Reinier de Ridder expected Tye Ruotolo callout: “We talked backstage”

ONE middleweight world champion Reinier de Ridder was not surprised when he was called out by Tye Ruotolo for a submission grappling superfight late last year and feels privileged to be given the chance to compete in it.

‘The Dutch Knight’ will battle American phenom Ruotolo in a highly anticipated grappling showdown at ONE Fight Night 10 on Prime Video on May 5. It will be part of a packed card set up by ONE Championship for its first-ever live on-ground event in the United States.

The event will go down at 1stBank Center in Colorado and will be aired live and for free to North American fans with an active Prime Video subscription.

Speaking to ONE Championship, Reinier de Ridder shared that he already expected Tye Ruotolo’s callout as they had a conversation about it prior when they both competed at ONE on Prime Video 5 in Manila last December.

He is also excited for the fight as it will mark his return to submission grappling, a little over a year since he last fought in it against Ruotolo’s Atos Jiu-Jitsu mentor Andre Galvao. The contest ended in a draw.

Reinier de Ridder said:

“No, I expected something like that. We talked backstage. It’s very cool, man. It’s very cool that I got a shot at this. I got to grapple Andre Galvao and I get to grapple Tye Ruotolo, who’s one of the hottest prospects right now in grappling. I’m not even a grappler, I’m an MMA fighter so it’s very cool that I get this opportunity.”

At ONE Fight Night 10, Combat Brothers-affiliated Reinier De Ridder is also angling to bounce back after being dealt his first professional mixed martial arts defeat back in December by Russian Anatoly Malykhin. The loss, too, saw him surrender the ONE light heavyweight world title he previously held as well.

Ruotolo, meanwhile, is looking to keep his undefeated run in ONE Championship going since making his promotional debut last year.