“I beat every champion” - Reinier de Ridder vows to stop Arjan Bhullar and Anatoly Malykhin

Reinier de Ridder is coming for every world title possible, and he doesn't even mind if he has to fight twice in one night. The two-division world champion bared his plans to compete for the heavyweight title after securing an impressive victory against Vitaly Bigdash at ONE 159.

De Ridder, who also holds the ONE light heavyweight world title, told Mitch Chilson in the post-fight interview that he’d fight Anatoly Malykhin, the ONE interim heavyweight world champion, and Arjan Bhullar, the ONE heavyweight world champion, on the same night.

Already holding two prestigious world titles, De Ridder could create a legend all to itself if he becomes the holder of three world championships all at the same time.

Reinier de Ridder said:

“This is what I do, I beat the champions. I beat every champion. Now, maybe another one. Maybe a little bit of a heavier one. They’re talking about doing Malykhin and Bhullar first, but let me have my shot first. Both of them, on the same night. I don’t care. [ONE] do mixed-rules stuff and whatever, so why not two opponents? Let’s do it.”

De Ridder holds a perfect 16-0 record in his professional career, including 7-0 in ONE Championship. His first-round submission win over Bigdash, which was considered his toughest test yet, was his fifth finish in the promotion.

The Dutch superstar weathered an early guillotine choke attempt from Bigdash, a submission hold that had the viewing public on their seats. Keeping his composure and gaining control, De Ridder rained down some ground-and-pound while the Russian fighter tried furiously to regain top position.

Bigdash was successful in taking the top position but that proved to be the beginning of his end. The former ONE middleweight world champion got caught in De Ridder’s web and that was pretty much it for Bigdash.

De Ridder pulled off an expertly-crafted inverted triangle choke wrapping his legs around Bigdash’s neck that earned him the submission win 3:29 into the first round.

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The growing legend of Reinier de Ridder

While there have been double world champions, no fighter in any major organization has held three world titles simultaneously. Reinier De Ridder might just be the first man to do so.

At 6ft4, De Ridder’s frame already towers over both Bhullar and Malykhin since the two heavyweights stand at 6-foot-1 and 5-foot-11. It now just comes down to the issue of making weight.

Judging from his campaigns at middleweight and light heavyweight, De Ridder looks to have no problem jumping between weight classes.

There’s also De Ridder’s unbridled confidence. And it’s this mental fortitude that has made the Dutchman such a dangerous and intriguing fighter.

’The Dutch Knight’ is confident that he’ll make the 265-pound weight limit and possibly become the only man to hold three world titles on the planet.

“Put them in front of me. I’ll knock them out. I’ll choke them out. Anybody.”