Anatoly Malykhin aims for first‑round knockout in Bangkok rematch with Oumar Kane

Two‑division ONE MMA champion Anatoly Malykhin will face Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane on May 15 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, in what he has called a first‑round finish. The bout is a rematch of their ONE 169 encounter, which went the distance and ended in a split‑decision loss for Malykhin, stripping him of the heavyweight title.

Malykhin says he has returned to the Dagestani wrestling system that powered his 14‑stop streak before the defeat, adding more MMA sparring and focusing on hard‑training camps. He believes the renewed emphasis on his core strengths will enable him to knock out Kane and reclaim the belt. After the Bangkok fight, Malykhin has outlined an ambitious trilogy plan that would see a second clash in Africa, “in front of his own crowd,” should he emerge victorious.

The event marks Malykhin’s first heavyweight title fight since the cancelled ONE 173 matchup, and he is determined to settle the rivalry decisively inside the ring.