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UFC Vancouver’s main event delivered a surprising turn of events as Reinier de Ridder faced Brendan Allen in a potential middleweight title eliminator. The Dutchman entered the bout riding a four-fight win streak and was originally scheduled to meet Anthony Hernandez on the October 18 Fight Night card. However, after ‘Ruffy’ withdrew due to injury, Allen stepped in on short notice. Many expected an easy night for the former ONE FC double champion, but things didn’t go according to plan. After a grueling four rounds, de Ridder’s corner threw in the towel, unable to let him continue, handing Allen the upset victory. In an instant, de Ridder’s rise from title contender to top prospect took a devastating hit, with critics branding him a quitter. Now, the Dutchman has finally broken his silence on the heartbreaking loss in Vancouver. Reinier de Ridder Acknowledges Overexertion Behind UFC Vancouver Loss On Wednesday, de Ridder broke his silence on the devastating loss at UFC Vancouver, sharing a video and statement on Instagram. The Dutchman admitted that he had pushed his physical limits too far in preparation for the fight, ultimately paying the price inside the Octagon. He wrote, “I was not the best fighter in the cage Saturday, and it stings. But next to all the crazy highs, I am also grateful to experience the lows. So many people go through life at a constant 6/10, but as a fighter, we get to experience the full set of options.” He continued, “If we have shared the mats, you know I tend to work more and harder than anybody else. But over the last 2 camps, I might have exaggerated a little bit. I was so focused on getting that title and being ready once the chance came that I failed to listen to my body, and last Saturday that showed.” The Dutchman concluded with a message to his fans and family: “I shall not stray the course, but daddy is taking some time off kids. I was not myself, but I will be again. If you know me, you know what I’m coming for. Be nice out there and see you soon.” De Ridder’s acknowledgement of his brutal weight cuts was something discussed within the MMA fandom. For the unversed, the Dutchman is a huge 185-pounder and cuts around 25 to 30 pounds in order to make weight. And doing that multiple times in a year has serious implications. Nonetheless, de Ridder became the target of brutal trolling from fellow fighters. Khamzat Chimaev accused him of quitting mid-fight, while Paulo Costa and Sean Strickland mocked the former ONE Championship double champion. To make matters worse, Nassourdine Imavov also joined in on the ridicule. For context, both de Ridder and Imavov were frontrunners to face Chimaev next for the middleweight title. While the Frenchman strengthened his case with a dominant win over Caio Borralho at UFC Paris, de Ridder’s setback against Allen halted his momentum. The bout marked de Ridder’s fifth fight in less than a year since making his UFC debut last November. Before the loss, he had impressively defeated Gerald Meerschaert, Kevin Holland, Bo Nickal, and former 185lbs kingpin champion Robert Whittaker. A few days after UFC Vancouver, de Ridder’s coach, Harun Ozkan, addressed his decision to throw in the towel after the fourth round. Ozkan said he took full responsibility and believed it was the right call to protect his fighter’s health. Having coached de Ridder for most of his career, he noticed worrying signs and chose to stop the fight rather than risk serious damage. He emphasized there were no excuses for the loss, adding that the team would focus on recovery and return stronger next year.
