Reinier de Ridder seeks redemption in a rematch against Anatoly Malykhin for the MMA middleweight title at ONE 166. Learn about de Ridder’s quest for redemption and his determination to prove himself as a formidable fighter.
| Reinier de Ridder, undefeated in eight ONE Championship fights, suffered his first loss against Anatoly Malykhin.
| They will meet again at ONE 166 in Qatar for the MMA middleweight title.
| De Ridder aims to show attention to detail and focus on the small things that make him a successful fighter.
| The rematch will take place in the middleweight division, which de Ridder believes suits him better.
| As a submission specialist, de Ridder plans to choke Malykhin out, but he approaches the fight with an open mind.
| Defeat has fueled de Ridder’s determination to prove himself and continue competing.
Reinier de Ridder’s Quest for Redemption
Losing was an unfamiliar feeling for Reinier de Ridder before he stepped into the ring with undefeated Russian Anatoly Malykhin. The Dutchman had not lost in eight ONE Championship fights heading into the pair’s MMA light-heavyweight title match at ONE Fight Night 5, with a draw against Andre Galvao the only slight blemish on an otherwise spotless record. Malykhin needed less than five minutes to change all that, knocking de Ridder out in a bruising encounter in Manila on December 3, 2022.
Now, de Ridder seeks redemption in a highly anticipated rematch against Malykhin at ONE 166 in Qatar on Friday. This time, the stakes are even higher as the MMA middleweight title is on the line at Lusail Sports Arena. De Ridder faces the possibility of a third defeat in a row, having lost by unanimous decision to Tye Ruotolo at ONE Fight Night 10 last May.
Learning from Past Defeats
One of the biggest lessons de Ridder took away from his recent losses is the importance of attention to detail. After winning so often, he had become overconfident and careless. However, he now realizes the need to focus on the small things that helped him become the successful fighter he is.
"We have been putting in the work to cover everything, every small detail," de Ridder said. "I kind of lost track of that because it was just me choking people out, and I thought ‘this is just how fights go, this is who I am’. I kind of lost the focus on the small little things that helped me to be that guy."
Middleweight Division: De Ridder’s Sweet Spot
In their previous encounter, de Ridder and Malykhin had to weigh in at 225lbs. However, this time around, de Ridder’s middleweight belt is on the line, with the weight limit set at 205lbs or less. De Ridder believes that the middleweight division suits him much better.
"Middleweight is my weight class, I’m no heavyweight, I’m no light-heavyweight," he said. "This is my natural weight class so it’s going to be middleweight for now. No more calling out heavyweights."
A Submission Specialist’s Plan
As a submission specialist, de Ridder’s plan for the rematch is clear. He aims to choke Malykhin out, which is his bread and butter. However, he approaches the fight with a more open mind this time, ready to adapt to any situation that arises.
"The plan is to choke him out of course, this is my bread and butter, this is what I love and that’s what is going to happen," de Ridder said. "But I’m going into it with more of an open mind this time."
A Determined Competitor
Defeat forced the 33-year-old de Ridder to reflect on who he was and why he wanted to compete. Through introspection, he discovered that the fire inside him still burns brightly, and he is confident in his ability to beat anyone put in front of him.
"I still have that fire inside of me," he said. "I am still capable of beating whoever they put in front of me."
