With Arjan Bhullar on the sidelines, these two brooding heavyweights have stepped up to lay claim to his throne. Malykhin sent a pointed barb in the direction of the Canadian-Indian champion ahead of their title tilt.

“He’s not ready to fight the best. And currently, I’m the best. He’s just a chicken,” said Malykhin.

“I don’t consider this an interim belt. I will be the real champion. If the champion refuses to fight, he’s no longer the champion. In the end, I’ll become the champion and rule this division for a long, long time.”

The Belarusian shared a similar view of the upcoming heavyweight clash. Grishenko mentioned that he feels Malykhin is a tougher matchup than Bhullar. If true, the heavyweight collision will signal a changing of the guard at ONE: Bad Blood.

The outspoken Russian is confident going into the matchup. Malykhin expects to continue his streak and hand Grishenko his first loss inside the Circle. Malykhin plans to keep the finishes coming to thrill his fans around the globe.

If the two heavyweight’s stay true to their words at ONE: Bad Blood, fans can expect fireworks from the opening bell. When these two massive heavyweights begin throwing heavy leather, there may not be a need for the judges.

ONE: Bad Blood will begin with the lead card at 5:00 a.m. EST/2:00 a.m. PST on Friday, February 11.

“Bhullar Is Just Chicken” | Anatoly Malykhin vs. Kirill Grishenko