Two World Title Clashes Set For ONE 159 Event In July

Two world titles will be on the line at ONE 159 on July 22 in Singapore.

Two-division ONE world champion Reinier de Ridder stakes his middleweight crown against former titleholder Vitaly Bigdash in the main event.

Meanwhile, ONE atomweight kickboxing queen Janet Todd will test the mettle of a debuting Lara Fernandez as they clash for the interim 52.2-kilogram Muay Thai championship in the co-headliner.

De Ridder has been on a roll and maintains an unblemished 15-0 professional record with an 87% finishing rate.

“The Dutch Knight” last saw action under mixed martial arts rules this past February and won via submission over Kiamrian Abbasov at ONE: Full Circle.

Before that, the 31-year-old showed his superiority over Aung La N Sang by winning their initial encounter in October 2020, taking the middleweight strap from "The Burmese Python."

They would face again in April 2021 with de Ridder still winning via unanimous decision to capture the light heavyweight belt.

Now, he takes on a dangerous adversary in Bigdash.

The Russian has had a topsy-turvy road. However, the 37-year-old got his act together with straight wins, including a huge unanimous decision win over Aung La N Sang in a rubber match at ONE: Full Circle.

On the other hand, Todd has something to prove as far as copping the Muay Thai world title is concerned.

She challenged for the division’s inaugural belt against Stamp Fairtex in 2017 but fell short of her quest.

“JT” has since been on a tear, racking up six-straight wins that resulted in her being crowned with the ONE atomweight kickboxing world title.

Now, Todd gets a chance to join an elite company of individuals to hold two world titles in two different sports under the Singapore-based outfit's banner.

However, the woman out to foil her plans is an up-and-coming striker in Fernandez.

The Spanish heroine is likewise eager to add the interim Muay Thai golf to her trophy collection as she has a credible list of achievements, including holding the WBC and ISKA titles.

The winner of the duel between Todd and Fernandez will head on to face official champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues in a future unification joust.