Reinier de Ridder says Zebaztian Kadestam was ‘like a monster’, deserves world title shot

As Reinier de Ridder looks around for his next challenge, he has put a spotlight on former world champion Zebaztian Kadestam.

With ‘The Dutch Knight’ lining up his return to MMA with a defense of his ONE middleweight world championship, de Ridder has been looking around at the potential contenders.

After tasting defeat for the very first time in MMA in his last fight, the Dutchman has taken some time away from the sport to work on his overall game, aiming to come back as a new evolution of himself.

One thing he knows he can’t do though, is stand and trade strikes with ‘The Bandit’. Former champ Kadestam has got one of the most impressive finish rates of any fighter in ONE Championship, securing 13 of his 15 pro wins by way of knockout.

At ONE Fight Night 10 in May, the Swede picked up one of the biggest wins of his career that showcased how tough and dangerous he is at all times. Going to war with another of the roster's most dangerous strikers, Roberto Soldic, Zebaztian Kadestam weathered some early storms before finding his feet in the fight and stopping Soldic in the second round.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Reinier de Ridder spoke about how impressed he was by Kadestam’s performance:

“With all those left hands Soldic was putting on him. And he came back like a monster. His technical abilities are really shining. I think he's the one that deserves it.”

Watch the full interview below:

ONE Fight Night 10 is available to watch in its entirety for free via the replay on Prime Video for North American viewers.