Malekin Clears the Slate with Fourth-Round Knockout, Claims ONE MMA Heavyweight World Championship
Anatoli Malekin reclaimed the ONE MMA heavyweight world title with a fourth-round knockout of defending champion Rungrang Umarov at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on Friday, avenging a previous loss.
Anatoli Malekin controlled every round before knocking out Rungrang Umarov, the defending heavyweight champion, in the fourth round to capture the world title and avenge his previous loss at ONE's The Inner Circle event held on Friday, May 15, 2026 at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium (Ramintra). All 26 athletes competing on the card successfully passed official weigh-ins and hydration testing, and will compete at their agreed-upon weight divisions.
The main event featured a ONE MMA heavyweight world championship bout (225-265 lbs) between defending champion "Rungrang" Umarov, 34, from Senegal, and former champion "Anatoli" Malekin, 38, from Russia, who previously held titles in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
Malekin proved dominant throughout the contest, controlling all four rounds before delivering a fourth-round knockout victory over Umarov to reclaim the heavyweight world championship and settle their rivalry.
