Dan Hardy Claims ONE Dual Champion Reinier De Ridder Could ‘Beat Any Middleweight in the UFC’s Top Ten’

Published 07/28/2022, 8:00 AM EDT

Follow Us

ONE middleweight and light heavyweight champion Reinier de Ridder put on an eye-catching performance at ONE 159. ‘The Dutch Knight’ made quick work of the Russian athlete Vitaly Bigdash when he put him in a slick triangle choke. The win caught the attention of MMA legend Dan Hardy, who breaks down fights on his own YouTube channel and other social platforms. What did Hardy say about the Dutch athlete?

The former UFC welterweight title challenger was awestruck by the ONE middleweight king’s performance. The former UFC athlete believed ‘The Dutch Knight’ stands a chance against top fighters in the world not only at the Home of Martial Arts, but also at other major MMA organizations.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Thus, the Brit took to his social platform to praise ‘The Dutch Knight’. Hardy wrote, “I think De Ridder has the skills to beat any middleweight in the UFC’s top ten.”

‘The Outlaw’ labeled the ONE 159 submission finish as ‘slick’. Also, he raised a question as he asked, “Where would you put him in the international rankings?”

Watch: Reinier De Ridder Extends His Win Streak to 16 With a Slick Submission Win Over Vitaly Bigdash ONE 159

The 10-year-old promotion has been home to some of the best talents in not only MMA but other facets of martial arts as well. And the 16-0 undefeated Breda standout could be the best fighter the Circle has seen. He has shown a complete game inside the ONE Circle, which suggests he could stand against any professional MMA athlete in the world.

Reinier de Ridder wants to fight Arjan Bhullar before Anatoly Malykhin

The ONE dual champion dethroned former ONE double champion Aung La N Sang to gain two gold titles in the promotion. In addition, he competed in a grappling contest against Andre Galvao. Yet, he wants to push himself further to make history. A deed that’s never been done inside the ONE Circle – winning three ONE Championship titles.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

In a recent interview, after his win over the former middleweight champion Vitaly Bigdash, the Combat Brothers representative insisted on receiving the opportunity to fight for the third world championship.

“Let me have my shot first; F*** them,” de Ridder dismissed the heavyweight unification bout between Arjan ‘Singh’ Bhullar and Anatoly Malykhin.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Reinier De Ridder Is Ready to Follow Demetrious Johnson’s Path to a Mixed Rule Fight

What do you make of Dan Hardy’s words about Reinier de Ridder’s ONE 159 performance? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Deepak Kumar

1,085Articles

One take at a time

Deepak Kumar is a UFC author at EssentiallySports. His love for MMA comes from the chaos and violence the fight game brings to the table. A BJJ aspirant, Deepak began following the sport as a casual fan when Ronda Rousey was finishing her opponents in seconds.
Show More>

Edited by:

Reubyn Coutinho