“I can hit them when they can’t hit me” – Reinier de Ridder says his length has been a problem for his opponents

Reinier de Ridder says he
Reinier de Ridder says he's a difficult striker to contend with. [Photos: ONE Championship]

Two-division world champion Reinier de Ridder is one of the finest submission grapplers in mixed martial arts. And yet, he feels his striking is also something that should not be trifled with.

De Ridder will get to display his full arsenal once again when he defends the ONE light heavyweight world title against Anatoly Malykhin in the main event of ONE on Prime Video 5 this Friday, December 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

North American subscribers of Prime Video can stream the titanic clash and the rest of the card live and for free.

In an interview with Morning Kombat, de Ridder said that his natural length catches his opponents off-guard.

The ONE middleweight and light heavyweight world champion is 6-foot-4 and has a 6-foot-7 wingspan, making him a tough and rangy striker.

Reinier de Ridder said:

“I’m always lankier than my opponents. I can hit them when they can’t hit me.”

De Ridder is 16-0 overall and 7-0 in his MMA matches in ONE Championship. While four of his five finishes came by way of his submission, his second-round knockout finish of Brazilian brawler Gilberto Galvao showed just how effective he is at launching his strikes.

After tripping Galvao to take the top position, de Ridder landed three straight knees, with the third one flatlining Galvao.

Catch the entire interview below:

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Reinier de Ridder admits ramping up his striking

Reinier de Ridder is already a master of the submission arts, and he now wants his striking game to be at par with his grappling arsenal.

Fortunately for him, the Netherlands is a breeding ground for some of the world’s greatest-ever kickboxers. On the merits of him being Dutch, de Ridder knows that he can be as good a striker as he is a grappler.

In the same interview with Morning Kombat, de Ridder said:

“I know it’s there. I’m Dutch for a reason. You know I work on my kickboxing skills on a daily basis.”

De Ridder’s victory over Galvao is his lone knockout finish in ONE Championship, but he surely believes that it won’t be his last.

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Edited by Virat Deswal