Three-division king Anatoly Malykhin shows respect for Reinier de Ridder after ONE 166 war: “He deserves everything in the world”

Triple world champion Anatoly Malykhin showcased the spirit of martial arts when he shook hands with long-time rival Reinier de Ridder after their ONE 166 war.

The two combatants put an end to their two-year rivalry the moment Malyhkin claimed the ONE middleweight MMA world title via third-round TKO victory.

Seeing as it took three rounds to finish the defending champion, the Russian superstar couldn’t deny the effort and courage it took for de Ridder to fight him again on the world stage:

“For me, he deserves everything in the world,” Malykhin told media at the ONE post-event interview. “He has been nothing but an elite athlete. He deserves respect and I hope he truly gets all the respect after tonight [with the way he fought].”

See the full post-fight presser below:

The last thing Anatoly Malykhin expected from de Ridder was an improved standup fight. The Dutchman made serious changes to his game by incorporating some Muay Thai in his striking in addition to his jiu-jitsu.

Elbows and knee-punch combinations found their target, but Malykhin’s dominating pressure proved overwhelming. De Ridder ultimately succumbed to the Russian’s heavy punches to the point of exhaustion. He was unable to get back to his feet in the third round after making a final submission attempt.

The replay of ONE 166 is available free for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

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Anatoly Malykhin’s boxing coach celebrates making history with his “phenomenal team”

Tiger Muay Thai boxing coach, John Hutchinson, has been instrumental in Anatoly Malykhin’s journey towards three-division supremacy in ONE Championship.

Ever since Malykhin moved to Thailand and began training at Tiger Muay Thai, his skills have skyrocketed beyond all limits. He’s never lost a fight, always looks amazing before each event, and gets better and better after each new match.

After experiencing a few crushing losses by some of the best competitors in the gym, including Felipe Lobo in Muay Thai and Fabricio Andrade in kickboxing, Hutchinson continues to express gratitude.

Proud of reaping the fruits of his labor, Hutchinson posted the following caption on Instagram celebrating Malykhin’s three-belt victory:

“Rising to new heights surrounded by incredible souls.🥇Gratitude for my phenomenal team. #CheersToHistory #OneChampionship #WeAreOne.”