Reinier De Ridder

Reinier de Ridder is a 34-year-old Dutch mixed martial artist who has built a 21-4 career on a foundation of judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu mastery. Starting judo at age six, de Ridder earned a black belt in BJJ during college while also running a physical therapy clinic in Breda, Netherlands. After establishing himself in regional European promotions, he joined ONE Championship in 2019 and became one of the organization's marquee fighters, capturing both the middleweight and light heavyweight world titles and becoming the third simultaneous two-division champion in ONE history. He lost both belts to Russian heavyweight Anatoly Malykhin in back-to-back contests, then departed ONE and signed with the UFC in late 2024.

De Ridder arrived in the Octagon as a relative unknown outside hardcore grappling circles, but has since become one of the middleweight division's most compelling stories. He won his opening three UFC bouts by submission or knockout, including a second-round TKO over unbeaten prospect Bo Nickal (earning UFC Performance of the Night honors) and a first-round rear naked choke of Kevin Holland. In July 2025, he faced former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker in a five-round split decision that he edged out, despite the judges' disagreement, vaulting him into the upper echelon of the 185-pound rankings. He currently ranks eighth in the UFC middleweight division.

As a fighter, de Ridder is a methodical technical grappler who uses positional control and suffocating submissions rather than raw athleticism or knockout power. With 14 of his 21 wins coming by submission, he represents a dying breed of elite BJJ practitioners in the modern UFC. His wrestling credentials are supplemented by deep jiu-jitsu knowledge and a calm, deliberate approach to breaking opponents down. Though he suffered a fourth-round TKO loss to Brendan Allen in October 2025, halting his momentum, de Ridder remains a top contender with the skill set to climb toward a title opportunity.