Anatoly Malykhin Reclaims Heavyweight Crown, Retires After Fourth-Round TKO of Oumar Kane at ONE Event in Bangkok.

Bangkok – Anatoly “Sladkiy” Malykhin closed the book on his combat sports career in emphatic fashion on Friday night, stopping Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane in the fourth round to regain the ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title at Lumpinee Stadium. The headline bout of The Inner Circle event on May 15 carried major implications after the pair’s closely contested first meeting in late 2024. This time, the rematch delivered another high-intensity battle between two of ONE Championship’s most physically imposing heavyweights. From the opening round, Kane used his southpaw stance to manage distance, mixing side kicks and measured counters to keep the pressure-heavy Malykhin at bay. The Russian star, however, consistently pressed forward, hunting openings with looping power shots. As the fight progressed into the second round, the pace intensified. Malykhin began to find success closing distance, landing heavy overhand punches and forcing exchanges, while Kane answered with sharp timing and occasional counter strikes, including a clean uppercut that briefly checked the challenger’s momentum. The tactical back-and-forth continued through round three, with Kane still relying on kicks to control range, while Malykhin increasingly found his target with hooks and right hands. Despite absorbing clean shots, Kane remained composed and continued to fire back in exchanges. The turning point came in the fourth round. After a competitive opening minute, Malykhin finally broke through, landing a precise right hand that visibly rocked Kane. Sensing the finish, the Russian surged forward with a relentless barrage of punches, prompting referee intervention at 1:54 of the round. With the victory, Malykhin improved his professional record to 15-1, maintained his perfect finishing rate, and reclaimed the ONE Heavyweight MMA World Championship—reaffirming his status as a rare three-division titleholder. Moments after the stoppage, the 34-year-old Anatoly Malykhin left his gloves in the center of the cage, signaling his retirement from mixed martial arts on the sport’s biggest stage. The bout took place at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok as part of The Inner Circle, marking a dramatic conclusion to one of ONE Championship’s most decorated championship reigns.