5 Takeaways From ONE On Prime Video 5: De Ridder Vs. Malykhin
Last Friday, ONE on Prime Video 5: De Ridder vs. Malykhin marked ONE Championship’s big return to Manila, Philippines.
The packed house at the Mall of Asia Arena was rewarded with nine extraordinary bouts across three different sports, each showcasing some of the best martial artists in the world while setting the stage for a memorable World Title main event.
Before we look ahead to ONE on Prime Video 6: Superbon vs. Allazov on January 13, here are five big takeaways from the thrilling December 2 card.
Anatoly Malykhin Might Be The Baddest Man On The Planet
Anatoly Malykhin continued his ascent toward becoming a global superstar by pummeling Reinier de Ridder and capturing the ONE Light Heavyweight World Title with a first-round knockout.
By dominating “The Dutch Knight” – who came into this contest with a 16-0 MMA record – Malykhin inched closer to pound-for-pound greatness. His compact base made him too strong in the clinch, and his lunchbox-sized fists hammered away at the grappling specialist’s body.
The victory marked Malykhin’s sixth consecutive knockout and pushed his professional record to 12-0. He has never seen the judges’ scorecards, and he added the light heavyweight belt to his interim heavyweight strap.
Next, a World Title unification bout with ONE Heavyweight World Champion Arjan Bhullar should be on the horizon, and becoming the undisputed king of a second division would only elevate the Russian to greater heights.
Since joining ONE in 2021, Malykhin has gone from obscurity to stardom.
The rest of the world is finally noticing the 34-year-old’s crushing power and charismatic personality. And after a sensational 2022, he’ll look to cement an indelible legacy atop the martial arts mountain in 2023.
The Ruotolo Brothers Are Changing The Game
Twin BJJ superstars Kade Ruotolo and Tye Ruotolo continued to reinvent the sport of submission grappling with their standout performances in Manila.
Tye followed up his victory over Garry Tonon at ONE 157 with a triangle-armbar submission of former featherweight MMA titleholder Marat Gafurov.
Although Gafurov put together a strong showing, it was not enough to survive against Tye for an extended period of time on the mat.
Later in the evening, Kade made the first defense of his ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Championship against two-time IBJJF World Champion Matheus Gabriel.
The 19-year-old opened the match with a highlight-reel takedown and his aggressiveness never wavered, leading to a unanimous decision victory.
The twins are not just reimagining how to compete at the highest levels, but they’re also becoming inspirations for the next generation of grapplers.
It’s a remarkable feat before they exit their teenage years, but that’s the effect they are having with their exciting styles and thrilling victories on a global platform.
Soldic vs. Ramazanov Should Be Rebooked ASAP
Roberto Soldic’s ONE debut ended abruptly after an errant strike landed below his belt, but what took place leading up to that moment is why we need an immediate rematch between the Croatian sensation and Russian destroyer Murad Ramazanov.
Soldic was thrown right into the fire against an undefeated top welterweight MMA contender. And Ramazanov quickly made that clear with an early takedown of “Robocop” that showed he could implement his game against the highly touted newcomer.
Would Ramazanov be able to continue landing takedowns and impose his wrestling against Soldic? Or would the Croatian knockout artist adjust and unleash his incredible power on the feet?
Those questions lingered after the no-contest result in Manila, and a rematch could determine the next challenger to newly crowned ONE Welterweight World Champion Christian Lee.
The Real Lowen Tynanes Is Back
Lowen Tynanes had been struggling with back issues over the past several years, but he finally appears healthy and ready to reclaim his position as one of the most promising contenders in the lightweight MMA division.
After suffering his first career loss, the Hawaiian re-entered the win column against Dae Sung Park by utilizing his trademark wrestling-heavy attack.
Although the South Korean had his moments, Tynanes was able to consistently bring the action to the ground and found himself in more dominant positions.
After 15 minutes of solid action, Tynanes showed that he has not lost a step. When in peak condition, the 32-year-old is truly among the lightweight elite.
As the division continues adding more sharks to the water, Tynanes is swimming back into the ocean.
‘Reug Reug’ Continues To Improve
After tasting defeat for the first time in 2021, “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane revamped his game and returned better than ever. On Friday, he showcased his all-around skill set with a unanimous decision win over previously unbeaten foe Jasur Mirzamukhamedov.
Although he has improved every aspect of his MMA arsenal, “Reug Reug” still relies on his Senegalese wrestling base. And with each successive takedown becoming easier, Kane’s confidence only rose throughout Friday’s match.
The win was also a display of his improved cardio. The 31-year-old maintained his work rate across the 15-minute contest and consistently controlled his 6-foot-6 opponent.
“Reug Reug” has learned he cannot be wild in ONE’s heavyweight division and has grown more skilled and patient with each passing battle. Following some setbacks, perhaps 2023 will be the year that Kane challenges for the divisional gold.
