On Saturday at UFC Abu Dhabi, de Ridder shares a card with another former ONE fighter when Marcus Buchecha makes his octagon debut after he endured a similarly frustrating run there. While he certainly doesn't wish anybody ill will,

Bo Nickal tasted his first professional defeat in MMA, courtesy of Reinier de Ridder.

UFC Abu Dhabi headliner Reinier de Ridder had to overcome an imposing two-division champ for his first taste of world championship glory. De Ridder is currently in pursuit of the UFC middleweight title after signing with MMA’s leading promotion in 2024. He’s gotten off to a strong start, winning all three of his Octagon appearances to date.

UFC middleweight contender Reinier de Ridder is leaning towards predicting Dricus du Plessis defeating Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 319.

Reinier de Ridder keeps things straightforward outside the cage, too. He can’t receive dirty messages in his inbox unlike other UFC middleweights. In a recent chat with Submission Radio, he joked about his digital life:

In his toughest test in the UFC to date, Reinier de Ridder hopes to make a statement against Robert Whittaker when they face off in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi. It’s well known that ‘The Dutch Knight’ is an incredibly dangerous submission specialist once the fight hits the floor.