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Reinier De Ridder’s Road To His First UFC Main Event
Looking Back At The Short, Yet Dominant, Path Reinier De Ridder Took Before Earning A Matchup With Robert Whittaker In The Main Event At UFC Abu Dhabi
It’s hard to believe that No. 12 ranked middleweight contender Reinier de Ridder made his UFC debut just eight months ago.
The former ONE middleweight and light heavyweight champion stepped into the Octagon for the first time last November against a red-hot Gerald Meerschaert, who was coming off back-to-back second-round submission wins over Edmen Shahbazyan and Bryan Barberena.
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In what turned into a back-and-forth battle, de Ridder found himself in top position halfway through the third round and locked in an arm-triangle choke to force the tap. It was valuable experience for de Ridder, who secured his 12th professional submission, but not without having to weather some tough moments against the seasoned Meerschaert.
Just two months later, De Ridder signed up for a scrap with fan-favorite Kevin Holland at UFC 311: Makhachev vs Moicano. Win or lose, Holland is known for delivering damage and entertainment, and he’s one of the most active names in both the middleweight and welterweight divisions. This time, though, things played out differently.
De Ridder didn’t just collect his second UFC win, he did it flawlessly. It took just six seconds for him to put Holland on his back. After a couple of minutes of ground-and-pound, Holland attempted to scramble to his feet, but de Ridder stayed one step ahead, jumped on his back and started hunting for the finish. About a minute later, he locked in a rear-naked choke, forcing a second straight tap.
After back-to-back submission wins over UFC veterans, it seemed like a ranked opponent was next. But instead, the UFC had different plans: a matchup against one of the sport’s hottest prospects, Bo Nickal.
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Despite his dominant run, de Ridder entered the fight with Nickal as the underdog. He quickly reminded fans and oddsmakers why that was a mistake.
Nickal, a credentialed collegiate wrestler, scored an early takedown, but de Ridder reversed the position and kept him on his back for the rest of the round.
In the second, they clinched almost immediately, and while the action seemed minimal at first, de Ridder began landing brutal knees to the body that visibly wore on Nickal. As soon as de Ridder smelled blood in the water, he poured it on with a flurry of punches to the head and body. Nickal fired back, but de Ridder landed another crushing knee to the midsection that folded Nickal to the canvas, earning “RdR” his first UFC knockout.
When asked if his career has gone as expected so far, de Ridder admitted he’s been a little surprised. Not by his performances, but by how fast the UFC has been moving him up the ladder.
WATCH: Reinier de Ridder Fight Week Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
“[The UFC] has really given me all these opportunities, big name fights from the start,” de Ridder said. “All of them went very well. After every fight, a couple days later they called me, ‘Hey, you want to fight this guy?’ It’s just been rolling for the last 12 months.
“I want to get the biggest fights possible. I’m not wasting time. I’m not sitting around. I want to fight the best guys.”
Ask and you shall receive, because this Saturday, de Ridder will face former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the main event at UFC Abu Dhabi. A win over the No. 5 ranked contender would propel de Ridder up the rankings and move him ever so close to a fight with the winner of UFC 319’s main event next month.
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs De Ridder took place live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on July 26, 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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