Exclusive | ONE Championship: Arjan Bhullar withdraws with injury from heavyweight MMA title fight against Anatoly Malykhin
- Interim champ and coach blast ‘chicken’ Bhullar after latest setback sees long-mooted title unification bout scratched from September’s ONE 161 card
- Door could be open for Reinier de Ridder to challenge for a third divisional throne with Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida appearing to rule out quick return
ONE Championship’s efforts to clear up the heavyweight MMA title picture have taken another hit, with a source telling the Post that Arjan Bhullar has withdrawn from next month’s fight against Anatoly Malykhin.
Bhullar (11-1) has not fought since winning the belt in May 2021, entering a lengthy contract stand-off that prompted the martial arts promotion to create an interim title, which was won by Malykhin in January.
A unification bout was finally set as the main event for September 29’s ONE 161 card in Singapore, after months of back-and-forth on social media between the pair.
But 36-year-old Canadian Bhullar has pulled out with an undisclosed injury, leaving the featherweight Muay Thai title fight between champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee and challenger Tawanchai P.K. Saenchai at the top of the bill, as things stand.
Phuket-based Malykhin (11-0) did not publicly comment on Bhullar’s withdrawal, but shared a thumbnail of the Post’s exclusive on his Instagram story with a chicken emoji covering the divisional champion’s face.