Vitaly Bigdash’s striking is crucial to beating Reinier de Ridder and capturing middleweight belt

More than five years removed from the last time he had ONE gold wrapped around his waist, Vitaly Bigdash will have the opportunity to reclaim the middleweight world championship on Friday night when he steps into the main event spotlight at ONE 159.

The Russian beast faces undefeated two-division world champion Reinier de Ridder with ONE gold on the line. It’s a classic battle between striker and grappler when the two clash on July 22. ONE Championship highlighted Bigdash’s immense power, sharing a video clip of the fighter landing a vicious head kick on rival Aung La N Sang.

“The POWER 🤯 Former divisional king Vitaly Bigdash challenges two-division ONE World Champion Reinier de Ridder for the middleweight throne THIS FRIDAY at ONE 159! 🏆 @vitaly_bigdash”

‘The Burmese Python’ added some humor in the comments section of the post, saying:

“There was a fly 🪰on my chin. Thanks buddy!”

Vitaly Bigdash secured his world title opportunity against ‘The Dutch Knight’ with a convincing win over Aung La at ONE: Full Circle in February. It was the third fight in a trilogy that began with back-to-back fights in 2017. ‘The Burmese Python’ took the first at ONE: Quest for Power, but it would be Bigdash who would walk away with a victory in the last two matchups.

Watch Vitaly Bigdash's highlights below:

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Vitaly Bigdash’s striking skills could set him up for a world title-winning performance

It’s no secret that Vitaly Bigdash’s key to victory will be his striking. The Russian juggernaut carries some serious power in his hands, capable of ending any fight in the blink of an eye. While Reinier de Ridder has been incredibly dominant in his undefeated run, which includes 10 victories via submission, ‘The Dutch Knight’ has been criticized for his lack of stand-up.

Putting pressure on the Breda native and making him move backwards will help diminish the takedown threat and allow Bigdash to dictate the pace and land strikes. If Bigdash walks away with the ONE middleweight world title on Friday, it will be by knockout.

De Ridder has a clear advantage on the canvas. The longer the fight goes, the more it favors ‘The Dutch Knight’. Expect Bigdash to push the Dutchman around early, looking for a statement knockout in the first half of the bout.

Speaking to ONE Championship ahead of the highly anticipated bout, Bigdash is confident that he can win no matter where the fight goes:

“I’m ready to knock him out, submit him, dominate all five rounds – it doesn’t matter to me. Like I said after [the Aung La N Sang] fight, I will break his face.”

Though confident, it would be in Bigdash’s interest to keep the fight standing for as long as possible where he will have the most significant advantage.

Watch the De Ridder vs. Bigdash face-off below: