ONE Championship’s Anatoliy Malykhin is probably the most dominant MMA star within the enterprise proper now. Because the promotions heavyweight, gentle heavyweight, and middleweight world champion, the Russian wrestler is the primary fighter to ever win three main titles in three weight lessons and to hold them all at the same time. Malykhin is now seeking to enhance his spotless file of 14 wins (10 by knockout) when he defends the heavyweight title towards “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane (6-1-0) at ONE 169.
And, whereas each males come from a wrestling background, Malykhin tells M&F that his coaching strategies are utterly completely different.
For these questioning what sort of an individual Malykhin is like exterior of the cage, it ought to be famous that regardless of the massive constrains on his time, the champ was extremely considerate together with his solutions, albeit previous 10pm in his native time. “Nicely, it doesn’t matter what time it’s. We’re not restricted by time, we’re gonna rock this interview, it doesn’t matter what,” he reassured me by means of a trusted interpreter.
And “rock it” he actually did. Malykhin is simply days out from an especially essential title protection, however the wrestling star who’s accolades embody bronze within the 2013 Russian championship for freestyle and gold for submission grappling within the 2016 UWW European championships, is aware of what it takes to succeed, and which means giving his all in any scenario. His drive to push previous his limits is undoubtedly one of many causes that he prefers old skool types of coaching.
Anatoliy Malykhin chooses freestyle wrestling coaching over technological devices
In a latest Instagram video, the champ laid down whereas his spouse dropped a coconut onto his abs, from a sequence of accelerating heights, till she was all the way in which as much as the roof. “Coconut-proof!” joked the MMA star. However whereas the clip might have been amusing to some, it was the proper illustration of how Malykhin has turned to nature reasonably than know-how with a view to push by means of his limitations.
“There are two forms of fighters,” says Malykhin. “One is type of a health mannequin fighter like Reug Reug. However, some others are made from metal, who’re robust, and there’s an enormous distinction between these two classes.”
Malykhin believes that leaning an excessive amount of on know-how might have its disadvantages. “All of this new stuff, I’m very suspicious of it,” he shares. “I see these guys. They’ve so many displays throughout them to measure your max, their heartbeat, and if their heartbeat simply goes above 150 bpm, they cease, they cease coaching. They should decelerate. I’ve seen many guys who couldn’t progress due to that, as a result of they began to coach nicely, too scientifically, too protected, and so they didn’t progress.
He provides: “I understand how to hearken to my physique. I proceed coaching like we had been taught in freestyle wrestling: Old skool coaching, you practice mainly till you’ll be able to’t practice anymore. You practice till the final cease till you don’t have any extra wins, and you’re totally immersed in coaching. I hearken to my physique, and I do know when to cease, however till that time is reached I preserve going. There’s something very primal about it. You belief your self, and also you belief your physique, and you retain difficult your self, and it’s simply you towards your self, precisely like if you end up within the ring. You’re there and you’ve got an opponent, however you’re additionally dealing with your self. You’ll be able to’t delegate this battle. You’ll be able to’t delegate it to devices.”
Definitely, on the subject of his coaching, Anatoliy Malykhin is extra Rocky than Ivan Drago. The primary a part of his coaching camp for this title protection was held within the Altai Mountain area in Russia. He ran up these hills and mountains, and practiced holding his breath within the native streams. His coach, Johnny Hutchinson, struck him with sticks to construct his tolerance for ache.
Champions are athletes which might be keen to evolve
Regardless of his proclivity for old-school coaching, Malykhin just isn’t afraid to strive newer strategies that make sense to him. The truth is, he’s an enormous proponent of utilizing resistance bands. The champ tells M&F that by chopping down so many opponents who had a lot bigger muscle tissue, he realized that muscle quantity and energy are two various things. “I spoke to another wrestlers, and so they instructed me ‘you will need to practice with resistance bands,’” he explains. “That’s what offers you actual energy and arms like iron. I observed the progress instantly, as a result of energy and stamina just isn’t dictated by the amount of the muscle.”
Most champions have a big goal on their again, however Malykhin has three. To that finish, he’s been considering fastidiously about the best way to proceed to provide the absolute best accounting for himself and his followers. “
I’m considering that I ought to most likely vacate the middleweight belt fairly quickly,” he reveals to M&F. “Making weight at 93 kilograms was the toughest out of all of the competitions, so most likely it’s higher to vacate the belt.”
It’s a scenario that he’ll proceed to provide some critical consideration too. For now, nonetheless, this piece of Siberian metal says that he’s not simply coconut-proof, however bullet-proof as nicely. Malykhin is loving being part of ONE Championship, and feels a accountability to be an incredible ambassador for the organisation too. Not solely does Malykhin practice to win, however he says that he’s at all times motivated to provide his followers probably the most entertaining battle potential. “All the time, after I’m getting in into the ring, I wish to give fireworks,” says Malykhin. “I need sparks to fly.”
Anatoly Malykhin will defend his Heavyweight World Title towards “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane at ONE 169 this Friday, November 8 broadcast dwell on Prime Video starting at 8pm ET.
Comply with Anatoliy Malykhin on Instagram: @anmalykhin