ONE Fight Night 8: Bhullar vs. Malykhin was an exciting event that took place on February 25, 2022, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The event featured some of the top mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters from around the world, but the main event was a clash between two heavyweight behemoths, Arjan Singh Bhullar and Amir Aliakbari Malykhin.
Friday 03.24.2023 at 08:00 PM ET
Bhullar, a former Olympic wrestler and current UFC veteran, was making his ONE Championship debut in this fight. Malykhin, on the other hand, was coming off of a win in his ONE Championship debut and was looking to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with in the heavyweight division.
The first round of the fight was largely a feeling-out process, with both fighters looking to establish their range and get a sense of their opponent’s game plan. Bhullar landed a few solid leg kicks and jabs, but Malykhin showed off his power with a few heavy shots that had Bhullar backing up.
In the second round, Bhullar started to find his rhythm and began to take control of the fight. He used his wrestling skills to take Malykhin down to the mat and landed some heavy ground-and-pound strikes. Malykhin tried to fight back from the bottom, but Bhullar’s control and pressure were too much for him to handle.
The third and final round saw Bhullar continue to dominate on the ground, as he took Malykhin down multiple times and landed some heavy punches and elbows. Malykhin tried to fight back with some submission attempts, but Bhullar’s defense was too strong.
In the end, the judges awarded Bhullar the unanimous decision victory, with all three judges scoring the fight 30-27 in his favor. It was a dominant performance from the Canadian wrestler, who showed off his elite grappling skills and toughness against a dangerous opponent.
Aside from the main event, ONE Fight Night 8 also featured several other exciting fights. In the co-main event, former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya Aoki submitted Eduard Folayang with an arm-triangle choke in the first round. The win marked Aoki’s 47th career victory and solidified his status as one of the top lightweights in the world.
Another highlight of the event was a flyweight bout between Roshan Mainam and Hiroba Minowa. Mainam, a rising star from India, showcased his grappling skills with a dominant performance that saw him secure a rear-naked choke submission in the second round. With the win, Mainam improved his record to 7-2 and established himself as a top prospect in the flyweight division.
Overall, ONE Fight Night 8 was a great showcase of some of the top talent in MMA. With exciting fights and high-level performances, the event proved once again why ONE Championship is one of the premier MMA organizations in the world.