Sherdog’s 2022 Beatdown of the Year

A one-sided beatdown is impressive when it pits a touted prospect against an experienced veteran but even more so when it sees one titleholder go against a double champion who was previously undefeated. Those factors made Anatoliy Malykhin’s one-round smashing of Reinier de Ridder under the One Championship flag so impressive and worthy of Sherdog’s 2022 “Beatdown of the Year.”

Going into the ONE on Prime Video 5 main event on Dec. 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Philippines, de Ridder had all the momentum in the world. The impressive submission artist was 16-0 and had won five straight championship bouts, capturing the promotion’s middleweight and light heavyweight titles in the process. Three of those fights ended in decisive fashion, with the Dutch grappler forcing Aung La N Sang and Kiamrian Abbasov to tap, while Vitaly Bigdash went out cold to an inverted triangle choke.

However, de Ridder’s accomplishments meant nothing to Malykhin, who had picked up the interim heavyweight championship by knocking out Kirill Grishenko earlier in the year. Also undefeated at 11-0, it was clear that Malykhin had full confidence as soon as the fight began, as he immediately shucked off takedown attempts from de Ridder and started tagging the dual titleholder with big right hands. From the opening bell until the fight was mercifully stopped, the two fighters never seemed to be on the same level.

The one-sided smashing saw Malykhin land short uppercuts and pinpoint accurate jabs that bloodied the face of de Ridder, who was punished for every desperate takedown he attempted. The finish would finally come after a left hook stunned de Riddler, who was then floored by a right hook and separated from consciousness with a series of brutal hammerfists.

The victory secured the light heavyweight title for Malykhin, who now sits atop two divisions in One Championship at 12-0. It also cemented a new star for the promotion as it looks to expand worldwide thanks to its deal with Amazon. A frightening thought for opponents: The best might still be to come for the 34-year-old Russian striker.