“I see this going one of two ways" - Reinier de Ridder predicts how he'll finish Kiamrian Abbasov

Two-division ONE world champion Reinier de Ridder is confident he'll successfully defend his middleweight belt against Kiamrian Abbasov and maintain his unbeaten record when they meet at ONE: Full Circle on Friday, February 25.

In fact, 'The Dutch Knight' believes he knows just how the welterweight king will approach their main event contest when it gets underway.

The 31-year-old broke down his competitor’s potential game plan in an exclusive interview with ONE last week. Reinier de Ridder offered:

“I see this going one of two ways, depending on how he comes out. I think he’ll be a bit hesitant to come in. I’ll hit him with some jabs, front kick him, push him against the fence, push him back and take him down.”

Reinier de Ridder has successfully utilized this method each time he has blitzed past opponents in the Circle. The grappling wizard may be crafty on the canvas, but he never starts off a fight by shooting for takedowns right away.

Instead, he uses his lanky figure and striking skills to close the distance, then tags his foes with jabs and crosses before taking the fight to the mats. His work on the fence and his clamp-like grip also allow him to get the better of his rivals with ease.

Abbasov, however, is no stranger to a challenge on the ground. Reinier de Ridder knows this, but he still fancies his chances should the contest ensue in the grappling department.

The two-division champion added:

“I see myself passing the guard pretty easily and getting the side choke at the end of the first or beginning of the second round. But he might come out guns blazing and I might be able to take him out on the feet as well. I want to finish him as quickly as possible.”

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Reinier de Ridder’s next competitor in the middleweight division

‘The Dutch Knight’ has wiped out most of the big names in the middleweight weight class. Aung La N Sang, Leandro Ataides, Gilberto Galvao and Fan Rong have all fallen prey to the unbeaten king, who will extend his record in the promotion to 6-0 with a win next Friday.

There seems to be no clear opponent to challenge him should the Combat Brothers representative defend his title against Abbasov. However, fans and analysts are suggesting that the winner of the Aung La N Sang and Vitaly Bigdash fight could be the next man in line.

Reinier de Ridder has ruled out a trilogy showdown with the Burmese superstar. However, should Bigdash bury his rivalry with Aung La N Sang at ONE: Full Circle, fans could be treated to an epic battle between him and the Dutch world champion.