Why did Reinier de Ridder lose at UFC Vancouver? That’s the question fans started asking after Brendan Allen dominated the Dutchman at Rogers Arena, in front of a packed Canadian audience. What’s more impressive — ‘All-In’ did all that on short notice, after Anthony Hernandez, originally scheduled for the bout, pulled out due to injury. Naturally, many believed ‘RDR’ would cruise to victory without breaking a sweat. Sad, for his fans, however, the night turned out badly for him.
‘RDR’ quickly became a fan-favorite in the UFC because of his crafty fighting style and impeccable grappling. Before facing Allen, he was riding a five-fight winning streak, having bested elite names like Robert Whittaker in his last outing. So when the Dutchman fell short, fans couldn’t help but wonder why he came up short in the manner that he did at UFC Vancouver. Well, there are several reasons—but let’s start with De Ridder’s over-the-top activity.
Back-to-back fights finally took a toll on the Dutch star
As UFC fans, nothing excites us more than fighters who stay super active, delivering multiple unforgettable scraps throughout the year. When we talk about activity, two names immediately come to mind. Last year, Alex Pereira set the standard by fighting four times within a year, from November 2023 to October 2024, winning the light heavyweight belt and defending it three times. That’s an absolutely incredible feat to achieve. And this year, the crown belongs to Merab Dvalishvili.
‘The Machine’ defended his belt three times in 2025 and now returns at UFC 323 on December 6th, aiming to become the first fighter in history to defend a UFC title four times in a single year by clashing with Petr Yan in a rematch. As lovers of this sport, we admire that kind of commitment. However, while fighters like Alex or Merab impress us thoroughly, we have to accept that a high volume of activity isn’t for everyone. That becomes crystal clear when we examine Reinier de Ridder’s fighting history.
Before fighting in the Dana White-led promotion, ‘RDR’ held titles in two divisions at ONE Championship, where he spent most of his prime years. When he finally left ONE and joined the UFC, De Ridder was 34 years old. With that in mind, he clearly wanted to use his remaining active years at full throttle. And because of that, the Dutchman ended up competing five times in just a little over a year, including the latest UFC Vancouver card.