“To myself, I think what I proved is it was mostly a striking affair, and I can also win a striking affair, which is very cool. That’s something that’s part of my evolution, as well, I think.
“I’m still looking back at it – I think I should have made a couple better decisions, and I would have been able to put him away. So it’s a bit of a mixed bag looking back at it, but I’m very proud that I was able to beat him in the way I did. There was a bit more to be brought back from that fight. But it is what it is.”
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That slight disappointment in victory has seen de Ridder push himself even further in the gym, and he said we’ll see an even sharper performance from him on Saturday night.
“We’ve been working on a lot of positioning, footwork, using my feints and my pressure a bit better, a bit smarter at times, shot selection, diversifying my kicks a little bit, my knees a little bit,” he said.
“I’m always putting a lot of work into my wrestling and my grappling, so my focus is still there, but hopefully I’ll be able to show a bit more of a smarter pressure approach this time.”
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