“Whole UFC is based on 10 stars,” One Championship three-division champion Anatoly Malykhin on the talent level in the biggest MMA promotion
Anatoly Malykhin critiques the quality of the fighters in the UFC.

Anatoly Malykhin questions the quality of UFC fighters (Image via: IMAGO, Instagram)
The UFC is the premier MMA promotion in the world. No other MMA promotion can come close to the UFC regarding promotion and production quality. Moreover, the quality of fighters in the UFC is a step above the rest of the promotions. However, Anatoly Malykhin, the first three-division MMA champion in a major promotion, has a different thought.
At One FC, Malykhin is the current middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight champion. Moreover, he has an undefeated record in 14 professional MMA fights, all coming from finishes. Many consider him one of the best MMA fighters outside the UFC. Nonetheless, Malykhin did not think that UFC was a great promotion in terms of quality, as revealed in a recent interview.
Recently, when I've been watching UFC events. Yes, it's a great promotion, in terms of media power. But besides three main fights, I don't know who the fighters are. Where they come from, what their records are. The whole UFC is based on 10 stars. Just 10 guys from different weight classes. They're the reason you watch the UFC. The rest of them are very low level fighters.Anatoly Malykhin via Red Corner MMA

Malykhin enhanced his statement with the performance of Russian fighters in the UFC. According to him, Petr Yan, Movsar Evloev, and Arman Tsarukyan, among others who fought at Fight Night Global and the ACA, have had easier fights in the UFC. Moreover, he stated Fedor Emelianenko‘s team dominates in Bellator (now merged with PFL).
Malykhin stated that the Russian school of MMA is superior to any other. He cited examples of big stars from Russia in the UFC, PFL, and One Championship. As for himself, he only considered Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall as the only hard fights in the UFC.
Anatoly Malykhin names four of the best fighters in the world at light heavyweight and heavyweight
Anatoly Malykhin believes that Russian MMA fighters are superior to others. As such, it was unsurprising that he named four Russians the best in the world. According to him, Vadim Nemkov, Magomed Ankalaev, Muslim Magomedov, and himself are the best in the world. Malykhin stated all of them can become champions at light heavyweight and heavyweight.

Malykhin is already a three-division champion at One Championship. Ankalaev is next in line to challenge the UFC’s light heavyweight championship. Nemkov was the Bellator light heavyweight champion. After the PFL-Bellator merger, Nemkov has moved up to the heavyweight division. Magomedov is an undefeated light heavyweight with ACA.
Fight wanted to see Malykhin fight the top heavyweight MMA fighters in the world. However, Malykhin had already stated he would never sell out his current promotion. Therefore, there is no chance of him moving to the UFC.
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