Reinier de Ridder’s spectacular win over UFC golden child Bo Nickal lit up the combat sports world over the past weekend. It also caught the attention of one man in particular, Anatoly Malykhin. The ONE Championship two-division king congratulated his former rival while still making sure to assert his dominance.
Anatoly Malykhin Applauds Reinier de Ridder After UFC Des Moines Win
de Ridder outgunned Nickal in Iowa, and it was no surprise to the ONE Light Heavyweight and Middleweight MMA World Champion. Anatoly Malykhin, the one who dethroned the Dutch athlete in both divisions, credited de Ridder’s accomplished background for the win, and he is certain that the standard of excellence will only continue.
“He’s a truly strong fighter, a former double champion of what I consider the best league in the world — ONE Championship. He had 16 finishes. I just wanted to give credit where it’s due — to his skills and his career. I’m sure he’ll continue performing at a high level for many years,” Anatoly Malykhin said (h/t RDX Sports).
Anatoly Malykhin Expected One-Way Traffic in de Ridder vs. Nickal Fight
Nickal arrived on the scene with an incredible amount of hype. That hype only grew with each win. However, the Russian did not share the same glowing review and stated why he had full confidence in “The Dutch Knight.”
“Bo is just a hyped-up fighter. Reinier de Ridder is a real champion. I gave Bo zero chance and was sure de Ridder would handle him easily. De Ridder always comes forward and fights with heart. He’s got dangerous knees, strong takedown defense, and a long, awkward frame that poses a real challenge. So, yeah — all gas, no brakes, Reinier,” Anatoly Malykhin commented.
UPSET DELIVERED IN IOWA 💥
Reinier de Ridder with a HUGE knockout in round 2! 👊
[ #UFCDesMoines LIVE NOW on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/aTh9lulep2
— UFC (@ufc) May 4, 2025
A History Lesson from Anatoly Malykhin
Although he spoke kindly of de Riddler, Malykhin also wanted everyone to remember how their two meetings finished. In their first meeting at ONE on Prime Video 5, Anatoly Malykhin crushed De Ridder to take the ONE Light Heavyweight MMA World Title inside of a round. Over a year later at ONE 166, not much changed as “Sladkiy” dominated an overmatched de Ridder to take the ONE Middleweight MMA World Championship.
“I’d say this: Reinier de Ridder is a fighter who can become champion in any league. He’s a serious threat in any division. But when you see De Ridder winning belts — just remember that Anatoly Malykhin already dealt with him and dominated him,” Anatoly Malykhin offered.
Malykhin Encourages People to Open Eyes to Top-Level Competitors in Other Promotions
Bolstered by his own experience in the gym and in competition, Anatoly Malykhin is hopeful this changes some perceptions about talent outside of the UFC. Although it has been proven time and again over the years, world-class athletes are competing all over the world. Malykhin is one of many and wants the world to catch up to seeing all of the world’s most exceptional martial artists.
“I’ve been saying this for a long time – the best fighters aren’t only in the UFC. Sure, they have great talent, but so do other promotions. The UFC was just the first major promotion to hit the market, and it got the most hype — that’s why people assume it has all the best guys. But I’ve trained with many UFC fighters and honestly, they’re just regular fighters, regular people. You can beat them, and they can beat you. Every league has exceptional athletes. The elite is everywhere,” Anatoly Malykhin said.
