“Dutch Knight” isn’t feeling great.
“I still feel like shit. When I walk up the stairs, I’m out of breath,” de Ridder told Submission Radio recently when asked if he’s back to 100 percent. “There’s a lot of information coming back from the blood work and everything, but I don’t want to be too specific because I’ll never get a rematch. There are some physical things that are wrong, and I’m going to see if I can fix all of this before I come back. It’s something I’ve struggled with in the past, and I thought I fixed it, but apparently I didn’t.”
The 35-year-old attributes the UFC Vancouver setback to overtraining and a brutal weight cut — factors that might push him to move up to Light Heavyweight down the road, though he insists there’s still unfinished business at Middleweight.
“I was really stubborn, as a Dutchman should be, and I kept pushing myself to go harder and harder — and that’s what showed in the fight,” de Ridder said. “It was much harder to get down in weight this time, but most importantly, I beat up my body like crazy this year. I went too far… I f—ked up. I was so focused on the title and finally got my title shot, and I thought I would secure it, so I kept pushing.”