{"id":225799,"date":"2025-10-20T01:33:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T01:33:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/225799\/"},"modified":"2025-10-20T01:33:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T01:33:08","slug":"reinier-de-ridders-coach-says-fight-stoppage-at-ufc-vancouver-was-the-right-call","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/225799\/","title":{"rendered":"Reinier de Ridder\u2019s Coach Says Fight Stoppage at UFC Vancouver Was ‘The Right Call’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reinier de Ridder\u2019s fourth-round defeat to Brendan Allen in the UFC Vancouver main event<\/a> surprised many fans \u2014 not because he lost, but because his corner stopped the fight before the final round.<\/p>\n

For the first time in his UFC career, de Ridder\u2019s team intervened, ending the contest after he appeared exhausted following a grueling stretch of ground exchanges. Now, his head coach Harun Ozkan has publicly explained why it was the right move.<\/p>\n

Ozkan: \u201cIt Was the Right Call to Make\u201d<\/p>\n

In a message shared online the day after the fight, Ozkan addressed supporters directly and gave his reasoning.<\/p>\n

\u201cFriends, fans, and supporters,<\/p>\n

I normally don\u2019t share personal things on here, but I feel I owe a little explanation to everyone who\u2019s been behind us. First of all, thank you for the amazing support we\u2019ve been receiving. It\u2019s been a crazy and busy year so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Ozkan, de Ridder looked great in the opening round but began to fade midway through the fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast night didn\u2019t go as we wanted. After a very strong start in the first round, things quickly started fading and we couldn\u2019t really recover from the shots in and after the second round. I made the call to stop the fight after the fourth round. I take full responsibility for that decision and it was the right call to make for me in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that as a coach, his role extends beyond strategy \u2014 it includes protecting his athlete when they\u2019re in danger.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy job is to coach, but also to look out for my fighter\u2019s health. I\u2019ve been with Reinier for basically his whole career and saw too many signs that made me step in. If I didn\u2019t do anything, he would\u2019ve continued the fight. Rather than risk unnecessary damage, I decided to call it a day and go home as healthy as possible. Live to fight another day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHealth Over Pride\u201d \u2014 A Coach\u2019s Perspective<\/p>\n

Ozkan stressed that he doesn\u2019t make decisions based on public approval or expectations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI absolutely do not care about pleasing others if it comes at the cost of someone\u2019s health. There\u2019s a thin line between \u2018being tough\u2019 and watching out for your health. This sport can be brutal. These guys sacrifice a lot of their life in and out of the cage \u2014 there\u2019s no need for excess damage if it can be avoided. Most people forget they\u2019re human too.\u201d<\/p>\n

He concluded by reaffirming his pride in de Ridder and his belief that they will bounce back stronger.<\/p>\n

\u201cZero excuses for this loss, we knew what we were going for. We are not happy with this performance, but for now recovery first, evaluate some stuff and we will be back next year. It has been an amazing year overall and thankful for all the highs and lows in life. Proud of you my brother @deriddermma. We\u2019ve come a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The defeat was de Ridder\u2019s first loss in the UFC, dropping his record to 4-1 inside the promotion and 21-3 overall. Originally booked against Anthony Hernandez in a title-eliminator, the Dutch fighter ended up facing Brendan Allen instead \u2014 a matchup that tested his conditioning and resilience.<\/p>\n

Though the loss pushes him down the middleweight ladder, Ozkan\u2019s words suggest that de Ridder\u2019s focus will now shift to recovery and long-term improvement. As his coach put it, the priority is simple: \u201cLive to fight another day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Published on October 19, 2025 at 9:20 pm<\/p>\n

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