Arjan Bhullar and Anatoly Malykhin will face off in a ONE heavyweight title unification bout at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Arjan Bhullar and Anatoly Malykhin are set to face off in a ONE heavyweight title unification bout on July 15 at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong confirmed the news, stating, “It’s going to happen officially now July 15. That’s the word that I got just literally a few hours ago.” The card, known as ONE Fight Night 12, will air at 8 p.m. ET in the U.S. on Amazon Prime Video.
The matchup was initially scheduled for March, but a change in broadcaster commitments required a shift in plans, pushing the fight to this summer. Bhullar, the current ONE heavyweight champion, will make his first appearance in the organization since his title-winning knockout over Brandon Vera in 2021. He was expected to return in September, but an injury forced Bhullar to withdraw from the contest.
Now healthy, Bhullar aims to extend his four-fight winning streak, which includes two victories in the UFC before moving to ONE in free agency. His opponent, the undefeated Russian Malykhin, also seeks to maintain momentum after becoming the interim ONE heavyweight champion in 2022 and claiming another title in the light heavyweight division with a first-round knockout over Reinier de Ridder. Boasting a 12-0 record and a 100 percent finishing rate, Malykhin is certainly a formidable opponent. With the date now confirmed, the highly-anticipated Bhullar vs. Malykhin heavyweight clash is set for July.