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ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai world title challenger 'Karelian Lynx' Natalia Diachkova of Russia holds his countryman, three-division MMA king 'Sladkiy' Anatoly Malykhin in high regard.
In fact, the 29-year-old striking star recently called Malykhin the 'image of a real Russian man' in an interview with ONE Championship.
Malykhin has been known to be a staunch supporter of his fellow Russian athletes in the world's largest martial arts organization. The 36-year-old Kemerovo native often makes trips out to Bangkok, even when he doesn't have a fight scheduled, to throw support behind his countrymen and women.
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'Sladkiy' is expected to do the same for Diachkova when she heads to Thailand's capital next week for a world title opportunity.
'Karelian Lynx' told ONE Championship:
"I don't know Anatoly [Malykhin] personally, but he definitely evokes the image of a real Russian man that I imagined in my childhood from when watching war-time and heroic movies. He puts on a show, he jokes around, but he is strong. So it's ok for him."
Diachkova is set to challenge 'The Hurricane' Smilla Sundell of Sweden for the latter's ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai world title in the main event of ONE Fight Night 22: Sundell vs. Diachkova on Prime Video.
The event broadcasts live from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free on Friday, May 3rd, U.S. primetime, via an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Natalia Diachkova downplays Smilla Sundell's dominant run at strawweight: "There are stronger girls out there!"
Many people regard Smilla Sundell as one of the most dominant world champions in ONE today. But Natalia Diachkova is hardly impressed and says there are fighters way better than 'The Hurricane', herself included.
She told ONE Championship:
"I don't think so. I think there are stronger girls out there!"
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates on ONE Fight Night 22 as it happens.
