Anatoly Malykhin Breaks Down Aung La N Sang Vs. Shamil Erdogan At ONE 168: Denver
Reigning three-division ONE MMA World Champion Anatoly “Sladkiy” Malykhin has no shortage of contenders looking to challenge for his belts, and a pair of middleweight stars will look to earn a World Title shot at ONE 168: Denver.
Former two-division king Aung La N Sang will take on undefeated Turkish standout Shamil Erdogan at ONE’s blockbuster return to the United States this Friday, September 6.
The crucial matchup at Ball Arena will pit the well-rounded skill set of Aung La N Sang against the world-class wrestling game of Erdogan, who honed his craft in the mountains of Dagestan.
Looking at the clash of styles, Malykhin believes that there are two possible outcomes on fight night.
He told onefc.com:
“If Erdogan manages to get a takedown in the first minutes and, most importantly, hold Aung La N Sang down, then the fight will go in his favor.
“But if Aung La keeps getting up, and if the fight drags on, then he will have chances in the later rounds because he has good stamina.”
The stakes will certainly be high when the pair lock horns in Denver.
For his part, Aung La N Sang has finished his last three opponents inside two rounds, appearing to regain the dominant form that made him a ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight MMA World Champion.
Erdogan, on the other hand, put the middleweight MMA division on notice with a show-stopping knockout of Fan Rong in his ONE debut, proving that his skills extend far beyond his wrestling base.
Those facts aren’t lost on Malykhin, who is expecting to face the winner of this matchup in a World Title showdown:
“It will be an interesting fight! I think the one who imposes his fight plan on the opponent will win.
“Whoever comes out of this fight as the winner deserves a title shot against me.”
Malykhin Eyes Potential Rematch With Old Foe Erdogan
Anatoly Malykhin and Shamil Erdogan have a history outside of ONE Championship.
The pair previously faced off on the wrestling circuit in Russia, with Erdogan emerging as the victor. They have also crossed paths while training at the famed Tiger Muay Thai gym in Phuket, Thailand.
Erdogan might have the bragging rights over Malykhin in the wrestling arena, but “Sladkiy” believes elite mixed martial arts is an entirely different game:
“I remember Erdogan from freestyle wrestling. He won against me at the Yarygin Cup Rybinsk tournament. So, this fight would be a good rematch, now under MMA rules.
“He’s a good fighter! He has excellent wrestling and strong striking. However, his conditioning is not at the highest level, but his striking and wrestling are top-notch.
“I’d like to see him in a five-round fight. In training, everyone I’ve seen is good. But a real fight and training are two different things. Overall, Erdogan’s level is high – the guy was the runner-up at the World Freestyle Wrestling Championship, and that says a lot.”
In the short term, Malykhin has his hands full preparing for the first defense of his ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title against Senegalese powerhouse “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane at ONE 169: Atlanta on November 8.
Beyond that, the undefeated superstar is characteristically confident that he would maintain his flawless record in a future battle with Erdogan.
“I’m interested in all matchups! Whoever the ONE Championship matchmakers give me, I’ll fight. I’m ready to fight anyone and prove that I’m the champion.
“A fight with Erdogan would go the same way as all my previous fights, and I’ll still have a ‘zero’ in the ‘losses’ column.”
