ONE Championship’s November event in Atlanta, Georgia just got bigger, quite literally, with the booking of a huge heavyweight title clash in the main event.
Reigning three-division ONE world champion Anatoly Malykhin has captured the promotion’s MMA titles at heavyweight, light heavyweight and middleweight, and will face the imposing challenge of former Senegalese wrestling phenom Oumar Kane, better known simply as “Reug Reug,” in a heavyweight title bout at ONE 169 on Friday, November 8.
Malykhin captured heavyweight gold with victory over Arjan Bhullar at ONE Friday Fights 22 in June 2023, and went on to defeat two-division champion Reinier De Ridder twice to add the light heavyweight and middleweight titles to his collection.
Now “Sladkiy” returns to his natural weight class to face “Reug Reug” who will have a considerable size and weight advantage over the Russian champion when they meet at State Farm Arena on November 8.
Kane has a 6-1 career record, and heads into his first championship challenge riding a three-fight win streak. A second-round TKO finish of Batradz Gazzaev started his current run, with unanimous decision wins over Zhasur Mirzamukhamedov and grappling ace Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida earning him a shot at the belt.
Tawanchai and Nattawut set for trilogy clash
Also booked for the event is a second title fight, with ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai putting his belt on the line against Smokin’ Jo Nattawut in a trilogy bout.
After Tawanchai edged a decision under kickboxing rules in October 2023, the pair recently battled all the way to the scorecards in a Muay Thai world title bout at ONE 167, with Tawanchai claiming a razor-thin decision verdict that some felt should have gone Nattawut’s way. Now they’re booked to meet for a third time to finally produce a decisive result and put their rivalry to bed once and for all.
