Reinier De Ridder looking for another successful title defense at ONE 159

Just months after his first successful middleweight title defense, ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion Reinier de Ridder is set to defend the strap yet again.  

The Dutch dynamo will face former divisional king Vitaly Bigdash in the main event of ONE 159: De Ridder vs. Bigdash on 22 July at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. 

De Ridder has quickly become a fan favorite thanks to his incredible performances in the Circle, witty quips outside of it, and undying enthusiasm for competing. The 31-year-old has a perfect record of 15-0 in mixed martial arts and is constantly looking for new challenges. 

ALSO READ | Aung La N Sang gives his take on Reinier De Ridder vs. Vitaly Bigdash

His most recent bout was a submission grappling match at ONE X with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Andre Galvao. While the fight ended in a draw, it highlighted the endless capabilities of the two-division ONE World Champion. 

De Ridder earned his straps in a matter of six months, with both wins coming against Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang. The first victory came by rear-naked choke in round one at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX in October 2020, with the second via unanimous decision at “ONE on TNT IV” in April 2021. 

"The Dutch Knight” may have reigned supreme in all of his MMA outings in ONE so far, but on 22 July, he’ll meet a man who is not only eager to reclaim his throne but has also been tearing through the ONE roster.   

Bigdash has accumulated a record of 12-2 and has also defeated “The Burmese Python” twice. The Russian star took home two wins in their epic trilogy of fights. Bigdash has years of training in grappling and Kyokushin karate, and he’s finished the likes of Yuki “Yu-King” Niimura and “King Kong Warrior” Fan Rong via submission. 

ALSO READ | Andre Galvao feels that he can submit De Ridder in an MMA match

“The Dutch Knight” likes to get things done on the mat, too, meaning that this World Title tussle is likely to be decided on the canvas – with a submission masterclass coming from both athletes. 

Download the ONE Super App to catch all the action at ONE 159: De Ridder vs. Bigdash on Friday, 22 July, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.  

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