ONE Championship: Malykhin vs. Kane MMA fight marks heavyweight promotion’s debut in Atlanta

ONE Championship is organizing its first event in the American city of Atlanta and presenting it with a heavyweight fight.

Russian Anatoly Malykhin, the promotion’s heavyweight MMA champion, will put his heavyweight belt on the line against Senegalese Oumar Kane at ONE 169 on November 8.

The event in the Georgian state capital continues ONE Championship’s expansion into the potentially lucrative United States market. Chatri Sityodtong’s organization hosted ONE Fight Night 10 in Denver – will host ONE 168 again in September – last year.

Malykhin (14-0) is one of the biggest stars on the roster, also holding the middleweight and light heavyweight titles.

He had to cut his weight to 93kg to make weight for his middleweight title fight against Dutchman Reinier de Ridder in Qatar earlier this year, but he has been working hard to make weight back up for the first defense of the heavyweight belt he won. against Canadian Arjan Bhullar last year.

Kane (6-1), better known as “Reug Reug,” comes from traditional Senegalese wrestling and has won three fights in a row.

The 260-pound (118 kg) fighter had threatened to walk away from ONE Championship when his contract expired last year, but managed to agree a new deal.

The Malaykhin-Kane showdown won’t be the only title fight on the ONE 169 card: Atlanta-based favorite Jo Nattawut will face Tawanchai PK Saenchaigym for the third time this year, with the latter putting his Muay Thai title on the line lightweight. .

The two faced off at the ONE 167 main event in Bangkok earlier this month. Tawanchai was victorious, but it was not a popular decision, with the crowd in Bangkok making it clear that they felt Nattawut should have been declared the winner.

Nattawut received a good reception in Bangkok, Tawanchai’s hometown, and can expect even louder support in Atlanta, where he has resided for 11 years.