Reinier de Ridder is starting a new chapter in his career after leaving ONE Championship and officially signing with UFC. Despite the challenges that have emerged between the Singapore-based promotion and various fighters over recent years. De Ridder remains respectful of his time with ONE, acknowledging both its positives and negatives.
“It’s been good for a long time, but it’s also had its struggles,” de Ridder told MMA Fighting. “They’ve been grappling with some issues, and certain aspects haven’t been handled the way they should. But that’s the way it goes.”
Reflecting on his journey in ONE Championship, de Ridder expressed gratitude for the opportunities he received early on. “They gave me a lot of fights, and I was able to make fighting my full-time career, so I’m thankful for that. However, the past couple of years haven’t been as fruitful.”
After an active 2022, where he fought three times, de Ridder found himself sidelined without a fight in 2023 and only competed once in 2024. Though he participated in a grappling match under the ONE banner in 2023, his overall activity had significantly decreased.
Following the end of his contract, de Ridder briefly fought for UAE Warriors before finalizing his deal with the UFC. “Every fighter dreams about this opportunity at some point,” he admitted. “I’m excited to get in there and finally make my UFC debut. It’s the league everyone aspires to be in; every fighter wants to fight in the UFC, and every fan wants to watch it. This is the moment to go for it, especially as I approach the later stages of my career.”
Interestingly, de Ridder noted that the announcement of his UFC signing garnered more attention than his achievement of becoming a two-division champion in ONE Championship. “That’s the crazy part,” he remarked. “I’ve gone through every stage of an MMA fighter’s career—from unranked to title challenger to two-division champion—and now, signing with the UFC feels like a bigger deal than all that.”
When comparing ONE Championship and the UFC, de Ridder highlighted several factors that excite him about his new venture. “The UFC is the UFC; it has always been the goal,” he said. “There are clearer weight class definitions and more rigorous drug testing, which is a step in the right direction.”
In ONE Championship, weight classes differ significantly from those in the UFC, with the former instituting hydration testing to mitigate extreme weight cuts. For instance, de Ridder’s reigns as champion encompassed middleweight (185-205 pounds) and light heavyweight (205-225 pounds), whereas the UFC maintains middleweight at 185 pounds and light heavyweight at 205 pounds.
Reflecting on ONE’s hydration testing, de Ridder praised the initial concept but noted its declining effectiveness over time. “The idea was great, but over the years, the secondary measures eroded, and fighters just kept getting bigger. I was one of the few who maintained the weight class guidelines,” he explained.
On the subject of drug testing, de Ridder acknowledged that while ONE has claimed to conduct testing. The UFC’s anti-doping program includes stringent out-of-competition testing. “The UFC is the place to be for clean athletes. America sets the standard in that regard,” he added.
De Ridder is particularly excited about his upcoming UFC debut on November 9 against Gerald Meerschaert. He credited his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, for securing the deal and facilitating his swift transition to the new promotion. “I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity,” de Ridder expressed. “I’m trying to embrace every moment of it. In the past, I might have been a bit dismissive of interviews and fan interactions, but now I’m focusing on being more appreciative of all these experiences.”
As Reinier de Ridder embarks on this new journey with the UFC, fans eagerly await what this talented fighter will accomplish in his next chapter.
