Reinier de Ridder Targets Khamzat Chimaev After Successful UFC Debut: ‘I’m Ready’

Former two-division ONE champion and UFC newcomer Reinier de Ridder would welcome the chance to hand Khamzat Chimaev his first defeat inside the cage. De Ridder arrived in mixed martial arts’ leading promotion this year, having had his two pieces of ONE Championship gold ripped from his grasp by Anatoly Malykhin and becoming angered by […]

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Former two-division ONE champion and UFC newcomer Reinier de Ridder would welcome the chance to hand Khamzat Chimaev his first defeat inside the cage.

De Ridder arrived in mixed martial arts’ leading promotion this year, having had his two pieces of ONE Championship gold ripped from his grasp by Anatoly Malykhin and becoming angered by the workings of the Asia-based promotion.

After bouncing back under the UAE Warriors banner in the summer, “The Dutch Knight” put pen to paper on a dream move to the UFC. And his pursuit of adding the organization’s middleweight belt to his trophy cabinet got underway this past weekend at the Apex.

Co-headlining UFC Vegas 100, de Ridder shared the cage with a former training partner and fellow grappling specialist in Gerald Meerschaert. The Breda, Netherlands native emerged victorious from a competitive and grueling affair by way of submission in round three.

De Ridder’s debut performance split opinion in the community, with many already writing off his chances of defeating the top names high up the ladder at 185 pounds.

The former ONE double champ, however, says he’s “ready” for the toughest tests.

During his post-fight press conference on Saturday night, de Ridder reflected on his first foray into the Octagon, admitting that not everything went how he had envisioned pre-fight.

“On the floor, I made a few mistakes, especially in the second round,” de Ridder said. “I shouldn’t have went for those (D’arce chokes), I thought I had them but they weren’t there. There’s a few little tweaks I should make there.

“But I’m happy it happened this way, the fight happened this way. Because normally he’s the guy who lasts longer, he takes some shots and he’s still there and he finishes guys at the end of the second or in the third round,” de Ridder continued. “So it’s cool I was that guy this time.”

Nevertheless, the manner in which the fight played out hasn’t dented his confidence. In fact, de Ridder has maintained his self-belief when it comes to defeating the best contenders, even calling for the opportunity to blemish Khamzat Chimaev’s perfect record.

“Why not Khamzat? That would be a nice matchup, grappling wise, it would be cool,” de Ridder suggested. “Whatever the UFC wants of me, I’ll do it. Just give me a call. I’m ready.”

Continue Reading Reinier de Ridder Targets Khamzat Chimaev After Successful UFC Debut: ‘I’m Ready’ at MMA News.

UFC Vegas 100 Has Another Co-Main Event Canceled After Late Medical Issue

After Cody Garbrandt pulled out against Miles Johns, Ricky Turcios vs. Bernardo Sopaj was scheduled to be the UFC Vegas 100 co-main event. However, according to UFC officials, Turcios has pulled out due to medical issues. Nolan King reported the news on X: Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder is the new co-main event, and […]

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After Cody Garbrandt pulled out against Miles Johns, Ricky Turcios vs. Bernardo Sopaj was scheduled to be the UFC Vegas 100 co-main event. However, according to UFC officials, Turcios has pulled out due to medical issues.

Nolan King reported the news on X:

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder is the new co-main event, and Gastón Bolaños vs. Cortavious Romious has been moved up to the main card as well. Having two co-main event fights canceled is understandably disappointing for fans, but many are happy to see De Ridder up the order.

UFC Vegas 100 Card Updated Order

Here’s what the coming UFC card looks like after the latest developments:

Main Card

  • Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates, welterweight (Main event)
  • Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder, middleweight (Co-main event)
  • Gaston Bolanos vs. Cortavious Romious, bantamweight
  • Luana Pinheiro vs. Gillian Robertson, women’s strawweight
  • Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Dusko Todorovic, middleweight

Prelims

  • Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Denise Gomes, women’s strawweight
  • Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Zach Scroggin, welterweight
  • Matthew Semelsberger vs. Charles Radtke, welterweight
  • Cody Stamann vs. Da’Mon Blackshear, bantamweight
  • Tresean Gore vs. Antonio Trocoli, middleweight
  • Melissa Mullins vs. Klaudia Sygu?a, women’s bantamweight

Marcel Dorff reported the updated order for UFC Vegas 100 on X:

“The Dutch Knight” boasts an impressive 17-2 record, and has only lost to undefeated Anatoly Malykhin. De Ridder is a former ONE world champion at middleweight and light heavyweight. He aims to finish Meerschaert in his UFC debut to create a solid first impression in the middleweight division.

Bantamweight contenders Gastón Bolaños and Cortavious Romious will now fight on a bigger stage too. Bolaños is coming off a TKO loss and Romious is making his UFC debut after earning a contract at Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8 Week 2.

Continue Reading UFC Vegas 100 Has Another Co-Main Event Canceled After Late Medical Issue at MMA News.

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder – Odds and Match Preview

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder - Odds and Match PreviewFormer two-division champion in ONE Reinier de Ridder will be making his UFC debut against Gerald Meerschaert in the…

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder - Odds and Match Preview

Former two-division champion in ONE Reinier de Ridder will be making his UFC debut against Gerald Meerschaert in the middleweight division. Booked for November 9, 2024, as part of UFC Fight Night 247 bout features two experienced fighters with contrasting backgrounds and styles.

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder – Odds

The middleweight match between Gerald Meerschaert and Reinier de Ridder is generating significant interest among bettors. The odds currently favor Reinier de Ridder as the clear favorite in this middleweight bout. Play Crypto gambling in privacy with no kyc casino no deposit bonus right here.

According to the latest odds, de Ridder is listed at -245, while Meerschaert is the underdog at +240. This means that a $100 bet on de Ridder would potentially yield a profit of about $40, while the same bet on Meerschaert could return $240 if he pulls off the upset.

The betting market seems to have confidence in de Ridder’s abilities, likely due to his impressive record and background as a former two-division champion in ONE Championship. Despite this being his UFC debut, oddsmakers appear to view him as the superior fighter in this matchup.

gerald meerschaert
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 24: Gerald Meerschaert reacts after his submission victory against Edmen Shahbazyan in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 24, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Meerschaert is the more experienced UFC fighter and is seen as the underdog but still has a chance to pull off an upset. His experience in the octagon and submission skills could potentially give him an edge, despite the odds being against him.

UFC Match Preview

At 36 years old, Meerschaert has been competing professionally since 2007 and holds the record for most finishes in UFC middleweight history. He’s a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Roufusport Kickboxing, which contributes to his well-rounded fighting style. Meerschaert is coming into this fight on a two-win streak, having recently secured victories via submission.

On the other side, ‘The Dutch Knight’ Reinier de Ridder will be making his highly anticipated UFC debut. With a record of 17 wins and 2 losses, de Ridder is a former two-division ONE Championship titleholder. At 34 years old, he’s slightly younger than Meerschaert but brings a wealth of experience from his time in ONE Championship. De Ridder is also known for his grappling ability, holding a black belt in judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

De Ridder has won an impressive seventy percent of his MMA bouts by way of submission and Meerschaert has a higher submission win rate at roughly eighty percent.

For Meerschaert, this is an opportunity to continue his winning streak and potentially climb the middleweight rankings. For de Ridder, it’s a chance to make a strong first impression in the UFC and prove that he can compete at the highest level of MMA.

Both fighters are skilled grapplers, which could lead to an exciting ground battle. Reinier de Ridder has emphasized that simply winning isn’t enough for him; he’s looking to make a statement and finish Meerschaert. This fight is particularly significant for de Ridder, who sees it as a stepping stone to bigger opportunities in the UFC. He’s expressed his desire to face top-ranked opponents and potentially challenge for a title in the future.

Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’

Newly signed UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder says a victory is not enough when he debuts inside the Octagon this weekend at the Apex. Among the most notable storylines set to play out at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night is the arrival of de Ridder, a former two-division titleholder under the ONE Championship banner over in […]

Continue Reading Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’ at MMA News.

Newly signed UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder says a victory is not enough when he debuts inside the Octagon this weekend at the Apex.

Among the most notable storylines set to play out at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night is the arrival of de Ridder, a former two-division titleholder under the ONE Championship banner over in Asia.

After losing his undefeated record in addition to his 205- and 225-pound belts to Russian behemoth Anatoly Malykhin, “The Dutch Knight” departed ONE earlier this year. And after getting back to the win column opposite Magomedmurad Khasaev at UAE Warriors 51, the 34-year-old put pen to paper on a deal with the UFC.

While he’ll no doubt hope to walk through an arena crowd soon enough, his first taste of Octagon action will come in the serene surroundings of the Apex on Nov. 9, where veteran Gerald Meerschaert is set to await him.

During his appearance at UFC Vegas 100 media day on Wednesday, de Ridder looked ahead to his first foray into the cage in his new promotion and assessed what he must do to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with on the sport’s biggest stage.

“Finally, after all these years of talking about the top guys, to finally be close to getting them is very cool,” de Ridder said. “The most important this is Gerald first. It’s a very cool matchup. … A win is not enough – the top dogs finish Gerald and I want to prove I’m one of them. … I’ve always watched his fights and that’s a great thing for this fight as well. There’s so much tape to study. He has so much fights. He has a really difficult style.

“The ways he finishes fights, there’s a few things he’s very dangerous at, there’s a few things he does that I think I can really capitalize as well. But it’s a great matchup,” de Ridder continued. “I’m very happy that they’ve given me him for my first fight because he’s a veteran, he’s a real name, and I think if I can put a stamp on this one, I have some leverage to start calling out some bigger names.”

De Ridder will look to make good on those remarks by delivering an emphatic finish of Meerschaert on the main card of the promotion’s centennial Apex-held UFC Fight Night.

Should he do so, the Dutchman has the likes of Bo Nickal in his sights as he hopes to add UFC gold to his already illustrious trophy cabinet in mixed martial arts.

Continue Reading Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’ at MMA News.

Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’

Newly signed UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder says a victory is not enough when he debuts inside the Octagon this weekend at the Apex. Among the most notable storylines set to play out at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night is the arrival of de Ridder, a former two-division titleholder under the ONE Championship banner over in […]

Continue Reading Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’ at MMA News.

Newly signed UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder says a victory is not enough when he debuts inside the Octagon this weekend at the Apex.

Among the most notable storylines set to play out at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night is the arrival of de Ridder, a former two-division titleholder under the ONE Championship banner over in Asia.

After losing his undefeated record in addition to his 205- and 225-pound belts to Russian behemoth Anatoly Malykhin, “The Dutch Knight” departed ONE earlier this year. And after getting back to the win column opposite Magomedmurad Khasaev at UAE Warriors 51, the 34-year-old put pen to paper on a deal with the UFC.

While he’ll no doubt hope to walk through an arena crowd soon enough, his first taste of Octagon action will come in the serene surroundings of the Apex on Nov. 9, where veteran Gerald Meerschaert is set to await him.

During his appearance at UFC Vegas 100 media day on Wednesday, de Ridder looked ahead to his first foray into the cage in his new promotion and assessed what he must do to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with on the sport’s biggest stage.

“Finally, after all these years of talking about the top guys, to finally be close to getting them is very cool,” de Ridder said. “The most important this is Gerald first. It’s a very cool matchup. … A win is not enough – the top dogs finish Gerald and I want to prove I’m one of them. … I’ve always watched his fights and that’s a great thing for this fight as well. There’s so much tape to study. He has so much fights. He has a really difficult style.

“The ways he finishes fights, there’s a few things he’s very dangerous at, there’s a few things he does that I think I can really capitalize as well. But it’s a great matchup,” de Ridder continued. “I’m very happy that they’ve given me him for my first fight because he’s a veteran, he’s a real name, and I think if I can put a stamp on this one, I have some leverage to start calling out some bigger names.”

De Ridder will look to make good on those remarks by delivering an emphatic finish of Meerschaert on the main card of the promotion’s centennial Apex-held UFC Fight Night.

Should he do so, the Dutchman has the likes of Bo Nickal in his sights as he hopes to add UFC gold to his already illustrious trophy cabinet in mixed martial arts.

Continue Reading Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’ at MMA News.

New UFC Signing Details ONE Championship Exit: ‘I Think They’re Struggling’

In July, fight fans were shocked to see that Reinier de Ridder would be competing at UAE Warriors 51 despite reportedly still being under contract with ONE Championship. “The Dutch Knight” accomplished great things in ONE where he reigned as a two-weight world champion. Following his quick win on UAE Warriors, it was announced that […]

Continue Reading New UFC Signing Details ONE Championship Exit: ‘I Think They’re Struggling’ at MMA News.

In July, fight fans were shocked to see that Reinier de Ridder would be competing at UAE Warriors 51 despite reportedly still being under contract with ONE Championship. “The Dutch Knight” accomplished great things in ONE where he reigned as a two-weight world champion.

Following his quick win on UAE Warriors, it was announced that de Ridder had signed to the UFC where he will make his Octagon debut at UFC Vegas 100 on November 9. The Dutch competitor is looking forward to locking horns with Gerald Meerschaert and beginning a new chapter in his career.

De Ridder has said in interviews that he can’t go into details about his exit from ONE Championship but that doesn’t mean that he can’t reflect on his time there. He won seven fights in a row in the promotion to become the middleweight and light heavyweight champion, earning him comparisons to the other top fighters in his weight class that were competing in the UFC.

Though things may not have ended on the best of terms, his time as a ONE Championship athlete is still a huge part of his career. The final few stages of his time in the promotion were defined by two things, losses to the undefeated Russian Anatoly Malykhin and periods of inactivity which he says weren’t his preference.

In an interview with MMA Fighting to preview his Octagon debut, de Ridder spoke about how he looks back at his time in ONE and what he is grateful for and where he wishes it could have been different.

“It’s been good for a long time and it’s been bad for a pretty long time now as well. I think they’re struggling in a sense and some stuff is just not being handled the way it should be but it is what it is. I’ve had a very good run in the beginning, they gave me a lot of fights. I really gave my career, the start of my career, in ONE I was really able to make it a full-time thing, fighting. So I’m very grateful for that part but the last couple of years weren’t that great.”

Continue Reading New UFC Signing Details ONE Championship Exit: ‘I Think They’re Struggling’ at MMA News.