Reinier de Ridder is proud to name himself a blended martial artist, however he’s by no means going to shrink back from his world-class grappling recreation.
In 19 profession wins, the previous two-division champion in ONE Championship has 13 submissions on his resume, and he’s already tapped out his first two opponents since becoming a member of the UFC roster. However his subsequent matchup at UFC Des Moines on Could 3 presents a really fascinating problem when de Ridder faces three-time nationwide champion wrestler Bo Nickal, who can be one of the hyped prospects to ever compete within the UFC.
Whereas Nickal has displayed his dominant grappling up to now, he was closely criticized for refusing to go for takedowns in his most up-to-date outing in opposition to Paul Craig, which nearly solely performed out on the toes.
“It wasn’t that nice to look at.,” de Ridder informed MMA Preventing about Nickal’s newest win. “However he confirmed off that his hanging just isn’t that dangerous. He has fairly first rate footwork as effectively. He hits fairly onerous. He throws the whole lot into that left overhand. However he wasn’t actually capable of make an announcement in that struggle. Possibly he simply had a nasty evening, who is aware of?”
For all of the methods de Ridder has confidence matching his hanging abilities in opposition to Nickal, he is aware of that’s not the explanation this matchup received put collectively.
This struggle would possibly pit one of many nastiest submission specialists on the complete UFC roster in opposition to a world-class wrestler with an extended record of accomplishments to again up that declare. However after watching Nickal refuse to have interaction with Craig on the bottom, de Ridder expects he might need to power the Penn State alum to grapple him.
“I feel I’ve to make him wrestle,” de Ridder stated. “As we noticed within the Paul Craig struggle, I feel he’s fairly frightened of the jiu-jitsu on the ground. He’s fairly scared to get caught with one thing. So I feel I must make him wrestle.
“I must get shut, put the strain on him, hit him a pair instances, and I feel he will certainly begin taking pictures. I feel this struggle is received or misplaced within the clinch. That is the place the many of the struggle goes to occur and many of the exchanges of the struggle will occur. I’m actually engaged on seeing if I can get him with some good knees, some good elbows. Throwing him, tripping him, attending to his again. That’s the plan.”
Many instances up to now when two extremely high-level grapplers meet up within the UFC, the struggle turns right into a sloppy hanging contest as a result of neither fighter needs to surrender an inch if the motion hits the ground.
As a lot as de Ridder doesn’t concern buying and selling palms with Nickal, he is aware of that isn’t what the UFC needs out of this struggle a lot much less the followers shopping for tickets or tuning into watch this co-main occasion in Could.
“Who needs to see us strike?” de Ridder stated with fun. “We’re each first rate strikers however come on, let’s have some enjoyable. Like Demian Maia and Ben Askren within the first spherical. No one needs to see that shit.”
All jokes apart, de Ridder guarantees he’s prepared for no matter will get thrown at him however don’t assume for a second that he received’t power the problem if Nickal simply refuses to have interaction with him to keep away from a grappling trade.
He will get labeled as a submission specialist, however de Ridder by no means forgets his roots in judo so if he will get the time and alternative to drop Nickal on his head, that’s precisely what he’ll do.
“I feel [I can take him down]. I feel I’ll have a shot at that as effectively,” de Ridder stated. “I’ve at all times educated with loads of excessive degree wrestlers, particularly right here in Florida [at Kill Cliff FC]. One thing I’ve at all times observed is higher physique work is the place I do my finest work usually.
“In many of the fights it doesn’t actually get there, like within the Kevin Holland struggle I might already get him down with the only [leg takedown], however my old flame is judo, and if I can simply throw him round somewhat bit, that might excellent.”
On paper, de Ridder is already taking the larger danger with this struggle as a result of the UFC has him ranked within the prime 15 at middleweight whereas Nickal continues to be sitting on the skin trying in.
Whereas he hoped for a top-five opponent like Khamzat Chimaev for his subsequent look, de Ridder undoubtedly understands how a lot identify worth issues within the UFC and Nickal undoubtedly qualifies in that class.
“I actually needed a prime 5 man however now Bo Nickal is at the very least a prime 5 identify, proper?” de Ridder stated. “He’s a really well-known man, and if I can get him out of right here as effectively, I feel it actually does effectively. It is going to actually get me up there within the rankings.
“I’m very pleased with the matchup, and stylistically, it’s going to be enjoyable, too. It’s going to be cool to see who has the higher grappling.”
If he’s capable of go on the market, and derail the hype round Nickal on Could 3, de Ridder expects to search out himself in a really advantageous place within the division hierarchy.
Present UFC middleweight champion Dricus de Plessis is predicted to conflict with Chimaev later this yr and Nassourdine Imavov is probably going ready within the wings after he just lately dispatched Israel Adesanya in spectacular trend again in February.
Wanting on the lay of the land in his division, de Ridder can’t say for sure how excessive he can climb if he ends Nickal at UFC Des Moines, however he is aware of it places him in a really advantageous place.
“Numerous the fellows on the prime have already fought one another,” de Ridder stated. “Who is aware of? If I can do that the precise approach, choke him out early, I feel I’ve one thing to say at the very least.”
