8 hours ago
'Reug Reug' vs. Anatoly Malykhin heavyweight title rematch booked for ONE 173
"Reug Reug" is set to make his first ONE Championship title defense against a familiar foe.
They're running it back.
Oumar Kane, better known as "Reug Reug," is set to defend his ONE Championship heavyweight title against the man from whom he won it, Anatoly Malykhin. The two are set to clash in the co-main event of ONE 173, which is set to go down on Nov. 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. Superbon vs. Masaaki Noiri, a ONE featherweight kickboxing title unification bout, will serve as the main event of the card.
ONE Championship announced the news of the two title bouts on Monday morning.
"Reug Reug" (7-1) won the ONE Championship heavyweight title in November of last year, beating Malykhin in a big upset. Many didn't see the Senegalese dethroning Malykhin, but he managed to do so in a split decision. "Reug Reug" earned MMA Junkie's 2024 Upset of the Year with the victory. The 33-year-old is on a four-fight winning streak.
On the other hand, Malykhin (14-1) is looking to restore his standing as a three-division champion, as he currently holds both the light heavyweight and middleweight ONE Championship belts. The loss to "Reug Reug" marked Malykhin's first professional defeat in his 15-fight MMA career
