feature-image
feature-image

The ONE Championship heavyweight division finally has an undisputed World Champion again, and his name is Anatoly Malykhin. At ONE Friday Fights 22 on June 23, the Russian juggernaut defeated Arjan Bhullar by TKO in the third round of their scheduled five-round World Title unification bout to leave no questions about who the best heavyweight in the world today is.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

Malykhin was aggressive throughout the match, systematically attacking the returning Indian star’s head and body in another impressive display of his boxing skills. As a result, Bhullar was pushed to the ring corners countless times, with little to no offense on his part. He did prove durable, however, absorbing multiple shots like it was nothing and pushing Malykhin to the longest match he has seen in his professional MMA career.

ADVERTISEMENT

Anatoly Malykhin dominated Arjan Bhullar earning a lucrative bonus like eight other fighters

But when he took the match to the ground in the third frame and proceeded to rain down punches on his foe, Bhullar looked all but done. The 37-year-old wrestling star even tried to use the ropes to escape the onslaught, earning him a yellow card. 

Malykhin moved in for the kill when the action was reset, thought, and his ground-and-pound brought an end to the match at the 2:42 mark of the third round. With his 13th straight win, Malykhin earned another US$50,000 performance bonus and continued his insane 100% finishing rate.

article-image

The heavyweight World Title unification bout was one of seven bouts on the 11-fight card that ended in a stoppage, with nine fighters being awarded bonuses and two stars claiming contracts for ONE’s main roster. Thongpoon PK Saenchai and Nico Carrillo both produced incredible performances that earned them each a US$10,000 bonus and a life-changing contract that gives them the chance to compete at the Singapore-based promotion’s marquee events.

READ MORE – “I’ll Kill Two Birds With One Stone” – Kairat Akhmetov Plans to Fulfill Dreams of Reclaiming World Title and Defeating Demetrious Johnson

Elsewhere in the show, ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 chopped down the massive teenage striking sensation Nabil Anane to continue his quest for Muay Thai gold.

There were a lot of other showstoppers at the Malykhin vs Bhullar event as well

The event also saw Prajanchai PK Saenchai claim the interim ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Title at the expense of former two-sport, two-division World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao.

READ MORE – Chingiz Allazov All Set to Level Things Against Marat Grigorian for His Featherweight Kickboxing Title Defense at ONE Fight Night 13

ONE Championship gold will once again be on the line at ONE Fight Night 12, as light heavyweight kickboxing king Roman Kryklia defends his crown against Albania’s Francesko Xhaja on US primetime on Friday, July 14. Meanwhile, the ONE Friday Fights series continues next week with ONE Friday Fights 23 on June 30.

ADVERTISEMENT

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Souvik Roy

1,315 Articles

The coveted scrap between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson in 2002 was when I realized the passion for combat sports within my family. My interest in combat sports began watching scripted pro wrestling shows. It was my father who directed me towards combat sports and it wasn’t until the late 2010s that I discovered the world of MMA and the UFC. Like many of you, I too, tuned in for the infamous Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor bout live on October 6, 2018. Being an ardent fan of the UFC (and Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier), I was always looking to have conversations about the same with others. But to my disappointment, I hardly found any followers of the sports to interact with. So I took it upon myself to do my part in popularizing the thrill and the agony behind the purest form of unarmed combat. At EssentiallySports, I try to bring the readers closer to the athletes and focus my coverage on exploring the human side of these martial artists. I’m a musician during my time free from reporting MMA. I operate as the lead vocalist of a rock band that aims to make their mark among the audiences with their original alternative-hard rock songs. You can hit me up at-

Know more

Edited by

editor-image

Anuj Jacob

ADVERTISEMENT