“It Stings”: Reinier de Ridder Breaks His Silence After Losing to Brendan Allen at UFC Vancouver
Reinier de Ridder has spoken out following a long unbeaten run in the UFC that came to an abrupt halt at the hands of Brendan Allen this past weekend in Vancouver.
The former two-division champion in another organisation came out swinging in the opening round — securing an early takedown, landing on Allen’s back and hunting for submissions. But as the fight progressed, Allen began to reverse the momentum. In the second round, de Ridder’s control slipped; by the fourth he was visibly struggling to return to his corner. In the end, he did not leave his stool, and Allen celebrated the stoppage victory.
On Instagram, de Ridder admitted:
“I was not the best fighter in the cage Saturday and it stings.” MMA Fighting
He added: “But next to all the crazy highs I am also grateful to experience the lows. So many people go through life at a constant 6/10 but as a fighter we get to experience the full set of options.” MMA Fighting
The defeat brings an end to de Ridder’s four-fight unbeaten streak in the UFC, which included wins over high-profile opponents like Bo Nickal and former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
One factor de Ridder pointed to was his intense schedule this year — the Allen fight marked his fourth appearance in 2025. “If we have shared the mats you know I tend to work more and harder than anybody else,” he reflected. “But over the last two camps, I might have exaggerated a little bit. I was so focused on getting that title … I failed to listen to my body and last Saturday that showed.”
Firm in his resolve, he vowed a pause:
“Daddy is taking some time off kids. I was not myself but I will be again. If you know me, you know what I’m coming for. Be nice out there and see you soon.” MMA Fighting
With de Ridder stepping back for the moment, the middleweight title picture appears to shift. His loss has opened the door for Nassourdine Imavov to emerge as a likely challenger to current champion Khamzat Chimaev.
While the setback may be significant, de Ridder made clear this isn’t the end of his journey — simply a recalibration. After a pause to recover, he remains determined to return for another run in 2026.
