Reinier de Ridder

Overview

Four straight UFC wins to open a career, then two straight losses to elite opponents, then a first-round knockout. Reinier de Ridder's UFC record sits at 5-2, and four of those five wins ended inside the distance.

The Dutch light heavyweight fights out of American Top Team as a southpaw. His 22-4-0 professional record covers all promotions, but the UFC chapter is the one that matters here. It has been short and eventful.

UFC Career

De Ridder debuted in November 2024 and submitted Gerald Meerschaert in the third round. Two months later he submitted Kevin Holland in the first, at 3:31. In May 2025 he stopped Bo Nickal by TKO in round two.

Then came the biggest test: Robert Whittaker, an elite opponent by our model, in a five-round main event. De Ridder won a split decision. That made it four in a row, his longest UFC streak.

The next two fights went the other way. Brendan Allen, another elite opponent, stopped him in the fourth round of a main event in October 2025. In March 2026, Caio Borralho took a unanimous decision. Both losses came against elite-tier opposition.

He answered in August 2026 with a first-round TKO of Roman Dolidze at 4:01. He carries a one-fight win streak into his next appearance.

Two submissions, two knockouts, one decision.

Fighting Style

De Ridder is a takedown-heavy fighter who also gets taken down more than most. He shoots often and finds the mat at a high rate, but he has trouble keeping fights standing when an opponent shoots on him.

His striking is sharp and clean. He is accurate, and he takes very little punishment on the feet, though his defense on its own is leaky. He lands at about the UFC average, so he isn't a volume striker, and his submission attempts sit at a similar level.

He has finished four of his five UFC wins, so it's hard to label him purely as a grappler or a striker. Two came by knockout and two by submission. Two ended in the first round, with the other finishes coming in rounds two and three.

Notable Wins

• Robert Whittaker — split decision, round 5, UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs de Ridder (2025)
• Bo Nickal — KO/TKO, round 2, UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo (2025)
• Kevin Holland — submission, round 1, UFC 311 (2025)
• Roman Dolidze — KO/TKO, round 1, UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues (2026)

Quick Facts

• Division: Light Heavyweight
• UFC record: 5-2
• Professional record (all promotions): 22-4-0
• UFC debut: 2024
• Stance: Southpaw
• Height / Reach: 6'4" / 78"
• Team: American Top Team
• Born: Tilburg, Netherlands