MMA News: Two-Division Champ To Meet BJJ Great In Submission Match At ONE X

Singapore-based ONE Championship will offer another submission grappling match at the highly-anticipated ONE X on March 26 with two ground game specialists squaring off against each other.

Two-division ONE world champion Reinier de Ridder takes a breather in mixed martial arts (MMA) to take on Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Andre Galvao in a 15-minute, submission-only bout.

The match was made official by ONE Championship, days after the two fighters teased about a possible clash.

De Ridder is coming off a submission win over Kiamran Abbasov at ONE: Full Circle, establishing him as one of ONE’s great pound-for-pound fighters.

After getting the victory, "The Dutch Knight" wasted no time in calling out Galvao, who inked an exclusive deal with ONE Championship this past November.

“In three weeks at ONE X, Andre Galvao, let’s find out who the best grappler is around these parts. Let’s go man, I’ll choke you out,” de Ridder stated in his post-fight interview.

It did not take long for the Brazilian grappling legend to respond, telling ONE Championship to “make it happen.”

Galvao is a fourth-degree black belt and is a well-decorated jiu-jitsu practitioner.

Although it is considered an exhibition, it is expected to be an action-packed event as both men are eager to find out who the much superior grappler on the mat is.

“For some reason, I envision myself choking him out, but I could be wrong on that one,” de Ridder said. “He’s the best in the world. I’m an MMA fighter and he’s a grappler. But I’m so excited to have a chance like that. Just happy to get that shot.”

ONE X, the 10th-anniversary event of the promotion, is set to take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.