Reinier "The Reader" de Ridder warns fighters not to sign with ONE Championship, interested in Khamzat Chimaev fight

[Red Lantern]

“This is something I feel I have to do for other fighters — if you’re thinking of signing with ONE Championship, don’t,” de Ridder said at the UFC Vegas 100 post-fight press conference. “It’s that simple. You should not. There’s nothing there. There’s no fights. You’re just wrong if you do this, if you sign there, this is a bad mistake.”

The former light heavyweight and middleweight champion didn’t get into many details about his disdain towards ONE but at least one major problem came down to activity.


Following three fights in 2022, de Ridder didn’t compete at all during 2023 outside of a grappling match against Tye Ruotolo. He finally returned to action in early 2024 but a loss to Anatoly Malykhin marked the end of his run with ONE Championship before de Ridder competed a single time in UAE Warriors prior to signing with the UFC.



“It’s been a bad couple of years,” de Ridder said. “The stress I’ve been put through. The stress my family’s been put through. To even just get fights, it hasn’t been nice. It’s hard for me to talk bad because I had a couple of good years at ONE as well. In the beginning, they treated me well. Over the past couple of years, it’s been really bad.”


If there was one aspect about ONE Championship that he missed, de Ridder admitted the post-fight celebrations where glitter falls from the ceiling to end a show was a nice touch but that sounds like the only thing he’s not getting compared to his new home in the UFC.



“[I miss it] a bit yeah,” de Ridder said about the colorful post-fight celebrations. “It would have been nice, it looks cool. But everything else [in ONE Championship] is shit.”



When asked about potential opponents, de Ridder didn’t blink when calling for a showdown against arguably the 185-pound boogeyman.



“Why not Khamzat [Chimaev]?” de Ridder said. “That would be a nice matchup, grappling wise, it would be cool.”’

Whether it’s Khamzat Chimaev or somebody else, de Ridder is just happy to keep his calendar full thanks to the UFC.

“Whatever the UFC wants of me, I’ll do it,” de Ridder said. “Just give me a call. I’m ready.”


full article: https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/11...championship-interested-khamzat-chimaev-fight

 

[13Seconds]

ONE shit the bed for sure

 

[SamuraiBro]

ONE is going to close their mma divisions soon.

 

[Jose Beehive]

Yeah fight Khamzat who didn't get hit once vs GM3, i'm sure it'll go really well.

 

[Red Lantern]

ONE shit the bed for sure

They are mostly Muaythai promo imo. And even the muaythai itself is a bit diluted. I know most people here who is not really into muaythai like the 4oz glove but it changes the game a lot for a muaythai fan. The fighters don't kick as much because they chase ko because of the ko bonus is big compared to their purse.

Even their MT roster is not filled elite fighters. ONE is smart in promoting the Thai fighters. They have one or 2 elite fighters per division and the rest is somewhat journeyman who won't do well in stadium muaythai. Rajadamnern World Series is a better promo imo if you are into Muaythai.

 

[wh4tttt]

"Why is One dying"

 

[Red Lantern]

Yeah fight Khamzat who didn't get hit once vs GM3, i'm sure it'll go really well.

Yeah even though Khamzat is no elite striker, he is much better than Reinier from what I have seen. Reinier maybe better on the ground but I don't think his wrestling is good enough to ever take Khamzat down.

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

e glitter falls from the ceiling to end a show was a nice touch but that sounds like the only thing he’s not getting compared to his new home in the UFC.

The most unintentional hilarious thing to ever happen in one was when he got KO'd by Malykhin and they released glitter while he was still laid out on the canvas - so he was KO'd and being covered in gold glitter before he could leave the ring.

 

[Red Lantern]

The most unintentional hilarious things to ever happen in one was when he got KO'd by Malykhin and they released glitter while he was still laid out on the canvas - so he was KO'd and being covered in gold glitter before he could leave the ring.

Lolol which fight? He got koed 3 times by Malykhin. I need to rewatch the 3 fights.

 

[Hdfi]

I like ONE but I noticed that since they started focusing more on Muay Thai, a lot of their MMA stars have become more inactive. Christian Lee hasn't fought since 2022, Buchecha has only fought once in almost two years, etc.

 

[Wormwood]

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

Lolol which fight? He got koed 3 times by Malykhin. I need to rewatch the 3 fights.

I do believe it was the first fight.

 

[Platinum Perry Mason]

The most unintentional hilarious things to ever happen in one was when he got KO'd by Malykhin and they released glitter while he was still laid out on the canvas - so he was KO'd and being covered in gold glitter before he could leave the ring.

Reminds me of my youth, going to the late night bars after the strippers get done at the club. Pickem up, taken home , ground n pound, wake up covered in glitter with a banging headache.

 

[EndlessCritic]

Lolol which fight? He got koed 3 times by Malykhin. I need to rewatch the 3 fights.

He's only been KO'ed twice by Malykhin.

 

[usernamee]

He's only been KO'ed twice by Malykhin.

but one of those times was the equivalent of five times

 

[Petarito]

Something is for sure wrong at One.
Some good fighters left and some.havent fought in Ages

Man you can hate dana as much as you want but he is the only guy who is abler to run a large, international MMA Org properly

I hope Soldic, Malykhin, Kane and Lee escape there too and join UFC

 

[World eater]

“Just give me a call, I’m ready.”
We need more of this. Much more.

 

[vinnie245]

Something is for sure wrong at One.
Some good fighters left and some.havent fought in Ages

Man you can hate dana as much as you want but he is the only guy who is abler to run a large, international MMA Org properly

I hope Soldic, Malykhin, Kane and Lee escape there too and join UFC

Soldic definitely regrets not signing with the UFC instead of ONE, hes only had two fights there and fuck all since, he could of had at least 4-6 fights in the UFC in that time.
He could of been fighting DDP for the belt if they both got bought up at the same time with similar win streaks (only 1 of 2 people to beat DDP currently).

 

[Koala]

Free Soldic

 

[NoSmilez]

I think that Colorado mma show was their last ditch effort to break into the states. They are running out of funds. It’s easier for them to host MT. The Thai guys fight for way less. I think most of them are a little bit over the hill. You can see some of the kickboxing talent leave ONE too.

I think they have a deal with the local Thai MT authority. They can host MT fights as long as it’s 35 and above. Before they were getting sued by Thailand MT authority for corrupting the sport.