Bangkok, Thailand - In a performance that will go down in the annals of mixed martial arts, Senegalese Oumar " Reug Reug "Kane pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the year by capturing the ONE Championship heavyweight belt from champion Anatoly Malykhin.
In Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium, the man nicknamed "Reug Reug" beat the odds by dominating the formidable Russian champion in an epic five-round bout. This historic split-decision victory makes Kane the organization's first African heavyweight champion.
From the very first round, the Senegalese wrestler imposed his strategy by taking the fight to the ground, even forcing referee Herb Dean to issue Malykhin a yellow card for clinging to the ropes. The fight then turned into a real war of attrition, alternating between explosive standing exchanges and intense wrestling sequences.
Particularly impressive was the third round, when Kane showed exceptional resilience, absorbing the champion's powerful strikes without flinching. This resilience paid off in the decisive rounds, where his physical freshness made all the difference.
"This victory is for the Senegal et pour toute l’Afrique », a déclaré le nouveau champion après sa victoire. Pour Kane, qui reste invaincu depuis quatre combats en MMA, cette consécration marque le point culminant d’une ascension fulgurante dans l’organisation.
This historic performance concluded an emotional evening at ONE 169, which also saw Rodtang retain his title against Jacob Smith, and Jackie Buntan become the organization's first female strawweight kickboxing champion.
Reug Reug" Kane's victory marks not only a turning point in his career, but also a new page in the history of African mixed martial arts, proving that the continent is home to talent capable of shining on the world stage.
