Anatoly Malykhin Retires After Reclaiming ONE Heavyweight Title Against Reug Reug

Anatoly Malykhin brought an emotional end to his MMA career on Friday night after defeating Oumar Kane, better known as “Reug Reug,” in their long-awaited rematch at The Inner Circle. In the fourth round, Malykhin knocked Kane out to retake the ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title and later declared his retirement in the ring.

After clinching a victory, the Russian star set his gloves in the middle of the cage, marking the end of one of the greatest championship streaks in the history of ONE Championship. With his retirement, the heavyweight, light heavyweight, and middleweight titles of the promotion are all up for grabs. Malykhin was holding all three belts when he retired.

Malykhin Gets Revenge In Rematch

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Malykhin’s second fight with Kane was important after their first encounter at Lumpinee Stadium in Nov. 2024. In that encounter, Kane allowed Malykhin to bring in the first loss of his pro MMA career via split decision after five rounds. Kane’s win completed the feat of becoming the first African-born fighter to become a ONE World Champion and seemingly put an end to Malykhin’s status as a three-division titleholder. The original contest had also caused some controversy for Malykhin, who picked up the ropes repeatedly to create takedowns.

This second showdown at The Inner Circle was a chance for each to redeem themselves, and Malykhin made a huge impression. Anatoly then held a competitive start to the fight, but slowly made his way into Kane‘s zone before securing the win with a knockdown in the fourth round and winning the heavyweight title back.

Retirement Leaves Fans Stunned

Many fans thought Malykhin would be celebrating his victory, but nobody expected his unpredictable decision. After the victory, Anatoly took off his gloves and dropped them in the center of the ring, making his official exit from MMA competition. He explained that he no longer enjoyed the business side of fighting and had grown tired of the emotional toll that came with fighting.

He also revealed plans to return to Russia and focus on a quieter lifestyle centered around farming and caring for animals.

Three Divisions Left Without Champions

The departure of Malykhin leaves many questions unanswered for ONE Championship. All three weight divisions are now effectively without a champion, as he held all three titles at once.

The promotion is now likely to have to stage several championship shows to revamp their title card in several weight divisions. With a 15-1 pro record, Malykhin’s athletic career ends as one of the only fighters in MMA history to win titles in all three divisions.

Reug Reug Reacts After Loss

Kane was heard grumbling about the fallout from the match and the chaos that reportedly followed. Kane threatened to boycott the promotion again if some members of Malykhin’s staff were permitted to participate in future ONEs, saying he wanted them to be disciplined.

Kane may have been beaten, but he’s one of the division’s biggest names and still looks intent on keeping on winning championships in the years to come. He also acknowledged mistakes in the fight and stated that he remains focused on moving forward.

End Of An Era

Malykhin’s retirement is an important chapter in ONE Championship’s history. He was one of the most dominant and feared fighters and was also one of the few three-division champions. Despite his retirement, he remains one of the most successful heavyweight champions in the history of ONE Championship.

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