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. 

That’s excellent activity, no doubt, but we can only imagine the toll on his body going through five grueling camps from November 2024 to October 2025. ‘RDR’ isn’t a small guy — he stands 6’4’’ with a 78-inch reach. Before UFC Vancouver, he reportedly cut 34 pounds from his body. So think about that process happening five times in a year while facing top-level competition — not very sustainable.

So, Reinier de Ridder being too active ahead of his fight against Brendan Allen could be a very valid reason for his loss at Rogers Arena. But beyond that, the Dutchman also made some strategic mistakes, which his opponent quickly exploited. 

It didn’t take long for Brendan Allen to figure out Reinier de Ridder’s game plan 

At the UFC Vancouver main event, ‘RDR’ started strong in the first round. From the first bell, he won every position on the ground, even securing a dominant full mount. Also, De Ridder landed some massive damage from the back as well. But after the first round, everything began to go south. Why?

Because Brendan Allen recognized that De Ridder struggles under pressure. After a disappointing first round, the South Carolina native regrouped and immediately started taking the center of the octagon, occasionally throwing loopy punches, which were not necessarily to secure a knockout, but to instill a sense of fear and show his opponent he wasn’t to be taken lightly inside the cage. Alongside his offensive approach, Allen relied heavily on his defensive grappling.

Many of Reinier’s single takedown attempts Allen successfully fend off, and then, he swiftly reversed to get the dominant position. That gets even clearer when we actually look at the stats. According to ESPN fight center,  ‘All-In’ landed just one takedown, while ‘RDR’ attempted seven and successfully completed only three. This illustrates how labored the Dutchman’s efforts became in the later rounds, leaving him exhausted by the fourth, which ultimately prompted his corner to throw in the towel.

However, since Brendan Allen’s overall approach looked sharp — which is definitely a credit to his fight IQ — training at the same gym as De Ridder, Kill Cliff, might’ve also given him a slight edge. When Allen arrived at the gym, De Ridder was already training there, though they never actually trained or sparred together. In an MMA Fighting interview, ‘All-In’ explained how sharing the same gym can get a little nerve-wracking with so many divisional fighters around. Still, Allen getting some inside information on ‘RDR’s game isn’t outside the realm of possibilities.

So, at this point, we can comfortably say that the combination of grueling weight cuts, intense training camps, and actively engaging in tough scraps ultimately cost Reinier de Ridder the fight against Brendan Allen. While these circumstances are somewhat understandable, choosing to fight with a lingering disease that didn’t even spare Alex Pereira wasn’t a wise decision.   

‘RDR’s fight was ruined by Norovirus  

After Reinier de Ridder lost his bout against Brendan Allen, fans waited eagerly to hear what ‘The Dutch Knight’ had to say. Well,  everyone expected a disappointed and emotional reaction, but no one saw it coming when he brought back Alex Pereira’s memories with his post-fight statement — and even threw in a bold callout.

Taking to X, De Ridder posted, “Devastated by the loss. Battled norovirus all week, could hardly stand, and broke my hand in Round 1, making it tough to fight. Gave everything I had. @SStricklandMMA, I’m coming for that middleweight belt. Let’s do this! 👊 🔥”

Interestingly, De Ridder’s reasons matched exactly what Joe Rogan revealed after ‘Poatan’ lost to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 — which was norovirus and a broken hand. Both fighters stepped into the cage with this nasty combination — and both ended up on the losing end. As that’s an amazing coincidence, it also gave other fighters a serious lesson. Fighting with a serious illness or injury, especially at such a crucial stage, is a gamble not worth taking. And when that combo is norovirus + a broken hand, it’s a definite no-go!

Now, while Alex Pereira managed to bounce back from that brutal loss and knocked out Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320, to reclaim his 205lbs throne, the question is whether Reinier de Ridder can manage to do the same if he fights Sean Strickland? Well, his chances would look a lot better if he takes time off, lets his body fully recover, and makes a comeback after a solid six-month break. If he plays it smart, we just might witness a more dangerous version of the Dutchman the next time he steps into the cage.

So, going by all of these points, it’s actually not surprising that Reinier de Ridder lost against Brendan Allen at UFC Vancouver main event. That said, do you agree with the points presented or have a completely different opinion? The comment section is all yours!