Reinier de Ridder is riding high after UFC Des Moines.
The former One Championship kingpin actually left the promotion on a losing streak, which didn’t exactly lead to a hyped up UFC debut. In fact, his first fight in the Octagon didn’t do much either, as de Ridder’s submission win over Gerald Meerschaert featured some sloppiness and general fatigue. Plain and simple, his debut performance didn’t look like that of a contender.
His sophomore bout was a definite improvement, as “RDR” steamrolled the highly experienced Kevin Holland and sent him back to Welterweight. Still, he entered his UFC Des Moines’ co-main event slot as a considerable underdog to ace wrestler Bo Nickal. He never looked the part on fight night, battering Nickal’s body with knees en route to a second-round stoppage win (watch here).
All of a sudden, the Dutch athlete is 3-0 in the UFC with three finishes. He’s becoming a genuine contender, and he’s got his eye on a showdown with former training partner Khamzat Chimaev, who is unofficially next-in-line for a shot at 185-pound gold versus champion Dricus Du Plessis.
“That’s one that I see happening pretty quickly,” De Ridder told Submission Radio (via MMA Junkie). “We’ve had some rounds together. I think I have a good shot in a fight (with Chimaev). What makes him special is the aggression that he comes out with.
“I think a lot of people get overwhelmed by how explosive he comes out and how hard he chases the back right away. That’s mostly what makes him so dangerous. We’ve seen a lot from him already, we’ve seen him go the distance a couple of times.”
What’s interesting here is that de Ridder has spent timing training with both Du Plessis and Chimaev. Regardless of who holds Middleweight gold in six months, “RDR” will have inside info about how he stacks up versus the champion, and he’s just a win or two away from getting an opportunity to challenge for the belt.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
