Anatoly Malykhin remains unfazed by the anticipated adjustments Reinier de Ridder may bring to their upcoming rematch at ONE 166.
Scheduled for March 1 in Qatar, the clash offers Malykhin the opportunity to secure a third divisional title against ‘The Dutch Knight’ at middleweight, adding to his two-division world champion status.
In their previous encounter at ONE on Prime Video 5, Malykhin showcased dominance, becoming the first to defeat de Ridder, setting the stage for their rematch.
Despite the over-a-year gap between bouts, which suggests potential adjustments from the middleweight champion, Malykhin remains skeptical. In a recent interview with ONE Championship, he expressed his doubts about significant improvements in de Ridder’s crucial areas for victory:
“Yes, surely he has already drawn conclusions from our previous encounter, but what could he do since then? I don’t think he’s learned how to fight in the stand-up, or how to punch hard, or how to freestyle wrestle.”
