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Reinier de Ridder | On The Hunt
Dutch Middleweight Aims To Make Quick Work Of Kevin Holland At UFC 311 And Continue His Ascent Up The 185-Pound Division
Former ONE middleweight and light heavyweight champion Reinier de Ridder burst onto the UFC scene in November when he submitted Gerald Meerschaert in the third round of his promotional debut.
It was as good a start to a UFC career as de Ridder could’ve hoped for. Going into the fight, the 34-year-old said that winning wasn’t enough; he needed to stop the UFC veteran inside the distance to solidify himself as a serious threat at 185 pounds. He did just that.
Order UFC 311: Makhachev vs Moicano
“Overall, very happy,” de Ridder said of his UFC debut. “I got to spend some time in the cage, which was nice. Finally choked him, so very happy with that. But I gave him a bit too much respect, I think. I gave him too much of a chance to be in the fight and I’m not planning on that this time.”
Now, just two months later, de Ridder takes on the all-action Kevin Holland to kick off the main card of the promotion’s first pay-per-view of 2025. While he originally wanted a ranked opponent, Holland offers the reputation and experience level that de Ridder was looking for in his second Octagon appearance.
BREAKING: Tsarukyan Out, Moicano Replaces As Title Challenger At UFC 311
“It’s very cool to get these opportunities,” de Ridder said. “Gerald is a name in the first fight and now Kevin is another big name as a second fight. To be part of this event, it’s very cool. I’m trying to soak it all in a bit.
“We were already talking about a ranked opponent before [being offered] Kevin. I ended up with Kevin, so hopefully a highly ranked opponent next and hopefully I get through this unscathed, do well, hopefully submit him early and then I could do another one before the summer, maybe a couple more.”
The Breda, Netherlands native spent just two weeks at home with his family before packing his bags and flying to Deerfield Beach, Florida to start a six-week camp under head coach Henri Hooft at Kill Cliff FC.
How To Watch UFC 311 In Your Country
Home to numerous UFC athletes, Kill Cliff FC provided resources his local gym couldn’t, including an abundance of sparring partners that fit a similar mold to Holland.
“I changed a lot,” de Ridder said of his training camp. “I went to Florida this time, so it was a lot easier to get high level guys there. I had crazy good sparring; I’ve been working harder than ever. Probably everybody always says this. I train pretty hard at home, but I’ve trained crazy this time.”
Fans at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California, should grab their drinks and snacks early on Saturday because this stylistic matchup is sure to deliver fireworks from start to finish. As in his debut, de Ridder won’t be satisfied unless he scores a stoppage victory. It’s safe to assume Holland, who has 22 finishes to his name, shares that same mindset.
“I think it’s going to be a frantic pace in the first couple minutes,” de Ridder said. “I’m going to be hunting him, I’m going to be pressuring him, and he’s going to be doing everything to stay away from me. He’s going to be throwing crazy kicks, crazy punches. I’m going to try to stay safe from those and see If I can get him.”
UFC 311: Makhachev vs Moicano took place live from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on January 18, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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