Reinier de Ridder may not have entered the UFC with the same level of anticipation as three-time NCAA champion Bo Nickal, but his dominant knockout victory over the decorated wrestler arguably generated even greater buzz.
Despite being a significant underdog entering the bout, de Ridder proved the odds makers wrong. He successfully held Nickal down on the ground in the initial round before unleashing a brutal series of knee strikes to the body to secure the finish in the second. None of this surprised ONE 205-pound champion Anatoly Malykhin, who remains the only fighter to have handed de Ridder losses, defeating “RDR” twice between 2022 and 2024.
“De Ridder has genuinely been my most challenging opponent,” Malykhin told MMA Fighting. “He is a fantastic champion. He was a two-division titleholder in a top global promotion. And who is Bo Nickal, really? He`s not a top-tier fighter; he`s on a different level. Someone simply put their faith in him, promoting him as a young UFC star. Now we can see his actual level.”
“De Ridder was undefeated at 6-0 before our first meeting, including all his early victories. He was ranked at light heavyweight and middleweight in ONE. Now he`s in the UFC, competing at 185 pounds, and the entire division is under threat. A significant threat. Don`t underestimate this athlete. Anyone who does will face serious problems.”
After witnessing de Ridder`s impressive finish of Nickal at UFC Des Moines, Malykhin sent a message of congratulations to his former foe for the success he`s achieving in his new fighting environment.
The victory improved de Ridder`s UFC record to 3-0, a milestone Malykhin is clearly happy about.
While Malykhin boasts considerable career achievements, including being the first and only three-division champion in ONE history, the Russian knockout artist credits de Ridder as the fighter who pushed him the hardest during his career.
“You know, I am truly grateful for the rivalry de Ridder and I shared,” Malykhin stated. “He transformed me as a fighter. I never prepared for anyone else with such intensity; those were the most grueling training sessions of my entire life. Not only physically, but he also made me mentally tougher. I hold nothing but respect for him.”
He added, “I am pleased for him and his wins in the UFC. I`m happy our rivalry was so compelling, giving fans such incredible fights. I also hope that perhaps sometime in the future, we might meet again, maybe as two veterans, perhaps for a grappling match.”
The win over Nickal may have propelled him to prominence in the UFC, but de Ridder didn`t have much time to celebrate, receiving a call just days later with an offer for his next fight.
In July, de Ridder will face a significant step up in competition when he takes on former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card in Abu Dhabi.
Once again, de Ridder might be seen as the underdog, but Malykhin is confident the Dutch fighter will succeed and add Whittaker to his list of victories.
“Of course, Whittaker is an excellent fighter, a formidable opponent,” Malykhin remarked. “I believe he has been in the sport for many years and is now past his prime. He isn`t in the same physical state as when he was champion. After his fight with Chimaev, I think Chimaev broke him, both mentally and physically, even breaking his jaw.”
“Therefore, I expect this fight to be quite similar to the Chimaev-Whittaker bout. I predict de Ridder will most likely win by submission.”
If Malykhin`s prediction proves accurate, de Ridder could soon find himself in contention for a title shot. Even before that fight happens, Malykhin believes his former opponent should already be considered among the top middleweights in the UFC.
“Analyzing de Ridder`s position in the division, he is undoubtedly a threat,” Malykhin concluded. “I think he is currently in the top 3 of the middleweight division.”
