De Ridder Reveals Weight Cut Hell Before UFC Division Move

Reinier de Ridder decided to leave the UFC middleweight division during the worst fight week of his career.

The former two-division One Championship titleholder told Full Send MMA that his weight cut before the Caio Borralho loss this past March was so brutal he vowed mid-week never to compete at 185 pounds again. "It was before the fight, during the weight cut I said, 'This is the last time. I'm never gonna do this again,'" de Ridder said, per Sherdog. "That week was the worst fight week I've ever had. Everything went wrong."

De Ridder's Middleweight Struggles End With heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">Light Heavyweight Win

De Ridder absorbed a lopsided unanimous decision defeat against Borralho in that bout, his second consecutive middleweight loss after gassing out in a corner stoppage loss to Brendan Allen. The Dutchman stressed that the Borralho fight week was even rougher than the Allen camp, though he declined to cite medical excuses. "Even worse than the Vancouver week," he said. "Nothing medical stuff, wasn't a hospital, I don't want to make up any excuses, but it wasn't good."

The decision proved correct when de Ridder moved up to light heavyweight against Roman Dolidze at UFC Sacramento, where he scored a first-round stoppage to snap his skid. He now campaigns at 205 pounds full-time.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Reinier de Ridder reveals ‘worst fight week’ led to UFC division change