While Bo Nickal, a decorated three-time NCAA champion, entered the UFC with significant hype, it was Reinier de Ridder who garnered arguably more attention after their recent bout, securing a spectacular knockout victory over the wrestling standout.
Despite being considered a significant underdog heading into the fight, de Ridder demonstrated that the betting odds were mistaken. He successfully controlled Nickal on the ground in the first round before finishing the fight in the second with a punishing series of knee strikes to the body. This impressive performance came as no surprise to Anatoly Malykhin, the ONE 205-pound champion and the only fighter to have defeated de Ridder, having done so twice between 2022 and 2024.
Speaking about de Ridder, Malykhin stated, “De Ridder has genuinely been my most challenging opponent.” He praised the Dutchman, adding, “He’s a fantastic champion. He held double-champ status in a premier global organization. And who exactly is Bo Nickal? He isn’t a top-tier competitor; his skill level is different. Someone merely put faith in him and positioned him as a rising UFC star. We are now seeing his true capabilities.”
Malykhin recalled de Ridder`s record before their first encounter: “He was 6-0 in ONE Championship, including all his initial victories. He was ranked in both light heavyweight and middleweight divisions. Now that he’s competing in the UFC at 185 pounds, the entire division faces a serious danger. A significant danger. People should not underestimate him. If anyone does, they are likely to encounter substantial difficulties.”
Following de Ridder`s knockout victory over Nickal at UFC Des Moines, Malykhin extended his congratulations to his former rival on the success he has achieved since joining the UFC.
This win improved de Ridder’s UFC record to 3-0, a fact that clearly pleases Malykhin.
Although Malykhin boasts an impressive list of achievements, including becoming the first and only three-division champion in ONE Championship history, he identifies de Ridder as the opponent who challenged him the most throughout his career.
“I am genuinely thankful for the rivalry de Ridder and I shared,” Malykhin remarked. “He transformed me as a fighter. My preparation for him was unlike any other opponent; those training sessions were the toughest I’ve ever had, both physically and mentally. He truly strengthened my mental resilience. I hold immense respect for him.”
He continued, “I am pleased for him and his victories in the UFC. I am also glad that our rivalry was so memorable, providing fans with such exciting bouts. Furthermore, I hope there might be an opportunity for us to compete again in the future, perhaps as two experienced veterans, maybe even in a grappling contest.”
While the victory against Nickal undoubtedly elevated de Ridder`s profile in the UFC, he had little time to savor the moment as he received an offer for another fight just days later.
Scheduled for July, de Ridder will face a significant increase in competition difficulty when he takes on former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the main event of a UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi.
De Ridder might again be positioned as the underdog for this bout, but Malykhin expresses confidence that the Dutch fighter will succeed and secure a win against Whittaker.
Offering his thoughts on the upcoming fight, Malykhin commented, “Certainly, Whittaker is an excellent fighter and poses a formidable challenge. However, I believe he has been competing for a long time and is now past his peak. He isn’t in the same physical state as he was during his championship reign. I think his fight with Chimaev fundamentally impacted him, breaking him both mentally and physically, particularly his jaw.”
He predicted, “Therefore, the fight will probably resemble the Chimaev-Whittaker bout significantly. My prediction is that de Ridder will secure the victory, most likely via submission.”
Should Malykhin`s prediction prove accurate, de Ridder could find himself on the verge of a title shot in the near future. Malykhin even believes that, regardless of the outcome against Whittaker, his former foe is already one of the top middleweights in the UFC.
Analyzing de Ridder’s current standing, Malykhin concluded, “Assessing de Ridder’s presence in the division, he unquestionably represents a significant threat. I consider him to be within the top three fighters in the middleweight division currently.”
