In a thrilling main event at ONE 169, Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane dethroned heavyweight champion Anatoly Malykhin via split decision to claim the ONE Heavyweight World Title.
Reug Reug Withstands Malykhin’s Onslaught
The highly anticipated heavyweight showdown between the undefeated Malykhin and the massive Senegalese wrestler Reug Reug lived up to the hype. From the opening bell, the two behemoths engaged in a grueling battle, with Reug Reug’s size and grappling proving to be a significant challenge for the three-division champion Malykhin.
Reug Reug scored an early takedown and controlled large portions of the fight by smothering Malykhin against the cage. Though Malykhin landed some hard shots on his feet, he was unable to put a dent in Reug’s chin. In the final round, it was Reug Reug who scored a knockdown, further cementing his case with the judges.
Upon reading the scorecards, two of the three judges awarded the fight to the new champion, Reug Reug, resulting in Malykhin’s first career defeat and ending his perfect finishing record.
Rodtang Dominates In The Non-Title Bout; Buchecha Scores Impressive Submission
In the co-main event, the always-exciting Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon put on a vintage striking performance, outclassing Jacob Smith over five rounds. However, Rodtang lost his flyweight Muay Thai title earlier in the day due to his inability to meet the weight requirements.
Elsewhere on the card, Brazilian grappling phenom Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida continued his impressive transition to MMA, submitting Iranian powerhouse Amir Aliakbari with a first-round rear-naked choke. The win earned Buchecha a $50,000 performance bonus.
Moraes, Ruotolo, And Miura Deliver Standout Performances
Former ONE flyweight champion Adriano Moraes bounced back from his recent title fight loss, submitting Danny Kingad with a second-round guillotine choke in their rematch. The win could set up Moraes for another shot at the vacant flyweight title.
In another highlight, submission grappling ace Kade Ruotolo made quick work of Ahmed Mujtaba, knocking him down early before finishing him with a D’arce choke just over a minute into the fight. Ruotolo’s performance also earned him a $50,000 bonus.
Buntan Crowned The Inaugural Women’s Flyweight Kickboxing Champion
One of the most anticipated bouts of the evening saw Jackie Buntan defeat Anissa Meksen to become the inaugural ONE Women’s Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion. The two elite strikers put on a back-and-forth battle, but ultimately the judges awarded the decision to the Philippines’ Buntan.
Undercard Features Impressive Finishes, Dominant Performances
There were several other standout performances on the stacked ONE 169 card.
- Ayaka Miura continued her atomweight dominance, submitting promotional newcomer Macarena Aragon with her signature scarf-hold Americana in the first round. The win earned Miura a $50,000 bonus.
- Kongthoranee Sor Sommai delivered a masterclass in Muay Thai, cruising to a unanimous decision win over Tagir Khalilov.
- Aliff Sor Dechapan outworked Brazilian striker Walter Goncalves over three rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory in their strawweight Muay Thai bout.
It was an action-packed night of fights at Lumpinee Stadium, with several warriors emerging victorious and making strong cases for future title opportunities. Reug Reug’s upset of the heavyweight champion Malykhin was undoubtedly the highlight, as the Senegalese star claimed his first major championship in ONE Championship.
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