Ben Tynan has quickly become a name to watch in ONE Championship’s heavyweight division. And he has already grabbed the attention of the man who holds the gold in the division.
At ONE Fight Night 21, “Vanilla Thunder” picked up his second win on the global stage when he earned a TKO over Duke Didier. In the aftermath, Tynan made his intentions clear for where he wants to go next.
ONE Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, and Middleweight MMA World Champion Anatoly Malykhin is happy to see a new contender emerge.
“I’m glad to see some new faces in ONE. Strong opposition is exactly what I need,” Malykhin told ONE.
“I’m happy there are guys who are not only good in the ring, but also developing their own style outside of it. They definitely bring something unique.”
Aside from the win itself, Malykhin was impressed with the skills the Canadian brought into the ring with him. He understands that impressive finishes will always grab more attention.
While other athletes may try to dim the shine of their rivals, Malykhin supports Tynan’s early rise up the ranks.
“We all know Mr. Chatri always rewards fighters who deliver beautiful fights and who finish the fight in spectacular fashion,” the three-division king stated.
“If he decided to give him a bonus, then it’s well deserved. After all, the guy finishes 100 percent of his fights early – and as a heavyweight.”
Tynan trains in the United States, and with ONE returning to Denver in the fall, he wants on that event.
Malykhin does as well. The Russian is joining his efforts to get “Vanilla Thunder” on the next U.S. event so that he can showcase his skills and continue building his star power.
Malykhin sees it as a mutually beneficial scenario because if he continues to gain notoriety, the two will meet in a high-stakes title tilt that will be his biggest title defense yet.
“I’m looking forward to sharing the ring with him. I think America sounds like the perfect place to really put him to the test,” Malykhin said.