Reinier de Ridder’s promising UFC trajectory was halted by a loss to Brendan Allen, prompting him to investigate his conditioning issues and seek a rematch while preparing for a fight against Caio Borralho.
Reinier de Ridder was on the brink of a title shot when disaster struck in his main event against Brendan Allen this past October. Just one win away, and everything changed.
De Ridder had a stellar start in the UFC, including a knockout over Bo Nickal. In the fight with Allen, he began strong with an early takedown, aiming for a submission. But things went south as his energy levels plummeted.
By the fourth round, it was clear de Ridder was struggling. His coach, seeing the 35-year-old’s condition, made the tough call to stop the fight.
“I remember walking in and seeing the ref say go,” de Ridder recalled. He felt in control initially but couldn’t finish the choke—something unusual for him.
Getting up, he felt his energy drain away. “I was happy I made it to the stool,” he admitted, barely recalling the corner’s advice.
Once Allen took control, he dominated. De Ridder’s coach stopped the fight, a decision the fighter now supports.
“I’m proud Harun [Ozkan] made the call,” de Ridder said. It was a big decision, but necessary.
It was a surprising performance given de Ridder’s previous UFC fights. He’d never faced such exhaustion.
Perhaps it was his busy schedule—four fights in ten months. Or maybe something else was wrong.
Seeking answers, de Ridder underwent extensive testing. “We’re going to get a VO2 max test because my cardio is shit,” he said.
He explored therapies to boost his red blood cell count. The VO2 test measures oxygen intake, and his results were concerning.
Looking ahead, de Ridder monitors his health, joking about taking days off. But he’s eager to return to winning.
He’s set to fight Caio Borralho at UFC 326 in March. Ultimately, he hopes for a rematch with Allen.
“My position isn’t as great as before,” de Ridder admitted. But he’s determined to climb the ranks again.
“I’m coming for a rematch. I have so much more to show,” he declared, ready to prove himself once more.