Former Irish title challenger helps make MMA history
There was some Irish ink involved as Antoly Malykhin wrote his name in the MMA history books last weekend.
The Russian superstar defeated Reinier de Ridder to claim the ONE Middleweight MMA World Championship on Friday, March 1.
The win sees him become the first man in mixed martial arts to win World Titles across three different weight classes. ‘Spartak’ has now won World titles at heavyweight, light heavyweight and middleweight – and achieved the feat in just 14 fights.
He also did so with the help of an Irish coach! Former boxer John Hutchinson is the champion’s trainer and guided him to the history making win.
Indeed, Malykhin claims ‘The Buncrana Banger’ has been massively influential in his entire pro career.
“We’ve been working around three years together for striking and we’ve also improved our wrestling. I really appreciate Johnny because he has really been an important coach for me to get that belt.”
In his boxing days, the Donegal man challenged for the light middleweight Irish title as well as the WBC Asian Continental middleweight crown.
The former Australia-based puncher moved to Thailand upon retiring and has become a key member of the Tiger Muay Thai gym.
Having worked with former UFC Champion Petr Yan he now coaches Malykhin among others and is proving a massive success.
Indeed, considering Malykhin is a history-making three-weight world champion with an undefeated record and a 100 percent KO ratio, Hutchinson may be the man behind one of the greatest fighting men in MMA history.
