ONE MMA Heavyweight contender, Senegalese powerhouse Oumar Kane, has been absent from the Circle since his last fight against Marcus Almedia at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian in August 2023. While Kane previously expressed a desire to pursue boxing, it seems he can’t resist the allure of MMA and ONE Championship. Immediately following his last victory, he declared his intention to challenge the reigning three-division ONE MMA World Champion Anatoly Malykhin if their paths ever crossed.

Now, Anatoly Malykhin has ignited a social media war against Kane with a new Instagram story. The content of the story seems to be a disrespectful jab aimed at Kane. This online spat could be a sign of a brewing rivalry and a potential future fight between the two powerhouses.

Malykhin eyes ‘easy money’ fight against Oumar Kane

Anatoly Malykhin is riding high on confidence after his dominant victory over Reiner de Ridder at ONE 166: Qatar in the Middleweight MMA World Championship. This win cemented his status as a true force in the ONE Championship, as he had previously captured the ONE Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight titles, becoming a three-division ONE MMA World Champion. Malykhin is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous fighters in the organization right now.

Anatoly Malykhin’s latest social media story has ignited a war of words with Oumar Kane. In the photo, Malykhin stands with his championship belts around his waist, while a dog on a leash holds a toy resembling Kane’s head. The caption, “A dog will always be a dog,” clearly takes aim at Kane. Malykhin further adds, ‘Easy money is on the way” in Russian, implying he views a potential fight with Kane as an easy win.

Undoubtedly, Malykhin has every right to be confident, but he shouldn’t forget that “Reug Reug” poses a serious threat as he has three consecutive wins, most notably overpowering Marcus Almedia in a grueling 15-minute battle at ONE Fight Night 13 last August. This win has seriously boosted Oumar Kane’s chances of landing a shot at Malykhin’s title. Back in March, Malykhin even mentioned Kane on social media as a possible future opponent, hinting at Kane’s potential as a contender.

Oumar Kane responds to Malykhin’s call-out list

Anatoly Malykhin, the current ONE Heavyweight World Champion isn’t just a knockout artist in the ring. He’s also a bit of a showman. After crushing Reinier de Ridder at ONE 166: Qatar, Malykhin couldn’t resist flaunting his growing collection of champion belts, a clear reminder of his dominance across multiple weight classes. And that’s not all. Back in April, he went viral with a wild Instagram post featuring riding a three-headed dragon-each head symbolizing a different heavyweight contender waiting for their shot at the throne.

Malykhin’s social media boasting caught the eye of  “Reug Reug”, who wasn’t shy about challenging him in the comments. “Your head is coming off first,” Kane wrote, firing a clear warning shot and showing he isn’t fazed by Malykhin’s reign of terror. On paper,  Malykhin’s record might be more impressive, but ONE Championship hasn’t officially confirmed Kane as his next challenger. Still, Kane’s recent win was a dominant display of wrestling and knockout power, proving he’s a serious threat to the champ’s throne.