Anatoly Malykhin will face Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane in a rematch for the ONE heavyweight title at ONE 173 in Tokyo, after Kane previously defeated Malykhin in a close split decision to claim the title.
Anatoly Malykhin is gearing up to reclaim the ONE heavyweight title. He’ll face Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane in a rematch at ONE 173, set for Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Sunday, Nov. 16.
ONE Championship officials confirmed this exciting news to MMA Fighting on Monday. These heavyweights are meeting again after “Reug Reug” shocked the world by defeating Malykhin in November 2024.
Their first clash went the distance, with “Reug Reug” edging out a razor-close split decision. It marked Malykhin’s first career loss after 14 straight wins.
That victory boosted “Reug Reug” to a 7-1 record, but he hasn’t stepped into the cage since. Now, almost a year later, the 33-year-old Senegalese heavyweight is ready for the rematch.
Before his unexpected defeat, Malykhin was seen as one of the top two heavyweights outside the UFC, alongside Francis Ngannou. His run in ONE Championship was impressive, capturing titles in two more weight classes.
He even managed to defeat current UFC middleweight contender Reinier de Ridder twice, both by knockout. With the rematch looming, Malykhin aims to correct past mistakes, while “Reug Reug” looks to cement his status as champion.
Meanwhile, the main event at ONE 173 features a featherweight kickboxing title unification bout. Current champion Superbon will defend his belt against interim champion Masaaki Noiri.