"I dreamed of becoming one" - 'Reug Reug' says world title triumph inspired by Senegal's sporting heroes

From wrestling in Thiaroye sur Mer to the global stage of ONE Championship, Senegalese athlete 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane has transformed childhood dreams into reality.

In his last outing, the 33-year-old dished out a career-best performance to emerge victorious in his five-round ONE heavyweight MMA world championship matchup against Anatoly Malykhin at ONE 169 in November last year.

'Reug Reug' came prepared, fought fire with fire, and deservingly got his hand raised by split decision after a grueling 25-minute war inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

Despite enjoying how his name has grown since that title-clinching display against the seemingly unstoppable Russian behemoth, 'Reug Reug' was quick to credit Senegal's extraordinary legacy of sporting excellence for inspiring his remarkable ascent to the pinnacle of mixed martial arts.

"In combat sports, Senegalese wrestling is such a huge part of our culture, and this was my education," the ONE world champion noted. "I ate, drank, and slept learning about these stars and I dreamed of becoming one. Now, I'm not ashamed to say I'm the greatest of them all." "All of our football heroes we have learned about. We have had so many," he continued, acknowledging the pathway these athletes carved for future generations of Senegalese competitors.

Perhaps, the footballing heroes that Kane drew inspiration from are the Senegal football team that reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.

'The Lions of Teranga'—the Senegal football team's nickname—captained by Aliou Cissé, upset defending champions France 1-0 in their first-ever World Cup match. The team then earned a 1-1 draw with Denmark and a 3-3 tie with Uruguay to progress to the last 16.

They beat Sweden in extra time in the round of 16 via a golden goal from Henri Camara, but bowed out in the quarterfinal to Turkey.

Most recently, Senegal earned their first Africa Cup of Nations in 2021, overcoming Egypt in the final 4-2 by penalties, thus finishing the tournament undefeated.

However, per 'Reug Reug', he's not solely inspired by what the past sporting icons from Senegal have done to inspire fellow athletes like him.

"It's not about combat sports [or football]. It's about just applying yourself to whatever you choose to do," the 33-year-old added. "Look at our President – he wanted to be a great leader, and he's doing great things within our country. Just aiming to be the greatest at what you do is enough to achieve a successful life."

---

'Reug Reug' runs it back vs. Anatoly Malykhin at ONE 173 in Tokyo

'Reug Reug' will put his prized possession on the line against ONE middleweight and light heavyweight MMA world champion Anatoly Malykhin in a rematch that is set for ONE 173 at Tokyo's Ariake Arena.

The Senegalese powerhouse is ready to deploy his all-around brilliance to stun 'Sladkiy' once more come November 16.

"War time! In the home of MMA! Let's get it," he commented on an Instagram post uploaded by ONE Championship moments after the bout was announced during the event's official press conference.

More fights will be added to the blockbuster card in the coming weeks. As always, stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for any updates. For how-to-watch info, head over to watch.onefc.com.

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by C. Naik