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Anatoly Malykhin wants to become the world’s first three-division champion in MMA, and he will challenge ONE Championship middleweight titleholder Reinier de Ridder in the main event of ONE 166 in Lusail, Qatar, the company announced Thursday.
Malykhin—ranked in the top 15 in two divisions in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings—claimed the the ONE heavyweight and light heavyweight belts in just five bouts under the company’s banner, and is now set to go down to middleweight on March 1 for a chance to claim a third title.
The middleweight class at ONE is 205 pounds under the promotion’s no-dehydration system, with 225 pounds being the light heavyweight limit.
De Ridder (16-1) was a two-division champion at 205 and 225 pounds before losing his light heavyweight title to Malykhin in December 2022, and now sees the 13-0 Russian go for his other title.
Malykhin has a 100 percent knockout rate since joining ONE, stopping the likes of Arjan Bhullar and Kirill Grishenko. The 35-year-old powerhouse has never gone the distance as a professional.
Paige VanZant will fight again, but when that happens remains to be seen.
The UFC veteran turned bare-knuckle fighter hasn’t competed for more than two years. She originally was scheduled to return in August 2022, but her BKFC bout was cancelled just days before she was scheduled to leave for London. The fallout from that cancellation left her in a vulnerable state, especially after she faced criticism for the dropout despite BKFC making the call.
VanZant said she struggled afterward with mental health as she attempted to reconcile the work she’d put in to get ready.
“The real frustration, I guess, was the lead-up to the fight — I worked so hard,” VanZant told MMA Fighting. “I was so excited for this fight. But it was also a big accomplishment as a couple to say we got [my husband Austin Vanderford] ready for his fight. I was at his fight when I got the call that my fight got pulled. So him and I were supposed to fight days apart from each other. Just what goes into a fight camp for two people. Dieting for both of us, just the behind the scenes things that people don’t really understand what goes on, just getting prepared.
“For me to get the call that the fight got pulled — a fight I was so ready for, and I was so excited about. I cut all the weight early, because I knew I would be traveling, I would be flying all the way to London. My dad was already in London waiting for me. It was depressing, and then trying to figure out how to get right back into a fight camp and not knowing when their next fight camp would be. We already had plans to go visit family in Alaska. It’s like, do I cancel my trip to Alaska? It was hard to figure out what to do next.”
The fight also served as VanZant’s chance to get back in the win column, which followed a tough pair of BKFC losses and a defeat in her final UFC appearance. With her last win coming in 2019, VanZant was anxious to right her course. But instead she was sidelined yet again.
“That’s the thing, I didn’t even get to fight,” VanZant said. “I didn’t get to prove myself. I didn’t get to go out and just do what I love. The fight camp is the struggle. You go in, you struggle, you lose weight, you work so hard and you sacrifice so much throughout your day to day to prepare for something, and to have it just taken away from you, it’s just frustrating.
“I did feel like there could have been things done differently. I don’t have any ill will toward BKFC. I would never speak negatively [about them], they’ve treated me extremely well. It’s just more the way it all played out was extremely frustrating.”
Since that fight was cancelled back in 2022, VanZant hasn’t slowed down with her career outside the cage, but she just hasn’t been ready to book her return just yet.
She runs a wildly popular OnlyFans page and is also finishing construction on her new house in Florida. She recently launched her own podcast alongside her husband, and she still has interest in returning to professional wrestling after a brief stint in All Elite Wrestling.
As far as her BKFC return, VanZant said she’s really just enjoying herself in the gym right now. She can’t put a number or a date on when that might actually lead to booking her next fight.
“I feel like I am in a position where I’m just having fun working out and training right now,” VanZant said. “I’m going back to when I first started. I want to find that spark and that passion again to where I’m not fighting to make the president of the company happy, I’m not fighting for sponsors. I’m not fighting for my family, to help them out, to get them out of dark times.
“I’m in a great place where I can do all these things that I actually set out to do. I can help my family. I can do these things, but I don’t have to fight for that to be possible. Now it’s like I get to choose when I fight. It’s really nice.”
VanZant also points out she has plenty of time to fight again without really losing a step. She joined the UFC roster when she was barely 20, so there’s still a lot of road left to travel in her career.
“I’m only 29,” VanZant said. “I think people forget I had a really long career at a young age. I’m still in my 20s. For me, I get to take my time, I get to train. I think a big part of what I had said in the Instagram video, I just want to get better.
“I never really since I started my career just focused on just getting better. I was always preparing to fight somebody or preparing for the next opportunity whereas now I’m just trying to get my skills better and beyond that, there’s just so many things I’m passionate about.”
Of course, VanZant hasn’t shut the door on returning to MMA one day in the future. But for now, her full focus in fighting remains with BKFC. What’s undetermined is when that might happen. She might get the itch to compete again in a couple of months, or maybe it will be another year — she’ll know when the time is right.
“It’s definitely bare-knuckle, and I don’t know if it’s down the road in six months, I don’t know if it’s down the road a year,” VanZant said. “I really just haven’t decided yet. I’m going to leave a lot of that up to my manager and my coaches. Just work on this time to get better and enjoy the training and not worry about signing a fight contract right away. But it’s definitely bare-knuckle.
“I love bare-knuckle boxing. I’ve now gone 10 rounds in bare-knuckle boxing and I’m searching for that victory. I’m searching for a lot of things in bare-knuckle boxing that I haven’t accomplished, and it will be with BKFC again.”
Since delivering the vicious head kick knockout to Alexander Volkanovski last time out, Islam Makhachev has solidified himself as the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
There are several opponents available to the lightweight king, whether that be in his weight class or elsewhere. Alongside his possible next matchups, the Russian has now opened up on when he wants to be booked to fight.
Revealing an ideal timeline for his return, Islam Makhachev took to social media to announce to the world when to expect him back in the cage. Unfortunately, if he doesn’t get his preferred date, fans will have to wait until after Ramadan to watch him compete again.
I’ll be ready to smash someone in March, or see you after Ramadan 👊🏼🖐🏼 pic.twitter.com/gNGUygrUSj
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) December 28, 2023
Makhachev has been assessing his options with both Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira insisting they should get the next shot at his lightweight throne.
The Dagestani understandably believes in his ability to keep the title for as long as he wants. He made that clear after calling out the top 5 in his division during a post on social media.
“Arman [Tsarukyan], Dustin [Poirier], Justin [Gaethje], Charles [Oliveira] they’re all good, they’re TOP 5 in the world, but none of them will get the belt while I’m here. That’s it.”
Arman, Dustin, Justin, Charles they all good, they’re TOP 5 in the world, but none of them will get the belt, while I’m here. That’s it! @ufc @espnmma
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) December 6, 2023
Related: Justin Gaethje: ‘My next fight is Islam Makhachev’
Islam Makhachev vs. Justin Gaethje next?
Winning three of his last four with a huge knockout against Dustin Poirier coming in his most recent bout, Justin Gaethje staked his claim at Makhachev’s title.
‘The Highlight’ made his case to be next in line ahead of Charles Oliveira. While ‘Do Bronx’ is a viable contender, the former interim lightweight champion believes a fresh matchup between him and Islam Makhachev should be opted for over a rematch with the Brazilian.
His comments didn’t sit too well with the 155 king who insisted he should be careful about what he wishes for.
I can do more than kicking, be careful 😉😴💤 https://t.co/yyCSbd7mVm
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) December 27, 2023
Having not competed since July, Justin Gaethje would have enough time to prepare for a lightweight title fight should the UFC give Islam Makhachev his preferred March clash.
If not, the division will have to be held up until Ramadan is finished, which would likely see the titleholder return to combat from April 9 onwards.
Alex Pereira has some Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight title defenses to collect.
Brazil’s “Poatan” wasted no time cementing himself in UFC’s history books by quickly obtaining titles in two divisions. Before becoming the current 205-pound titleholder with a second round technical knockout win (watch highlights) over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 last month (Nov. 11, 2023), Pereira captured Middleweight gold with a fifth round technical knockout of Israel Adesanya one year prior (watch highlights).
Thanks to the 36-year-old’s speed of success (along with his size), it’s gotten fans pondering if the sensational striker could one day hold a third title. Pereira recently added fuel to this fire with a cryptic post on Instagram, which seemingly teased an interim Heavyweight title clash with the division’s current champion, Tom Aspinall, for UFC 300 in April 2024. That’s what fans got out of it anyway, but Pereira has not revealed that it was just something he had a dream about and he posted it because of past “visions” he’d had.
“I fought at Middleweight, and then I he had to listen to my body to go up for fighting at Light Heavyweight,” Pereira told The Mac Life. “But, I’m a fighter. I’ll fight anybody, anywhere. But this is not a thing that, like I had the height and basically, size of a Heavyweight, but this is the thing that’s gotta be programmed, put some work on.
“It’s not someday, just jump in on an adventure like that,” he added. “I want to make the things on the right way. I can definitely fight at Heavyweight, maybe something for the future, but it’s gotta be something that’s well planned. Right now, I’m focused on this Light Heavyweight reign.”
Pereira has been as active as any UFC fighter since his November 2021 arrival, especially at the elite level. He fought thrice in both 2022 and 2023 and for his first title defense as Light Heavyweight champion, Pereira is expected to be tasked with the former champion, Jamahal Hill, upon his return from a ruptured achilles tendon.
Colby Covington | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Colby Covington doubts that Paddy Pimblett will ever be on his level.
“Chaos” has thrice fought for the UFC welterweight title, and while he’s fallen short on each occasion — including in his most recent attempt at UFC 296. where he lost a clear-cut decision to champion Leon Edwards — he’s remained one of the most talked-about fighters in his division. He found himself butting heads with Pimblett ahead of the Edwards fight after Pimblett said he hoped his fellow Englishman would send Covington “into the shadow realm” due to Covington insulting Edwards’ deceased father.
Pimblett defeated Tony Ferguson on that same card to improve to 5-0 in the UFC, but Covington doesn’t see him ever being a player at 155 pounds.
“I don’t really think about it, but obviously my first reaction to it now is just laughing because all those people, there’s no substance,” Covington said on the PBD Podcast when asked to react to comments from his rivals. “They’re talking the talk, they’re not going to walk the walk.
“Paddy … if he didn’t have a bowl cut and an accent, nobody would care about Paddy. That’s the only reason they like him, is a bowl cut and an accent. He’s not even a good fighter. He’ll never be a top-30 fighter. The closest he’ll ever get to fighting for a world title is if he got on his knees and came and sniffed my jockstrap.”
With wins over Ferguson, Jared Gordon, and Jordan Leavitt in his past few outings, Pimblett has surged up the lightweight rankings, but likely won’t compete for a title anytime soon.
Another lightweight closer to No. 1 contender status also panned Covington’s UFC 296 performance, former Bellator star Michael Chandler. “Iron” has been patiently waiting on the sidelines for a booking against Conor McGregor, so he had plenty of time to criticize Covington.
Not that Covington seems particularly bothered by it.
“Michael Chandler?” Covington said. “Who? The guy was getting knocked out in Bellator, the guy’s a complete scrub. What’s his UFC record? Like, 1-4? We’re talking about that. My win percentage in the UFC is over, like, 90 percent, I’m an all-time great in this division. I’ve done things in this division that people aren’t ever going to do.
“I’m the only fighter to ever go to The White House and hang out with a sitting president. I’m the only one to ever get the first family front row. I’m the only one to ever have a president out there supporting me and dapping me up before I walk in the octagon, so he can keep talking all he wants but there’s no substance. Another guy that’s just all talk and no walk.”
Given Covington’s long history of volatile feuds, the fighter was asked if there is anyone in the MMA community he considers to be a friend. He replied that friendship is not a priority in his line of work.
“In the fighting world, I don’t have friends because I always said I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to make money,” Covington said. “That’s what matters to me is financially changing my future and my family’s future. I’ve been able to do things for my family, get them things that they would have never been able to get otherwise, so everybody’s jealous of me. They hate the way I do business, but they’re not making the checks I’m making. They’re making basic pay and they’ll be broke in a couple of years. I’m set for life.”
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