‘I’m Really Pumped For It’ – Duke Didier Expects Intense Battle With Ben Tynan At ONE Fight Night 21
Australia’s Duke “The Duke of Canberra” Didier thinks his grappler-versus-grappler clash with Ben “Vanilla Thunder” Tynan will deliver plenty of action at ONE Fight Night 21 on Prime Video.
A world-class judoka and BJJ black belt, Didier pits his skills against the unbeaten Canadian wrestler in a heavyweight MMA battle at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, April 5.
The 34-year-old was thrilled when he got offered Tynan for his return, admitting he’s a fan of the way “Vanilla Thunder” conducts himself both inside and outside of the competition arena.
Sharing his thoughts on his rival ahead of their contest, Didier said:
“I reckon if I wasn’t fighting him, I’d like him. I like the cut of his jib. He’s entertaining. I see a lot of myself in the way he holds himself, and that’s a compliment.
“I definitely think if I can go in and get the job done, I’ll try and have a beer with him afterward.”
As someone who has made his name both throwing and submitting his opponents, the grappling specialist in Didier can’t wait to test himself against someone with similar skills.
Most of his previous matchups have come against men who wanted to avoid his potent top game, but this time Didier knows it’ll be a clash of wills against Tynan – a decorated collegiate wrestler who has yet to be stopped.
He said:
“He’s a very good wrestler. But I feel like I’m pretty good too. So it’s a cool test. I’ve only fought a couple of grapplers in my career. It will be cool to fight another straight grappler and just try things out.
“I know he’s going to come in with a certain game plan, and styles make fights, so who knows what’s gonna happen with this one. I think it can be a really, really interesting matchup, and I’m really pumped for it.”
Duke Didier Confident He Can Win Wrestling Battle With Ben Tynan
At 5-0, Ben Tynan has yet to taste defeat in his burgeoning MMA career, but Duke Didier thinks that there are gaps in his armor.
Tynan has finished all five of his opponents to date – including “Mighty Warrior” Kang Ji Won in his ONE debut last November – but “The Duke of Canberra” believes he is operating at a different level than the Canadian’s previous opponents.
As a decorated judoka who represented Australia in major international tournaments, Didier is confident he can get any opponent to the canvas.
Looking toward their clash of grappling styles, he said:
“I see a weakness, like any fighter. Hopefully, my strengths sort out his weaknesses.
“I truly believe that I can take down anyone in ONE Championship. He’s just another one. He’s going to be a hard guy to take down, but I think I can take him down. I don’t think many people have, so if I can, it’s gonna be an interesting fight.
“I’m going to leave no stone unturned in my preparations, and therefore I’m going to be able to do everything I possibly can to beat and finish Ben Tynan within the three rounds at Lumpinee Stadium.”
Still feeling the sting from a narrow split-decision loss in his ONE debut, Didier sees his bout with rising star Tynan as a chance to show what he is truly capable of.
While some are backing “Vanilla Thunder” due to his current run of form, Didier wants to use this chance to hijack his rival’s momentum and go after the heavyweight division’s big guns.
He said:
“I don’t think I lost the last one. So winning will leave me on a two-fight win streak. It’ll leave me in good stead because he’s got quite a good record. I think I’ll definitely be coming into this as the underdog. And I think if I can shock a few people, a win puts me right in the mix.
“There are some absolute monsters in the division. As a former light heavyweight, I feel like I need to start eating some steaks or something because these guys are killers. But I’ll get through Ben Tynan, and then we’ll see who the next monster is they put in front of me.”
