The Dutch grappler who conquered two divisions before the UFC
In short: From a Breda physical therapy clinic to the global stage, Reinier de Ridder has built a career defined by elite submissions. After dominating ONE Championship as a simultaneous two-division champion, the Dutch specialist has moved to the UFC, bringing a decorated lineage of Judo and Jiu-Jitsu to the cage.
Reinier de Ridder’s path to professional mixed martial arts was paved by a lifelong commitment to grappling. Beginning Judo at age six, he earned a black belt in his teens before transitioning to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu during his college years. This technical foundation led to a silver medal at the 2016 European Jiu-Jitsu Championship and a highly successful early professional career, characterized by a seven-fight winning streak where every victory ended in a stoppage.
His tenure in ONE Championship established him as a historic talent. De Ridder became only the third fighter in the promotion's history to hold two titles simultaneously, capturing the Middleweight belt by defeating Aung La Nsang in October 2020, and later the Light Heavyweight title in April 2021. His dominance was marked by high-level finishes, including an arm-triangle choke against Kiamrian Abbasov in 2022 and an inverted triangle choke against Vitaly Bigdash later that same year.
Despite facing setbacks, such as a knockout loss to Anatoly Malykhin in December 2022, de Ridder has remained a prominent figure in the sport. After signing with the UFC in late 2024, he achieved a significant milestone by defeating three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion Bo Nickal via TKO in May 2025. While his recent UFC campaign has seen mixed results, including a technical knockout loss to Brendan Allen in October 2025, his ability to secure 'Performance of the Night' honors continues to define his reputation as a premier submission specialist.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Reinier de Ridder
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