“It's not a factor” – Reinier de Ridder says he would have accepted rematch with Anatoly Malykhin at any weight class

Former two-division world champion and now reigning and undisputed ONE middleweight MMA world champion Reinier de Ridder is facing Russian powerhouse ‘Sladkiy’ Anatoly Malykhin for the second time now and says it’s exactly what he had asked for.

De Ridder suffered the first defeat of his professional career when he ran into Malykhin in Manila in December of 2022. ‘Sladkiy’ absolutely obliterated ‘The Dutch Knight’ inside one round and took home his light heavyweight gold.

Now, the two are set for a rematch at middleweight, which De Ridder says will not be a factor and will actually be to his advantage.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, De Ridder talked about his rematch with Malykhin.

‘The Dutch Knight’ said:

“Nah, I'm very happy that it's Malykhin. And again, I'm very happy that it's a chance to redeem myself, which is the most important thing. I didn't ask for a weight class. I don't care which weight class this one happens at. Of course, this is more close to my natural weight, my walk-around weight, so it's technically a good thing for me. But it's not a factor in my mind.”

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‘The Dutch Knight’ Reinier de Ridder takes on ‘Sladkiy’ Anatoly Malykhin anew at ONE 166: Qatar

wq1ONE middleweight MMA world champion ‘The Dutch Knight’ Reinier de Ridder is scheduled to defend his gold against ONE heavyweight and light heavyweight world champion ‘Sladkiy’ Anatoly Malykhin in the main event at ONE 166: Qatar.

The event will be broadcast live from the Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, Qatar, on Friday, March 1.

If De Ridder wins, he gets his long-sought revenge against the man who separated him from his senses two years ago. If Malykhin wins, he will make history as the first man to ever hold three MMA world titles simultaneously across three different weight classes.

Needless to say, the stakes are incredibly high for this one.

ONE 166: Qatar broadcasts live on Friday, March 1, to existing Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada. Fans can catch all the action live and absolutely free. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates on ONE Championship.