Anatoly Malykhin recently showed that the ONE Championship Circle isn’t the only place where he can score victory. The three-division champion recently stepped away from the realm of fighting, where he stands at the top to conquer the domain of football.

The three-division titleholder helped his team win in the Idol League – a Thai charity football competition – after being invited to play by ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.

Anatoly Malykhin’s first experience with Thai football

Rodtang has been a fixture at the event for some time, and he asked “Sladkiy” to take part as he knew the Russian would be in Bangkok to watch ONE 167, where “The Iron Man” found success in his kickboxing brawl with Denis Puric.

In an interview with ONE, Malykhin shared how impressed he was with the caliber of talent. “Today, I experienced Thai football for the first time. The players are amazing. They play so well, and they’re so fast and skilled. But most importantly, they are humble and welcoming,” he said.

He further added, “They welcomed me into the team and gave me the captain’s armband, which made me feel a sense of responsibility..My heart was pounding like before a fight, but I went out on the field for the second half, and we immediately went on the attack. With my help, we scored a goal.”

Malykhin’s unexpected and joyful experience with the Fight Knights

The ONE superstars’ team, Fight Knights, easily won their game, 5-0, but the real joy came from the experience for “Sladkiy.” The hulking Russian later revealed that it wasn’t what he expected, but he expressed gratitude to Rodtang for the offer to play and his team for the welcoming atmosphere.

“There was a real show there. TV broadcast, cameras, commentators, spotlights. I thought we would just play in a hangar, but it was a whole event. It was a great game. It was awesome,” Malykhin said.

“I got incredibly cool impressions from it. They were kind, open, and cheerful people. I saw in them not just a football team but a real family. Everyone helps each other, supports each other, and asks how things are going. I’m so grateful to Rodtang for the invitation. The attitude toward me in the team was like toward their own,” he said