It’s protected to say Reinier de Ridder is happier now that he’s discovered a house within the UFC.
Regardless of claiming titles in two completely different weight lessons in ONE Championship, “The Dutch Knight” endured a contentious break up together with his former employers and he doesn’t have a lot good to say about them now. Whereas he’s largely prevented the topic since leaving ONE and signing with the UFC, de Ridder lastly addressed the Singapore primarily based promotion by sending a harsh warning to any fighters who’re contemplating going there.
“That is one thing I really feel I’ve to do for different fighters — if you happen to’re considering of signing with ONE Championship, don’t,” de Ridder mentioned on the UFC Vegas 100 post-fight press convention. “It’s that easy. You shouldn’t. There’s nothing there. There’s no fights. You’re simply flawed if you happen to do that, if you happen to signal there, it is a unhealthy mistake.”
The previous gentle heavyweight and middleweight champion didn’t get into many particulars about his disdain in direction of ONE however not less than one main downside got here right down to exercise.
Following three fights in 2022, de Ridder didn’t compete in any respect throughout 2023 outdoors of a grappling match in opposition to Tye Ruotolo. He lastly returned to motion in early 2024 however a loss to Anatoly Malykhin marked the tip of his run with ONE Championship earlier than de Ridder competed a single time in UAE Warriors previous to signing with the UFC.
“It’s been a foul couple of years,” de Ridder mentioned. “The stress I’ve been put by way of. The stress my household’s been put by way of. To even simply get fights, it hasn’t been good. It’s exhausting for me to speak unhealthy as a result of I had a few good years at ONE as effectively. To start with, they handled me effectively. Over the previous couple of years, it’s been actually unhealthy.”
If there was one facet about ONE Championship that he missed, de Ridder admitted the post-fight celebrations the place glitter falls from the ceiling to finish a present was a pleasant contact however that feels like the one factor he’s not getting in comparison with his new residence within the UFC.
“[I miss it] a bit yeah,” de Ridder mentioned concerning the colourful post-fight celebrations. “It will have been good, it seems to be cool. However all the pieces else [in ONE Championship] is shit.”
Whereas the sick emotions in direction of ONE clearly nonetheless exist, de Ridder has moved on together with his profession, particularly after he tapped out all-time submissions chief Gerald Meerschart within the third spherical at UFC Vegas 100.
Taking up one other grappler and a fighter he’s skilled with up to now gave de Ridder some new obstacles to beat however the finish result’s what issues most.
“On the ground, I made a couple of errors, particularly within the second spherical,” de Ridder defined. “I shouldn’t have went for these [D’arce chokes], I believed I had them however they weren’t there. There’s a couple of little tweaks I ought to make there.
“However I’m completely happy it occurred this manner, the struggle occurred this manner. As a result of usually he’s the man who lasts longer, he takes some photographs and he’s nonetheless there and he finishes guys on the finish of the second or within the third spherical. So it’s cool I used to be that man this time.”
With the win, de Ridder instantly turns into a reputation to observe within the middleweight division however he’s clearly not attempting to take issues gradual and straightforward now that he’s within the UFC.
When requested about potential opponents, de Ridder didn’t blink when calling for a showdown in opposition to arguably the 185-pound boogeyman.
“Why not Khamzat [Chimaev]?” de Ridder mentioned. “That will be a pleasant matchup, grappling clever, it will be cool.”’
Whether or not it’s Khamzat Chimaev or any person else, de Ridder is simply completely happy to maintain his calendar full because of the UFC.
“Regardless of the UFC needs of me, I’ll do it,” de Ridder mentioned. “Simply give me a name. I’m prepared.”
