In March 2024, Anatoly Malykhin made history, which prompted a remark from Islam Makhachev. The Russian heavyweight defeated Reinier de Ridder in the third round of their main event pairing to win the ONE Middleweight MMA World Championship at ONE 166: Qatar, becoming the first three-division MMA World Champion.
Islam Makhachev, the current UFC Lightweight World Champion, posted a picture of Malykhin wearing three golden belts on Instagram. “Most dangerous guy in the planet,” He tagged Malykhin in the shot and added it as a caption.
Makhachev, a Russian fighter from Dagestan, has established himself as one of the most formidable opponents in combat sports and is currently rated as the UFC’s best pound-for-pound competitor. Malykhin’s being called the “most dangerous” speaks volumes about his compatriots’ achievements.
Anatoly Malykhin Reveals Untold Conversation With Islam Makhachev
Anatoly created history at ONE 166: Qatar by defeating Reinier de Ridder twice and winning three weights.
Before the bout, Malykhin was once again supremely confident that there would only be one outcome, but this wasn’t because he didn’t have respect for his opponents. The undefeated Russian’s performances reflect his belief that he is now competing higher than his opponent.
In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Anatoly Malykhin discussed his philosophy and included a comment from Islam Makhachev, the UFC lightweight champion, who recently gave him admiration.
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Anatoly Malykhin is not a close friend of Islam Makhachev. Still, the fighter said (at timestamp 17.21), “He even called me once” Along with this, the fighter added, “I’ll quote Islam Makhachev–‘In this game, there are different levels…Reinier is great, but I’m on a different level. It’s my coach, my team, my wife, my family. They give me confidence. I leave my whole self out there. Reinier is very talented and very tough. But he cannot beat me. I am tougher.”
Makhachev’s declaration that Anatoly Malykhin is now the most dangerous fighter in the world opens the door for exciting fights in mixed martial arts, including a potential matchup with Francis Ngannou.
Also Read: UFC 302: Reasons Why Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier Will Be a Must-Watch
