{"id":220344,"date":"2025-10-17T13:48:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T13:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/220344\/"},"modified":"2025-10-17T13:48:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T13:48:09","slug":"ufc-vancouver-preview-de-ridder-vs-allen-predictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/220344\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC Vancouver preview: \u2018De Ridder vs. Allen\u2019 predictions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will once again venture away from the familiarity of its APEX facility and ship its cast and crew across the border for the upcoming UFC Vancouver fight card<\/a>, locked and loaded for tomorrow night (Sat., Oct. 18, 2025) from inside Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. UFC Vancouver will be headlined by a 185-pound main event between Top 10<\/a> middleweight contenders Reinier de Ridder and Brendan Allen, who both want the next crack at division champion, Khamzat Chimaev.<\/p>\n

Like most \u201cFight Night\u201d cards, you\u2019ll need a subscription to ESPN+<\/a> to stream this weekend\u2019s event (sign up here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Before we dive into the main and co-main event, which includes the 170-pound showdown between welterweight fan favorite Kevin Holland and local hero Mike Malott, check out Andrew Richardson\u2019s \u201cX-Factor\u201d breakdown for the rest of the UFC Vancouver main card by clicking here<\/a>. Get all the latest \u201cDe Ridder vs. Allen\u201d odds and betting props courtesy of our fiscal friends over at FanDuel right here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get down to business.<\/p>\n

185 lbs.: Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen<\/p>\n

Reinier \u201cDutch Knight\u201d De Ridder
Record: 21-2 | Age: 35 | Betting line: -200
Wins: 5 KO\/TKO, 13 SUB, 3 DEC | Losses: 2 KO\/TKO, 0 SUB, 0 DEC
Height: 6\u20194\u201d | Reach: 78\u201d | Stance: Southpaw
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 2.95 | Striking accuracy: 52%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.44 | Striking Defense: 50%
Takedown Average: 2.86 (27% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 66%
Current Ranking: No. 4 | Last fight: Split decision win over Robert Whittaker<\/p>\n

Brendan \u201cAll In\u201d Allen
Record: 25-7 | Age: 29 | Betting line: +165
Wins: 5 KO\/TKO, 14 SUB, 6 DEC | Losses: 2 KO\/TKO, 1 SUB, 4 DEC
Height: 6\u20192\u201d | Reach: 75\u201d | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.85 | Striking accuracy: 53%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.96 | Striking Defense: 47%
Takedown Average: 1.65 (41% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 56%
Current Ranking: No. 9 | Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Marvin Vettori<\/p>\n

Reinier de Ridder was supposed to be fighting No. 6-ranked Anthony Hernandez for the next crack at the 185-pound crown but unfortunately, \u201cFluffy\u201d got injured and bailed on the fight. Brendan Allen would have been a more respectable replacement if he wasn\u2019t sporting consecutive losses to Hernandez and Nassourdine Imavov, two of the biggest names in the division. In fact, Allen said \u201cI ain\u2019t the guy I thought I was\u201d after losing to Hernandez<\/a>, which makes me wonder about his level of confidence coming into UFC Vancouver. That said, I do appreciate his candor as opposed to the lame-o I wAs OnLy fIgHtInG aT 60 pErCeNt<\/a> excuse he used in the wake of his Imavov loss in Paris.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, (De Ridder\u2019s resume) doesn\u2019t impress me,\u201d Allen said during the UFC Vancouver media day<\/a>. \u201cMaybe I\u2019m hard to impress, but there\u2019s not one fight or one moment where you\u2019re like, \u2018Oh man, this guy\u2019s crazy,\u2019 or he\u2019s something special. He\u2019s tough, he\u2019s durable, his jiu-jitsu\u2019s not bad \u2026 but really, what else is there? I don\u2019t know, maybe you see something different than me, but I haven\u2019t seen anything where I\u2019m just like, \u2018Oh man, he\u2019s something special. He\u2019s got that it [factor].\u2018 Maybe he\u2019s got something that needs to be a little more polished. It doesn\u2019t stand out to me, but hey, he\u2019s getting wins. Good for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just like I\u2019ve always wanted to fight the guy,\u201d Allen continued. \u201cAnd why? I just think it\u2019s a great matchup for me. It\u2019s just that simple. I think it\u2019s a great matchup for me stylistically, and what better way to hit the Top 5 than to beat him and beat him in a main event. I\u2019m back on the poster, it\u2019s just kind of putting me back where I planned to be, to be honest with you. That was the opportunity, and bigger the risk, bigger the reward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bookies have De Ridder as a healthy betting favorite based on his most recent victory over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, though Allen claims the 34 year-old \u201cReaper\u201d is \u201cwashed.\u201d<\/a> I\u2019m not sure what measurements Allen is using for his criteria but outside of De Ridder, the Aussie has only lost to three other opponents during his 14-4 run at 185 pounds and his defeat to the \u201cDutch Knight\u201d was fairly close. And if Whittaker is washed \u2026 then what does that make Allen, who was finished by way of technical knockout in losses to Chris Curtis and Sean Strickland? Knocking around a braindead Marvin Vettori is not the flex it used to be, especially when you consider \u201cThe Italian Dream\u201d had just lost his brother in a tragic house fire before their fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I have some special stuff,\u201d De Ridder told Newsweek<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019ll show [Allen] some special stuff on Saturday. He\u2019s very skilled, especially in the boxing range. I think he does very well. Throws good combinations, he has a decent middle kick against southpaws. His wrestling might be his weakest point, although he got that nice body lock takedown on Imavov. His jiu-jitsu is decent; especially on top, he\u2019s alright. Pretty well-rounded guy, good opponent. I\u2019ll see if I can get him. It\u2019s basically a three-man race as far as I\u2019m concerned. It\u2019s \u2018Fluffy,\u2019 it\u2019s Imavov, and me. Both of them weren\u2019t able to put Brendan away. What if I am?\u201d<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t want to get too down on Allen because he\u2019s a very tough out with a dangerous submission game and should give De Ridder all he can handle on fight night. This bout was taken on short notice but Allen is an active fighter and has already competed twice this year, so it\u2019s not like he\u2019s jumping off the couch following an extended absence. I\u2019m just not sure any version of Allen beats De Ridder if we\u2019re basing our prediction on his performances against Imavov and Hernandez. \u201cFluffy\u201d was 4-for-8 on takedown attempts in their fight while the unheralded
Jacob Malkoun was 7-for-14, so it\u2019s easy to envision a scenario where De Ridder takes Allen to the floor and controls him. Probably not the barnburner fight that fans were hoping for, but neither was Khamzat Chimaev\u2019s victory over Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 \u2014 and that ended with \u201cBorz\u201d holding the title.<\/p>\n

Prediction: De Ridder def. Allen by unanimous decision<\/p>\n

170 lbs.: Kevin Holland vs. Mike Malott<\/p>\n

Kevin \u201cTrailblazer\u201d Holland
Record: 28-14, 1 NC | Age: 32 | Betting line: -100
Wins: 14 KO\/TKO, 9 SUB, 5 DEC | Losses: 2 KO\/TKO, 4 SUB, 8 DEC
Height: 6\u20193\u201d | Reach: 81\u201d | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.30 | Striking accuracy: 50%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.22 | Striking Defense: 50%
Takedown Average: 0.82 (38% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 55%
Current Ranking: No. 15 | Last fight: Unanimous decision loss to Daniel Rodriguez<\/p>\n

\u201cProper\u201d Mike Malott
Record: 12-2-1 | Age: 33 | Betting line: -120
Wins: 5 KO\/TKO, 6 SUB, 1 DEC | Losses: 2 KO\/TKO, 0 SUB, 0 DEC
Height: 6\u20191\u201d | Reach: 73\u201d | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.09 | Striking accuracy: 47%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.96 | Striking Defense: 54%
Takedown Average: 2.08 (56% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 16%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Knockout win over Charlie Radtke<\/p>\n

Kevin Holland will compete for the fifth time in 2025 when he steps foot inside the Octagon this weekend, the second time in his UFC career that he\u2019s registered five fights inside one calendar year (the first being 2020). He\u2019s also just a couple of fights away from reaching 30 appearances under the UFC banner and as of this writing, 32 gets you into a tie with Dustin Poirier and Diego Sanchez for Top 10 all time. Not too shabby for a combatant who joined the promotion after his \u201cContender Series\u201d win in June 2018, it\u2019s just a shame that Holland doesn\u2019t take his career more seriously. If he did, then \u201cTrailblazer\u201d wouldn\u2019t have double-digit losses in UFC. I can\u2019t accept that a fighter who is skilled enough to knock out Anthony Hernandez and submit Vicente Luque is the same fighter who gets beat by the likes of Derek Brunson and Daniel Rodriguez.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s two people in this world that I shouldn\u2019t have lost to and that\u2019s Derek Brunson and D-Rod,\u201d Holland told Full Send MMA<\/a>. \u201cYou put those two peas in a pod together and they\u2019re the same. One\u2019s a sh*tty striker that manages to get it done and the other one\u2019s a sh*tty grappler that manages to get it done. They both suck ass.\u201d<\/p>\n

Holland can strike, hit for power, and has great submissions, I just think the high frequency hurts him because it doesn\u2019t allow him time to train and improve his mistakes. You can argue that UFC Vancouver will get the same version of Holland we saw at UFC 307 roughly this time last year. Maybe that\u2019s enough to beat Mike Malott, but it sounds like \u201cTrailblazer\u201d is more interested in racking up paydays and not whining like an \u201cinactive bum.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing that excites me for just the simple fact that I get to get in there and do what I love to do,\u201d Holland told Republic World<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019ve had some wild [finishes], but for Kevin Holland, a perfect one would be just a smooth right hand going straight down the pipe and knocking the guy out. That\u2019s always a beautiful thing for me that can happen over and over again in my life. So straight right hand to the chin, and I go home with a good grin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malott has competed four times over the last two years and all four appearances have taken place in Canada, which is probably why \u201cProper\u201d hasn\u2019t been able to work his way up the 170-pound ladder. Getting finished by Neil Magny at UFC 297 certainly didn\u2019t help either, but the Canadian turns 34 next month and is running out of time \u2014 at least in terms of making any kind of run at the 170-pound title. In addition to time, he would need skills to make that happen and aside from his misstep against the \u201cHaitian Sensation,\u201d Malott has been a heart attack in the welterweight division, racking up six wins with five nasty finishes \u2014 three within the first round when you factor in his stint on Dana White\u2019s \u201cContender Series\u201d in late 2021. His most recent outing ended with a thunderous knockout victory over Charlie Radtke at UFC 315 just a few months back in Montreal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last guy I fought, Charles Radtke, talked a lot of trash beforehand, but not so much when we got in there,\u201d Malott said during the UFC Vancouver media day<\/a>. \u201cI don\u2019t know if [Kevin Holland] has been talking any trash so far, but I assume when we\u2019re in there, he\u2019ll be talking a lot of trash. We prepared for that with my training partners, just talking trash all camp, when we\u2019re drilling, when we\u2019re sparring, having my mental coach cageside yelling at me in sparring and during fight simulations and stuff. So I feel very well-prepared and comfortable to deal with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was happy to get the opportunity to fight for a ranked position,\u201d Malott added. \u201cI feel so much more prepared for this second run at the rankings. I\u2019m way ahead of where I was a few years ago. I feel like my skill has considerably increased since then, and I\u2019ve matured as a fighter. I feel a lot more comfortable being here. It\u2019s not as much like, \u2018Whoa, this is the UFC!\u2019 This camp went so well. I\u2019m so ready. I\u2019m the best I\u2019ve ever been by a long shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malott has been wrecking shop at 170 pounds and will be dangerous for all three rounds. At the same time, his level of competition has been mediocre, at best. I\u2019m not sure how excited I should be for finishes over opponents like Yohan Lainesse and Adam Fugitt, who both have losing records under the UFC banner. Holland is certainly no lock based on his struggle to stay consistent, but I do think he\u2019s the more complete fighter and his resume sets him apart from any other welterweight (and many middleweights) on the roster. \u201cTrailblazer\u201d is not always victorious, but he\u2019s faced the best in the world on a consistent basis for the last five years. I also think he\u2019s pissed off about the Rodriguez loss and will be looking to prove a point.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Holland def. Malott by submission<\/p>\n

Remember to get the rest of the UFC Vancouver main card predictions RIGHT HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

MIDDLEWEIGHT MAYHEM!<\/a> Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Sat., Oct. 18, 2025, with a stacked ESPN+-streamed fight card. In UFC Vancouver<\/a>\u2019s main event, streaking Dutch sensation, Reinier de Ridder, faces gritty submission specialist, Brendan Allen (not Anthony Hernandez<\/a>) in a high-stakes clash that could propel the winner toward 185-pound title contentio<\/a>n. In UFC Vancouver\u2019s co-headliner, fan-favorite, Kevin Holland, takes on Canadian hopeful, Mike Malott, both vying for a pivotal win<\/a> in UFC\u2019s crowded 170-pound division. All that and SO MUCH MORE!<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

MMAmania.com<\/a> will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vancouver fight card on fight night, starting with the ESPN+<\/a> preliminary card matchups scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance on ESPN+<\/a> at 7 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vancouver news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here<\/a>. For the updated and finalized \u201cDe Ridder vs. Allen\u201d fight card and ESPN+<\/a> lineup click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will once again venture away from the familiarity of its APEX facility and ship…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":220345,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[64,63,786,40762,785,85,1396,45879,19457,7990,1647],"class_list":["post-220344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mma","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-fighting","tag-latest-ufc-mma-news","tag-mma","tag-sports","tag-ufc-news","tag-ufc-on-espn-fight-night","tag-ufc-predictions","tag-ufc-previews","tag-upcoming-ufc-events"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220344\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/220345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=220344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=220344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}