Reinier de Ridder Battles His Way into the UFC
Reinier de Ridder might have been due for a long run as an MMA champion in ONE Championship if it wasn’t for Anatoly Malykhin’s ambition. Malykhin became a trailblazer in MMA by becoming the first-ever three-division champion in a major promotion. De Ridder lost his middleweight and light heavyweight championships to Malykhin.
Following his second fight with Malykhin, de Ridder decided to explore his career options. MMAfighting latest news has shown that de Ridder’s decision to change promotions has paid dividends. De Ridder won his only fight in his post-ONE career when he defeated Magomedmurad Khasaev in the first round via TKO at UAE Warriors 51.
That performance, combined with his overall career excellence, earned him an opportunity to sign with the UFC. De Ridder is a versatile fighter who would fit in well with the UFC’s light heavyweight or middleweight divisions. It seems like de Ridder would prefer to stay at the heavier weight but is likely open to whatever the UFC will offer him.
De Ridder After Ultimate Challenge
The UFC is far from the most perfect promotion. But no matter what ethical quandaries you may have against the organization that has basically monopolized the top talent in the world, there is no denying that UFC CEO Dana White accomplished what he set out to do. In boxing, there are a lot of organizations that create politics that make booking fights difficult.
The best MMA news site shows that the UFC isn’t like that. Many fighters around the world say the UFC is the best and strive to ultimately land in the spotlight. That is what is drawing de Ridder to the promotion.
He believes the time is right to make the switch.
Where Would He Fit in at Light Heavyweight
Alex Pereira is the current light heavyweight king in the UFC, but he is in his late 30s and may not be around for too much longer. While de Ridder is 34, he sees there could be opportunities for him to succeed in the UFC long term.
De Ridder also provides a fresh face to a division that could use a few more contenders. The No. 1 contender, Jiří Procházka, has already lost twice to Pereira. Former champions Jamahal Hill and Jan Błachowicz, who are ranked No. 3 and 4, respectively, in the division, have also lost to Pereira.
The most interesting prospect is No. 2 contender Magomed Ankalaev. He has a strong wrestling background and once fought to a draw with Błachowicz during a light heavyweight championship fight. De Ridder is a solid all-around fighter and could present a strong matchup for many of those fighters.
Is Middleweight an Option?
De Ridder may not want to cut the weight anymore. The UFC’s middleweight division also has a logjam of contenders behind champion Dricus du Plessis. Sean Strickland lost to du Plessis by split decision and he should be next in line.
Robert Whittaker and Khamzhat Chimaev are fighting in a title eliminator soon. Chimaev and Shavkhat Rakmonov are viewed as two of the top prospects who could possibly climb the ladder.
De Ridder Took Six Years to Reach Global Promotion
ONE doesn’t carry the brand recognition of the UFC, mostly because the roster has fights that are usually late at night or early in the morning for the American fanbase. But the best MMA news sites show that de Ridder spent years in the background honing his skills.
He debuted as a professional in 2013 and found his style translated well to the sport. De Ridder won the first nine fights of his career before he earned a shot to fight in ONE. During de Ridders’ debut in ONE, a submission win over Fan Rong in January 2019, he showed the grappling superiority he had been known for.
De Ridder beat Aung La Nsang in back-to-back fights in October 2020 and April 2021 to claim the light heavyweight and middleweight titles. De Ridder would go on to defend the middleweight belt twice before losing to Malykhin.
ONE Had a Hard Time Booking de Ridder
Through no fault of De Ridder’s own, ONE had a hard time finding consistent contenders for him to fight. While ONE prides itself on having championships in grappling, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and MMA, there isn’t much consistency with scheduling. There have been a lot of complaints from MMA fighters about getting enough fights under the ONE banner.
De Ridder didn’t criticize ONE after he left the promotion. He appreciated the opportunity that they provided for him. However, de Ridder did say there are some stories he would like to tell at a later date.
De Ridder is 17-2 in his career. He has 11 wins by submission and four knockouts. Both of de Ridder’s losses have come via knockout. Malykhin is the only fighter who has handed de Ridder a defeat so far in his career.
Can de Ridder Fit in With the UFC?
There have naturally been mixed results with veteran fighters who come to the promotion later in their careers. Having de Ridder start out by fighting low-level fighters seems silly. It would make more sense for de Ridder to be treated like former Bellator standouts Michael Chandler and Ben Askren.
While Askren struggled to have a long career in the UFC, he did have a couple of memorable moments before he retired. Chandler quickly earned a title shot after debuting with an exciting victory over Dan Hooker. While Chandler couldn’t beat Charles Oliveira, Chandler has been successful in his career at creating a buzz and turning in strong performances in title fights.
De Ridder was only the third double champion in ONE history. He is a fighter who has an exceptional pedigree and should be fun in the UFC. Here’s hoping he gets the fights to put him in the best position to make a mark.
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By Dean McHugh.
