ONE Championship has announced the postponement of the highly anticipated ONE Heavyweight MMA World Championship rematch between reigning king "Reug Reug" Oumar Kane and former three-division ruler Anatoly
Malykhin at ONE 173 after the Senegalese wrestler was injured in a car accident in the UAE.
The 33-year-old Kane sustained injuries in the car accident while preparing for the blockbuster rematch against 37-year-old Russian challenger Malykhin. The champion's injuries prevent him from competing on 16 November at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, forcing the postponement of this marquee heavyweight clash.
Kane captured the heavyweight crown at ONE 169 in November 2024 by handing Malykhin his first professional career defeat via split decision. The victory made Kane Africa's first-ever ONE World Champion and dethroned the Russian who was the record-setting first-ever three-division ONE MMA World Champion.
Malykhin, from One Chance Team and Tiger Muay Thai, now holds the middleweight and light heavyweight MMA titles with a 6-1 ONE record and 14-1 career mark. All six of his ONE victories came via finish, showcasing his devastating finishing ability.
The reigning heavyweight champion "Reug Reug" brings a 7-1 ONE record and rides a five-fight winning streak into this postponed rematch. Kane's physical dominance and wrestling prowess made him a nightmare matchup for Malykhin in their first encounter, though many observers felt the fight was extremely close.
Despite losing this heavyweight title bout, ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri remains a historic event featuring 17 explosive bouts across four martial arts disciplines. The card still delivers championship-level action with multiple world titles on the line and numerous superstar attractions.
The event will be headlined by the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Championship unification bout between reigning champion Superbon and interim king Masaaki Noiri. The winner will emerge as the undisputed featherweight kickboxing champion in front of Noiri's home crowd.
Apart from the main event, two ONE Muay Thai World Titles and two ONE MMA World Titles remain on the line. The stacked card features some of the biggest names in combat sports delivering high-stakes championship battles.
Megastars scheduled to compete include Japanese striking sensation Takeru Segawa, pound-for-pound great Superlek Kiatmoo9, bantamweight Muay Thai champion Nabil Anane, former three-sport queen Stamp Fairtex, Thai icon Rodtang Jitmuangnon, and numerous other elite athletes across multiple disciplines.
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