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Reinier de Ridder is ready for a new chapter in his fighting career, choosing the UFC as his next home after parting ways with ONE Championship. After a quiet 2023 with minimal fight opportunities, the former dual-division champion is excited to take on an active schedule and prove himself in a stacked UFC middleweight division. His first fight against grappling specialist Gerald Meerschaert set for UFC Vegas 100, marks not just a fresh start but a significant opportunity for de Ridder to make an impression in his UFC debut.
“That’s one of the major plusses [signing with UFC],” de Ridder shared with MMA Fighting, reflecting on his excitement about the potential frequency of fights in the UFC. He added, “I even started calling out heavyweights [in ONE Championship] because there were no fights. I’m not making that mistake again.”
While de Ridder remains focused on his upcoming bout with Meerschaert, he’s already contemplating future matchups against other skilled grapplers and top middleweights. His attention is particularly drawn to UFC 309, where NCAA champion Bo Nickal will make his fourth appearance against Paul Craig. De Ridder, eager to test his grappling skills against Nickal, floated the idea of stepping in if an opportunity arose. With his trademark humor, he suggested,
“Maybe we do something to Paul Craig, distract him a little bit, and jump in?”
De Ridder’s entry into the UFC middleweight division also opens the door to facing off against elite fighters like Sean Strickland, Israel Adesanya, and Dricus du Plessis. Reflecting on past missed matchups with du Plessis, he’s hopeful their paths might finally cross on the “biggest stage” of the UFC. Eager to capitalize on his new surroundings, de Ridder sees the division as brimming with talent and looks forward to staying active and climbing the rankings.
Prepared for a challenging debut, de Ridder is ready to show off his grappling prowess against Meerschaert, promising,
“I need to represent jiu-jitsu, so I’m going to try and hit him with some good shots, but it’s going to go to the ground, 100 percent.”
Confident and motivated, de Ridder is set to make a memorable start in the UFC, with eyes on both immediate and long-term goals as he embarks on this new journey.
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