Reinier de Ridder is making waves in the UFC middleweight division. After beating former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC on ABC 9, he’s eyeing the winner of the upcoming title fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev. In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, de Ridder shared why he thinks Chimaev’s style is simpler to prepare for than Du Plessis’ awkward approach.
De Ridder’s Big Win and Title Shot Hopes
On July 26, 2025, de Ridder faced Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC on ABC 9 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The former ONE Championship middleweight and light heavyweight champion won a close decision, boosting his UFC record to 4-0. His victory over Whittaker, a former UFC middleweight king, has put him in line for a potential title shot. De Ridder now awaits the outcome of UFC 319, where Du Plessis defends his middleweight belt against Chimaev on August 16, 2025, at United Center in Chicago.
De Ridder believes he’s ready to face either fighter. He told ESPN MMA that Chimaev’s wrestling-heavy style is more predictable, making it easier to train for.
“He would be an easier guy to prepare for,” de Ridder said. “Not that he’s an easier fight, but he’s more of a typical style. I can bring a couple of Dagestanis and a couple of Chechens who wrestle pretty similar to Khamzat. He boxes pretty cleanly. It’s not that special in a sense that it’s not as weird as Dricus is.”
Why Du Plessis Is Tougher to Crack
De Ridder finds Du Plessis a much harder puzzle. The South African champion’s unorthodox style makes him tricky to study.
“If there’s one guy who’s hard to study, it’s him,” de Ridder said of Du Plessis. “He doesn’t do the same thing twice. He’s so awkward, so unpredictable. I need more time studying him. He does a lot of awkward stuff, and I sparred him a couple of years ago at Kill Cliff, and what really stands out is the way he kicks.”
De Ridder recalled sparring Du Plessis and struggling with his unique kicking technique.
“His kicks come from such a weird angle with the knees slightly in. It was very hard for me to judge where it was going to go – if it was going to be a middle, high, or low kick. So, it’s going to be very hard to find a guy to emulate him. There’s nobody else who moves like that.”
This makes preparing for Du Plessis a bigger challenge than Chimaev, whose wrestling and boxing are more standard.
De Ridder, 34, has a 21-2 MMA record. Before joining the UFC, he dominated in ONE Championship, holding titles in two weight classes. He debuted in the UFC in 2024, finishing Gerald Meerschaert, Kevin Holland, and Bo Nickal before facing Whittaker. His grappling skills, honed as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, and his improving striking have made him a top contender. Beating Whittaker, who lost to Du Plessis in 2023 and Chimaev in 2024, has solidified de Ridder’s place near the top of the division.
Du Plessis, 31, has a 23-2 record and is 9-0 in the UFC. He won the middleweight title by beating Sean Strickland in January 2024 and defended it against Israel Adesanya. Chimaev, also 31, is undefeated at 14-0, with notable wins over Kamaru Usman and Whittaker. The UFC 319 main event is a clash of contrasting styles, with Du Plessis’ wild striking meeting Chimaev’s relentless grappling.
De Ridder’s comments add intrigue to the UFC 319 title fight. He believes Chimaev might be the bigger name if he wins, but Du Plessis’ unpredictable style makes him a tougher matchup to prepare for. De Ridder is ready to step in if needed, even joking about hoping Chimaev pulls out so he can face Du Plessis sooner. He’s also keeping an eye on other contenders like Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, who fight at UFC Paris on September 6.
