![Reinier de Ridder (R) looked to be in trouble early in his match against Vitaly Bigdash (L). | [Photos: ONE Championship]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/07/b2203-16585805487734-1920.jpg)
![Reinier de Ridder (R) looked to be in trouble early in his match against Vitaly Bigdash (L). | [Photos: ONE Championship]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Reinier de Ridder defended his ONE middleweight world title at ONE 159 against Vitaly Bigdash, but it was anything but easy.
While the match ended at the 3:29 mark of the first round, De Ridder looked to be in trouble early on during the contest. The two-division world champion shot for a takedown early in the contest, and Bigdash locked in a guillotine that looked deep.
However, De Ridder found a way to break free and masterfully transitioned to half guard to take control of the bout. His inverted triangle that finished Bigdash earned him his second performance bonus this year.
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During the post-fight interview with SCMP MMA, ‘The Dutch Knight’ explained what was going on when his Russian adversary was looking for the finish.
Reinier de Ridder said:
“So, he has to get his legs up high over my hips, and I need to scoop my hips up. I was scooping my hips up slowly and surely. He only had one side in. He was only choking me on my left side; my right side was still open. So I was never really in any real trouble. But he was cranking it really hard, and he was trying very hard. That was actually very good for me because he got tired. The moment he let go, I was able to get in some ground and pound, hit him with some good shots, and after that, you saw what happened, right?”
What’s next for Reinier de Ridder?
Reinier de Ridder has conquered everyone that stood up against him in dominating fashion. Now, it looks like it’s time for him to become a challenger once again.
De Ridder has made it known that he has his eyes on conquering a world title in a third division. Now that he has defeated yet another formidable opponent in Vitaly Bigdash, he wants to move up and fight the undisputed ONE heavyweight world champion after Arjan Bhullar and Anatoly Malykhin have competed for the title in the circle.
Bhullar has said that he’s willing to fight De Ridder if he wins against Bigdash. Now that the first part is done, it’s up to Bhullar to make it happen by taking care of business on his end.
