Historic three-division MMA World Champion Anatoly “Sladkiy” Malykhin has dreamed of reaching greatness for as long as he can remember.
On November 8, live in U.S. primetime in the main event of ONE 169, the Russian megastar will defend his ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title against Senegalese behemoth “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Undefeated across 14 professional bouts and boasting a dominant 100 percent finishing rate, Malykhin has asserted himself as an all-time MMA great – and one of the most terrifying pound-for-pound knockout artists the sport has ever seen.
While few could have predicted his unparalleled success, the Kemerovo native says that, long before he was a professional athlete, he knew he would one day be a World Champion.
“Sladkiy” spoke to onefc.com about his lifelong goal coming to fruition – specifically recalling an instance when he told a skeptical childhood teacher about his grand plan:
“I have an interesting story. At school, I wasn’t very good at academics but always loved sports. I used to escape classes to do physical training and spent much time there.
My math teacher always brought me to the board and asked, ‘What’s going on with you, Anatoly?’ I said, ‘I really mean it: I will become a World Champion. This is my dream, and I can tell you for sure I will.’
“And she always laughed, saying, ‘Calm down, what World Championship are you talking about?'”
Now the proud owner of the ONE Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight MMA World Titles, it’s safe to say that Malykhin has proved his teacher wrong.
Very few people can say they have truly achieved the thing they wanted most, but the 36-year-old titleholder is one of those:
“It has always been my dream. I always wanted to be an athlete and reach high results, become a World Champion, and my dream has come true. Despite everything that happened in my life, I have made it and realized my childhood dream.”
Coming from a small, industrial city in Siberia, little was expected of Malykhin. He remembers telling others about his lofty aspirations, only to be met with doubt and skepticism.
It was only his wife, Anita, who believed in his seemingly far-fetched vision:
“A lot of people on my way, when I said I was going to be a World Champion, practically all of them laughed in my face. ‘Anatoly, what are you talking about, you and the World Championship? We are from Kemerovo, a small city. Calm down.’
“There was only one person I met on my way… only Anita said, ‘You are going to do it.'”
Malykhin Aims To Inspire Others With His Story
Anatoly Malykhin’s unprecedented accomplishments in MMA are proof that anything is possible through sacrifice, hard work, and dedication.
He sincerely hopes that his story – of overcoming doubters to achieve true greatness – serves as an inspiration to others:
“It was my childhood dream to become a World Champion, and I managed to become a triple World Champion, so I’m going to cherish my childhood dream.
“I just wanted people to realize: If you believe in something strongly and you are ready to sacrifice a lot, then you will succeed. I wish that people on this planet would never give up.
“Regardless of how hard it is, always keep moving, and I think when you find your way, you will come across the right people on your way.”
Ultimately, “Sladkiy” says motivating others is even more important than the World Titles that fill his trophy case.
That’s why he feels obligated to share his journey with anyone who will listen:
“I wish to leave a legacy not in the form of my belts or triple championships, but the path I have walked in this life, so that people can see that anything is possible. An ordinary guy can… just can.
“If God gave you opportunities that other people don’t have, you need to share these opportunities with the rest of the world, to bring good and good deeds.”
