Reinier de Ridder has really stuck out among the other fighters who’ve joined the UFC recently from rival promotions. Unlike the rest, the Dutchman has been on an impressive winning streak since making his debut in Dana White‘s promotion. After scoring an impressive KO win over highly rated prospect Bo Nickal, de Ridder will now face a former champion for the first time this weekend.

Dana White and Co. will head all the way to the other side of the globe for a Fight Night this weekend. Taking place in Abu Dhabi, UFC on ABC 9 will feature a headliner between Reinier de Ridder and Robert Whittaker, who loves to fight in the Middle East, in a high-stakes middleweight matchup. The Dutch star believes that he has a chance to get his hands on a title shot if he manages to get the best of ‘The Reaper’ just like he did in his last fight.

However, there’s one hurdle that Reinier de Ridder has identified when it comes to him getting a title shot. He believes that the fight between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho at UFC Paris could act as a decider for him, as he hopes that the fight turns out to be a disappointing one. This, according to the middleweight fighter, will open the doors for him.

“If I can do it [finish his opponent] spectacularly again, and finish him early, then I do think I have a chance of fighting for the title… And hopefully, the Imavov-Borralho fight is boring and nobody watches, then I might have a chance,” Reinier de Ridder told Submission Radio during a recent interview. However, the 33-year-old did not forget to share his prediction for the Nassourdine Imavov vs Caio Borralho fight.

Leaning towards the French star to clinch victory, although he doesn’t want him to shine while doing it, Reinier de Ridder added, “I do think Imavov has the edge. He’s a more technical fighter, I think, than Borralho is. But it’s a good fight. Hopefully, nothing happens.” But that’s not it, as Khamzat Chimaev has also come under de Ridder’s radar. It appears that the former ONE double champion wants to make a quick turnaround from his fight this weekend to fight at UFC 319.

Now, Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis are already finalized for the main event, and it’s not going to now. So, perhaps Reinier de Ridder is calling for the backup role. However, that’s not the case as the Dutchman also wants to take Chimaev’s spot and is hoping that he pulls out before we get to UFC 319, which will undoubtedly be a huge setback for Dana White, as ‘Borz’ is one of his top stars. “I’m still hoping Khamzat pulls out last minute. It’s two weeks after my fight, so maybe we can still get lucky… That’d be nice. Maybe not too nice to make weight again, but we can discuss the terms after.”

Well, Khamzat Chimaev may not take that too kindly, with his fellow middleweight hoping for his downfall. Well, he may not be happy with Reinier de Ridder’s prediction for his UFC 319 title fight as well, as the Dutchman appeared to dismiss the Chechen-born star. Here’s what he had to say.

Reinier de Ridder picks Dricus du Plessis over Khamzat Chimaev

Reinier de Ridder had previously mentioned that he’s trained with both Khamzat Chimaev and the middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis, in the past. Despite the Chechen-born’s highly impactful and highly rated wrestling style, the former ONE champion is leaning more towards the South African star to register his third successful title defense.

The Dutchman asserts that Khamzat Chimaev won’t be able to match his effectiveness against Dricus du Plessis in the first round like he did with Robert Whittaker. He asserts that the battle can be taken into the championship rounds, where ‘Stillknocks’ will dominate.”I’m still leaning towards Dricus because of the experience I have training with both the guys. I just don’t see Khamzat finishing him early. And I see Dricus building in the third, fourth, or fifth round. I see him edging it out,” Reinier de Ridder.

Reinier de Ridder’s prediction sparks intrigue, but his aspirations for a title shot at UFC 319 seem overly ambitious. It’s uncertain how this will unfold for him, as the showdown with Robert Whittaker stands as the most significant battle in his UFC career to date. Share your thoughts in the comments below.