Reinier de Ridder returns to action in the main event of UFC Fight Night Vancouver on October 18th to take on Brendan Allen … a fight that would normally be met with a lot of positivity if it wasn’t a replacement match-up for de Ridder originally facing Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez.
De Ridder vs. Hernandez was set to be the second half of a title eliminator series alongside Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho at UFC Paris where the most impressive winner gets dibs on middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev.
Now the stakes are unclear, but de Ridder still sees a title shot coming after he beats Allen.
“It was a big letdown. It was a shame,” de Ridder told MMA Junkie of Hernandez’s withdrawal in a new interview. “He really has a cool skill set, ‘Fluffy’ has, and he came in with a lot of hype. So I was very sad he pulled out. And there were a couple of days I didn’t expect anyone to step up at all to be honest.”
“Nobody wanted to fight. We tried Costa, but Costa wanted on his own terms, so that didn’t happen. I’m very, very grateful that Brendan took the call.”
As for Costa’s demands?
“Costa wanted it to be catchweight and only three rounds,” de Ridder said. “I think if you get a shot like that to fight for a main event, get another chance to come up in the rankings. I think you should just shut up and say yes, not put your own terms in there. F–k off, take the fight!”
Costa has been angling for a fight over the past weeks, and reportedly had a bout against Shara Magomed in Qatar in the works before “Bullet” withdrew to get nose surgery. Fighting one month earlier in Vancouver was apparently too soon for “Borrachinha” to be confident in his gas tank for five rounds, so de Ridder vs. Allen it is.
De Ridder is still convinced a win lands him a title shot over Nassourdine Imavov, who won a clear but perhaps less than exciting victory over Caio Borralho a few weeks ago. Any discussion about Imavov getting the fight after this opponent change is ridiculous to the Dutchman.
“Nah f*ck off,” he said of Imavov getting the Chimaev fight. “I am next!”
