I Would Only Consider It For The Greats: Reinier De Ridder on Grappling matches

When Reinier de Ridder challenged Andre Galvao last month to uncover the "best grappler around these parts,” it was not so much a boast.

Underneath the bravado, his callout was more a sign of respect.

“When I started this jiu-jitsu stuff, [I never thought] that I could be grappling with one of the best in the world, one of the best to ever do it. Man, it’s a huge honor,” One Championship’s two-division MMA king said.

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While he never imagined it, the 31-year-old will indeed battle BJJ legend Galvao at One X this Saturday, 26 March, just a month after defending his One Middleweight World Title against Kiamrian Abbasov.

With two golden belts, a 15-0 record, and 10 submission victories in the all-encompassing sport, De Ridder is one of the most accomplished grapplers on the promotion's roster.

And as his reputation grows, he’s more comfortable taking on new risks, including this ground battle with Galvao.

“I've tested my skills against the elite, and I've come on top every time. So why not against this guy? It's a big jump. It's a huge competition. But I think I'm up for it,” the Combat Brothers athlete said.

It remains to be seen if "The Dutch Knight" can hold his own against a seven-time BJJ World Champion, but if he succeeds, there could be more submission grappling matches in his future.

Of course, those won't just come against anyone. At this point in his career, he’s saving his best for the best.

“Yeah, it’s cool [to compete in grappling], but I would only consider it for the greats," De Ridder added. "I’m not grappling anybody else."

De Ridder and Galvao will be competing in ONE X: Part I, which fans can watch live on Thairath TV32 or AIS Play at 12 p.m. ICT on 26 March, as well as stream via watch.onefc.com, ONE’s Facebook account, and ONE’s YouTube channel.

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