Reigning and undisputed ONE heavyweight, light heavyweight, and middleweight MMA world champion 'Sladkiy' Anatoly Malykhin of Russia is expected to make it out to Bangkok once again for ONE Fight Night 22, where he will put his full support behind his Russian contemporaries.
Rising star 'Karelian Lynx' Natalia Diachkova will get a crack at the ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai world title currently held by Swedish teenage sensation 'The Hurricane' Smilla Sundell.
The two elite women strikers meet in the main event of ONE Fight Night 22: Sundell vs. Diachkova on Prime Video, which broadcasts live from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
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Malykhin is a staunch supporter of his Russian countrymen and women, and he will be ringside at Lumpinee to cheer Diachkova on as she goes for gold.
Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Malykhin shared his thoughts on Diachkova's chances against Sundell.
The triple champ said:
"Of course, she [Natalia Diachkova] has all the necessary skills. But the main thing is to know how to use them. The most important thing in a fight, besides preparation, is to have a good mindset."
Anatoly Malykhin predicts a golden future for Natalia Diachkova: "She will become champion"
Unbeaten three-division MMA world champion Anatoly Malykhin believes Natalia Diachkova has all the tools she needs to dethrone Smilla Sundell and cause a massive upset at ONE Fight Night 22 on Prime Video.
'Sladkiy' believes 'Karelian Lynx' will hold the gold by the end of the night. He told ONE Championship:
"Diachkova is a very dangerous fighter. She punches well, she is physically very strong, and is mentally charged. My wife follows her closely and predicts that she will become champion."
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action of ONE Fight Night 22 live and absolutely free on Friday, May 3rd, U.S. primetime, with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.