When it comes to getting the job done on the mat, there are few better than reigning ONE middleweight world champion Reinier de Ridder.
On Friday, March 1, ‘The Dutch Knight’ will put his title on the line against a familiar foe in current two-division titleholder Anatoly Malykhin as the two men are set to headline ONE 166: Qatar inside the Lusail Sports Arena.
Ahead of their highly anticipated rematch, ONE Championship is looking back at Reinier de Ridder’s highlight-reel finish of former middleweight king Vitaly Bigdash at ONE 159 in July 2022. After surviving an early guillotine choke attempt, de Ridder turned the tables in the opening round, catching Bigdash in a reverse triangle choke, rendering him unconscious.
The Dutchman will attempt to deliver a similar result when they run back their brief encounter at ONE on Prime Video 5.
Anatoly Malykhin seeks history-making performance against Reinier de Ridder
Reinier de Ridder entered their first matchup with a perfect 16-0 record and a 71% finish rate inside the Circle. It took Anatoly Malykhin less than five minutes to make de Ridder’s ‘O’ disappear, dispatching ‘The Dutch Knight’ with a brutal onslaught of strikes. With the win, Malykhin took possession of the ONE light heavyweight title, adding it to his collection, which already included the interim ONE heavyweight strap.
Since then, Malykhin has traded in his interim title for undisputed gold, making him an undisputed two-division champion. If he can offer a repeat performance at ONE 166, the Russian juggernaut will become the first-ever three-division ONE world champion.
Will Reinier de Ridder even the series, or will Anatoly Malykhin etch his name in the history books at one of the biggest combat sports events of 2024?
Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America can catch all the action at ONE 166: Qatar live and for free on Friday, March 1.