ONE Championship’s new heavyweight king is getting praise from the top back home in Senegal.
“Reug Reug” Oumar Kane captured the ONE Heavyweight MMA Championship at ONE 169 on Nov. 8 after five hard rounds against Anatoly Malykhin. The two tussled for 25 minutes and left everything inside the ring in Bangkok, but it was Kane who got the split decision nod on the scorecards.
The victory was history-making as “Reug Reug” became Senegal’s first-ever MMA heavyweight champion — a mark noted by Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the nation’s president.
“Congratulations to Oumar Kane, aka Reug Reug, for making history by becoming the first Senegalese MMA heavyweight world champion,” Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye wrote on X.
“Through his courage, determination and talent, he honors Senegal and inspires an entire generation. Our nation is proud of this remarkable feat.”
Undoubtedly, the performance will impact the fans in Senegal, who now have a beacon for what one can accomplish at the highest levels of the sport. Kane exemplifies how far one can go with hard work and determination.
The road will only become more difficult as the champion. Every heavyweight in the division will try to dethrone “Reug Reug,” tailoring their training and game plans toward the Senegalese wrestling sensation.
However, for this moment, everyone can bask in the glory of a championship victory. The historic moment will be an important milestone for athletes in Senegal who know it is possible to take home a World Championship.
ONE 169 is available on demand via Prime Video to all Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.