vanquishing Arjan Bhullar in a world title unification at ONE Friday Fights 22.

At ONE 166 in March 2024, Malykhin entered the record books as the first-ever three-division MMA world champion.

However, his reign of terror came to a heartbreaking end at ONE 169 in November 2024 as he surrendered the ONE heavyweight MMA world title to Oumar "Reug Reug" Kane.

Now, Malykhin is keen on running things back with "Reug Reug" to reclaim the coveted strap he lost.

About the author

A sports journalist with over 10 years of experience, Nissi Icasiano has previously contributed to well-known platforms such as Rappler, Tiebreaker Times, International Business Times, ABS-CBN News, and currently, Sportskeeda. With a background in Legal Management, his attention to detail and thorough research shape his journalistic style.

Nissi specializes in MMA, particularly ONE Championship, and his love for the sport is evident in his in-depth coverage of its athletes and events. He has reported on major milestone events, including Demetrious Johnson’s final fight at ONE Championship's first U.S. event.

Nissi's hands-on experience in the sport of boxing enhances his understanding of combat sports. His dedication towards delivering informative and compelling content makes him a reliable source for MMA fans.

In his spare time, Nissi takes joy in spending time with his young daughter.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi