“Dutch Knight” isn’t feeling great.
It’s been 18 days since surging Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight contender Reinier de Ridder suffered an upset loss to Brendan Allen in the main event
of UFC Vancouver, when he was unable to continue after the fourth round inside Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
At the time, de Ridder was torn to shreds by fans and fighters alike for “quitting” on the stool. In the days following, he announced on social media that he’d be taking some time off after competing four times in 2025 — but now, he’s given his first interview since the fiasco.
“I still feel like shit. When I walk up the stairs, I’m out of breath,” de Ridder told Submission Radio recently when asked if he’s back to 100 percent. “There’s a lot of information coming back from the blood work and everything, but I don’t want to be too specific because I’ll never get a rematch. There are some physical things that are wrong, and I’m going to see if I can fix all of this before I come back. It’s something I’ve struggled with in the past, and I thought I fixed it, but apparently I didn’t.”
The 35-year-old attributes the UFC Vancouver setback to overtraining and a brutal weight cut — factors that might push him to move up to Light Heavyweight down the road, though he insists there’s still unfinished business at Middleweight.
“I was really stubborn, as a Dutchman should be, and I kept pushing myself to go harder and harder — and that’s what showed in the fight,” de Ridder said. “It was much harder to get down in weight this time, but most importantly, I beat up my body like crazy this year. I went too far… I f—ked up. I was so focused on the title and finally got my title shot, and I thought I would secure it, so I kept pushing.”
Even though the loss to Allen is a major blemish on his record, the “Dutch Knight” had a tremendous year, highlighted by a stunning knockout win over Bo Nickal (watch highlights) and a razor-close victory against former champion, Robert Whittaker.
