Ahead of his appearance in the main event at UFC Vancouver this Saturday, Reinier de Ridder sat down with Fighters Only’s Paul Browne to discuss Anthony Hernandez’s withdrawal, stepping in against Brendan Allen, and why he believes their grappling isn’t on the same level.
As he prepares to headline a UFC event for the second time in a row this weekend, Reinier de Ridder can’t help but think about what might have been.
De Ridder (21-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) was originally scheduled to face Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in a compelling middleweight clash between two rising contenders. But when Hernandez withdrew due to injury, No. 8-ranked Brendan Allen (25-7 MMA, 13-4 UFC) stepped in to take his place. While De Ridder welcomes the challenge and the opportunity to stay active, he admits he was disappointed to lose the Hernandez matchup.
“To be honest, I was very disappointed when Hernandez pulled out,” De Ridder told Fighters Only. “It would be a very cool matchup, just style-wise. He is somewhat similar to what Khamzat (Chimaev) does in his approach to wrestling and getting to the back. So yes, it would be a very cool fight, but I think we won't have to wait too long for it. I think we'll see that fight again soon.
“And meanwhile, I just do what I do. I want to fight, I want to be active. Brendan is a good opponent. He's been in there with some of the best. He has a lot of experience. He's pretty dangerous in certain areas. So I’m just happy to be able to do this again.”
Relentless Rise to the Main Event
A former two-division world champion under the ONE Championship banner, De Ridder has made a rapid impact since arriving in the UFC less than a year ago. Saturday night at Rogers Arena will mark his fifth walk to the Octagon, and another win could move him within touching distance of title contention at 185 pounds.
With 14 career submission victories, De Ridder has built a reputation as one of MMA’s most suffocating grapplers. Allen, however, is no slouch on the mat either—he also owns 14 submission wins and has made his name tapping top opposition inside the UFC.
“His Jiu-Jitsu Is Sloppy”
Still, De Ridder isn’t convinced Allen will be able to match him in the grappling exchanges.
“I don't think jiu-jitsu is the thing he does best,” De Ridder said. “I think the thing he does best is in-the-pocket boxing combinations. He does very well with that. He has a good right cross, good left hook, and a decent middle kick. He throws combinations very decently, and he isn’t afraid to get up close and get into danger.
“His jiu-jitsu is all right, but it's pretty sloppy in a lot of areas. In his previous fights, he does get submissions sometimes, and he does get good positions sometimes. But in the Fluffy fight, for instance, he fell off the back like five times, and Fluffy fell off the back like 10 times. That hurt my eyes at times!”
With Allen stepping up on short notice, the main event in Vancouver carries new intrigue. Instead of a wrestler vs. grappler showdown against Hernandez, fight fans may now get an intense stylistic battle between two submission hunters with a point to prove.
