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Dutch fighter Reinier de Ridder said it took him a while to get to terms with the knockout loss he absorbed at the hands of Russian juggernaut Anatoly Malykhin back in 2022. It is something that is on his mind as they clash in a rematch next month.
The two battled in December 2022 in Manila, where de Ridder had the lights turned out on him by Malykhin in the opening round with ferocious strikes. The loss saw him surrender the light heavyweight MMA gold in the process.
In a recent interview Sherdog, ‘The Dutch Knight’ shared he took the defeat hard as he was not able to put up a stand befitting a defending champion, saying:
“It took me a little while to get over [the loss to Anatoly Malykhin], especially with the way it happened. It’s not like I lost a close decision or whatever. I got knocked out brutally.”
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Reinier de Ridder clashes anew with Anatoly Malykhin on March 1 at ONE 166: Qatar. He will be defending the remaining world title in his possession, the middleweight MMA championship belt, in the headlining contest happening at the Lusail Sports Arena.
ONE 166 marks the first time the promotion will be holding a live on-ground in Qatar. The event will air live free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Reinier de Ridder has revenge on his mind heading into ONE 166
Knowing he messed up in losing the ONE light heavyweight MMA world title, Reinier de Ridder seeks to have his revenge in his scheduled rematch with Anatoly Malykhin on March 1 at ONE 166: Qatar.
‘The Dutch Knight’ seeks to exact payback when he takes on ‘Sladkiy', who crushed him with telling blows in their first encounter in December 2022 in Manila en route to an opening-round TKO victory.
De Ridder never really got his game going in their first encounter as he slumped to the defeat that saw him lose one of two world titles in his possession.
At ONE: 166, the 33-year-old Combat Brothers standout will defend the ONE middleweight MMA world title against Malykhin and while at it has big-time bounce-back on his mind.
He told Threepeat Media in an interview:
“Fixing all the points I did wrong mentally, physically, and technically, to get him back. Get revenge.”
De Ridder-Malykhin 2 will be the headlining match at ONE 166: Qatar, which is the promotion’s first-ever live on-ground event in the Middle Eastern country.
