“I gritted my teeth and worked” - Anatoly Malykhin on going from pure wrestler to complete fighter

Reigning and undisputed ONE heavyweight, light heavyweight, and middleweight MMA world champion 'Sladkiy' Anatoly Malykhin of Russia, over the last few years, has rapidly transformed himself into one of the most dominant Russian wrestlers into a complete mixed martial arts fighting machine.

And the 36-year-old from Kemerovo says it's all about becoming the best in the sport, and a long time ago, he realized that there was something severely lacking in his game -- the striking.

Today, Malykhin has some of the most dangerous hands in the business. 'Sladkiy' put himself through rigorous training, as guided by his coaches.

He told Red Corner MMA in a recent interview:

"Boxing is the same. After my first training session, my whole body would hurt. In wrestling, you constantly pull, but in boxing, you throw punches. I’d come home and say: ‘Why do I need to box? I’m beating everyone in wrestling.’ The guys replied: ‘Keep going. When you fight a wrestler, you’ll have an advantage.’"

Not long after, he began working on his boxing with coach John Hutchinson at the renowned Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand.

He added:

"So, I gritted my teeth and worked. I started to like boxing and combining it with wrestling. There was a new variety, I started thinking differently. When you’re just a wrestler, that’s one thing, but when you can strike and go for a takedown, you’re working with level changes."

Catch Malykhin back in action this November.

Anatoly Malykhin to defend heavyweight gold against dangerous Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane

Triple champ Anatoly Malykhin will make the first defense of his ONE heavyweight MMA world title when he locks horns with Senegalese wrestling sensation Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane.

The two throw down at ONE 169: Atlanta, which broadcasts live from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on Friday, Nov. 8.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free on Amazon Prime Video.