After a wild ride that has lasted 16 months, the ONE heavyweight world title unification grudge match between reigning heavyweight king Arjan Bhullar (11-1) and interim titleholder Anatoly Malykhin (12-0) is finally upon us.
Bhullar will step foot onto ONE Championship’s global stage for the first time in over two years when he squares off with his in-form Russian foe at ONE Friday Fights 22 this Friday, June 23, at Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, and the showdown is sure to produce fireworks thanks to the heated rivalry between its two competitors.
The battle to crown an undisputed heavyweight king has endured multiple setbacks, and over that time, a fiery war of words has raged between Malykhin and “Singh.”
To push the hype beyond its tipping point, we’ve broken down the best barbs from the pair of behemoths competing in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 22 this Friday – and here they are.
Malykhin: ‘The fake champion’
Bhullar’s name hasn’t been far from Malykhin’s mouth since he debuted in ONE two years ago, and that was no more evident than in the lead-up to his ONE light heavyweight world title showdown with Reinier de Ridder last December.
De Ridder took aim at “Sladkiy’s” inteirm heavyweight crown and repeatedly referred to the Russian as a “fake champion.”
But Malykhin flipped the insult and turned it towards Bhullar, who hasn’t competed since winning the world title in May 2021.
“The fake champion is the one that doesn’t fight for two-and-a-half years. I’m active. I’m here. I’m the real one,” he said.
“He should just man up and fight me, because it’s just too easy. If he wants to pretend, and be a chicken, then that’s up to him.”
Bhullar: ‘His character? I do not think it will hold up’
Bhullar has made it known that he has heard everything Malykhin has said about him, and he hasn’t shied away from the verbal sparring.
The 37-year-old wrestling star recently questioned his upcoming foe’s character and claimed that the Russian powerhouse has yet to face adversity in his 12-0 professional career.
“There’s been a lot of questions that haven’t been answered. I’m going to ask them, and I don’t think he has the answers,” Bhullar said.
“He’s never been punched. He’s never been kicked. He’s never been kneed. He’s never been taken down. He’s never been backed up. He’s never been made uncomfortable. He’s never been made to fight someone else’s fight. He’s never been made to fight on his back foot. He’s never been made to go deep into a fight where he throws everything onto a guy, and the guy is still there.
“Those are a lot of questions. And his character? I do not think it will hold up.”
Malykhin: ‘It’s time to cook some chicken legs soon’
“Chicken” is a word that Malykhin has relied on again and again when discussing Bhullar over the last year.
Their bout was delayed several times for reasons that have often came back to the ONE heavyweight world champion, and “Sladkiy” has made it clear that he believes the withdrawals have come from a place of fear on Bhullar’s part.
When “Singh” signed the contract for their upcoming bout, Malykhin used his favorite soundbite to point out how confident he is that he’ll score the win at ONE Friday Fights 22.
“I am sure he’s got the guts to finally do it. There is no other way for him. If he doesn’t show up, ONE will have to sanction him somehow, I think,” he said.
“It’s time to cook some chicken legs soon.”
