Anatoly Malykhin transformed his darkest professional moment into renewed motivation. The former three-division ONE MMA World Champion believes losing his heavyweight crown actually restored the hunger that originally fueled his remarkable run.
Malykhin faces “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane in their heavyweight title rematch at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16, inside Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The 37-year-old Russian seeks to reclaim the belt he lost at ONE 169 last November in his first career defeat.
Most fighters struggle mentally after tasting defeat for the first time. Malykhin approached his loss differently, conducting detailed analysis to identify exactly what went wrong. The introspection revealed two critical mistakes that cost him his undefeated record and heavyweight championship.
Overthinking consumed Malykhin during his preparation for their first encounter. External voices convinced him that Kane possessed supernatural abilities, creating mental barriers that hindered his performance. The additional pressure led to overtraining that left his body unable to handle the increased workload.
Success as a three-division champ had gradually diminished Malykhin’s competitive fire. The achievements that should have motivated him instead created complacency. His first loss served as a harsh reminder that hunger separates great champions from ordinary fighters.
“These are the two mistakes. The first mistake I made was that I was overthinking. I thought that ‘Reug Reug’ could do something supernatural. Everyone around me was telling me this. I didn’t need to listen to anyone. I should have just done my job,” he said.
“Nothing is holding me back now. I’ve got the most important thing with me right now – the thirst and pleasure in enjoying what I do. Because in my recent fights, I was going into fights [in a rush], and that was my biggest mistake.”
Anatoly Malykhin discovers mental clarity through adversity
Anatoly Malykhin credits his defeat for forcing him to confront mental weaknesses he had previously ignored. The loss exposed how overthinking had become his greatest enemy, creating obstacles that didn’t exist in reality.
His transformation extends beyond physical conditioning to encompass complete mental reconstruction. The Russian powerhouse eliminated negative thought patterns that contributed to his overthinking problems. He rediscovered the discipline and focus that originally propelled him to success.
Malykhin now approaches training with renewed enthusiasm and purpose. The enjoyment factor returned after months of going through the motions. Every session carries deeper meaning as he prepares for the most important fight of his career.
“What I needed was exactly this: to gain mental strength, so my body would feel new. This defeat made me better. Now I am at my peak, both physically and mentally. I became sharper, I became smarter,” he said.
“Now, I’m a beast. I’m a beast on the hunt. I removed all this [negativity] from my head, and I’m simply enjoying every moment again.”