“I just messed it up” - Anatoly Malykhin rues relying too much on his boxing in shocking title loss to ‘Reug Reug’

What makes Anatoly Malykhin an extremely dangerous foe is his incredible well-rounded skills in mixed martial arts. However, in a shocking turn of events, the once-undefeated behemoth looked like he was off his game against 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane at ONE 169 last November.

After several unsuccessful attempts to take the fight to the ground, Malykhin relied on his boxing a bit too much and failed to mix things up with his grappling like he normally does.

'Sladkiy' paid for it dearly with a split decision loss, surrendering his ONE heavyweight MMA world championship and unbeaten record in the process.

While the 36-year-old from Kemerovo, Russia still holds both the light heavyweight and middleweight MMA belts, Malykhin took that setback hard.

In a video posted by Red Corner MMA on YouTube, Anatoly Malykhin said he has no one to blame but himself for his lackluster performance against the new heavyweight MMA kingpin:

"He won tonight. He did his job well. And I just messed it up. Went in there believing I was a good boxer, but it’s MMA."

To be fair, 'Reug Reug' also deserves credit for neutralizing Malykhin's overwhelming offense. The Senegalese giant also showcased incredible grit and toughness, as he was able to absorb the Russian KO artist's power shots.

Watch the full vlog episode, here:

Anatoly Malykhin wants to redeem himself at ONE 171

So far, Anatoly Malykhin is still waiting for his next date in the home of martial arts.

If the two-division MMA kingpin had his way, he'd like to fight again in the promotion's return to Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar for the upcoming ONE 171 on Feb. 20.

It is worth noting that the Russian conqueror captured the middleweight MMA crown in the same venue when he dethroned Reinier de Ridder at ONE 166 last March.

Now, Malykhin wants a spot in ONE's next massive spectacle in the Middle East. He said during a meet and greet session for ONE Fight Night 26:

"I came out of the fight with Reug Reug injury-free and feeling great. I'm ready to headline the card. Let's go!"

Follow this link for exclusive first-access tickets to ONE 171: Qatar.