It was supposed to be Reinier De Ridder’s defining moment, a top contender clash against Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez that could have rewritten the middleweight title picture. But MMA, like life, doesn’t always go according to plan. When Hernandez withdrew from UFC Vancouver with an undisclosed injury, the stakes of the October 18 card seemed to collapse overnight.

Then came Brendan Allen. The 25-7 contender stepped in on relatively short notice, saving not just the main event, but possibly De Ridder’s momentum toward a title shot. For a fighter who’s been on a furious schedule, on pace for five UFC bouts in less than a year, this was no ordinary fight week. ‘The Dutch Knight’ knows the spotlight in Vancouver might be his clearest path to Khamzat Chimaev’s middleweight crown!

Reinier De Ridder pulls back the curtain on what the Brendan Allen clash means for his title aspirations

When the news of Hernandez’s injury hit, De Ridder didn’t sulk or stall. Instead, he went back to work, hunting for a new opponent. Speaking with SHAK MMA on YouTube, the Dutchman recently revealed how Allen’s willingness to jump in kept the event alive. “I was mostly just very happy that somebody stepped up and took it,” De Ridder said. “We kind of just went down the list of who was coming off a win and who wants it, and he was the first one to say yes. So, I’m very grateful that he took it.”

For fans, the new matchup may seem like a detour, but for De Ridder, it’s still meaningful. Allen isn’t a late replacement in name only, he’s a legitimate threat, having shared the cage with the very contenders shaping the division. As such, the Dutchman continued in the interview, “And I think it still means something beating him, because he had those close fights with Imavov and Fluffy, so out of the top guys right now, at least he has some history with them. And I think if I would be the first one to put him away, of those three, that really means a lot still. ”

That “history” is exactly why Reinier De Ridder isn’t taking him lightly. Hernandez may be out, but the challenge remains. And if the former ONE Championship double champion can be the first to ‘put Allen away,’ it could cement his spot. Every fight tells a story, but this one could define an entire division. With Hernandez sidelined and Nassourdine Imavov riding high off his win over Caio Borralho, De Ridder’s window for a title shot is narrow, and winning convincingly in Vancouver might be his only ticket through.

His razor-close victory over Robert Whittaker in July proved he could hang with former champions. But to truly earn his shot, De Ridder must do more than win; he must make a statement. That’s the challenge, and the opportunity, Brendan Allen brings.

‘All In’, coming off a decision win against Marvin Vettori at UFC 318, is looking to rebuild momentum after previous losses to both Hernandez and Imavov. A win over De Ridder could catapult him back into contender status. In short, both fighters are standing at a crossroads, one chasing validation and the other redemption. And now, The Dutchman has finally pulled back the curtain on why Paulo Costa isn’t the one across from him in Vancouver!

‘The Dutch Knight’ blasts Paulo Costa for “too many stipulations”

Speaking ahead of fight week, Reinier De Ridder confirmed that Paulo Costa was actually the first fighter the UFC approached for the Vancouver main event after Anthony Hernandez’s abrupt withdrawal. The matchup made sense, a resurgent Brazilian powerhouse against the calm, technical Dutchman. But as negotiations went on, things got complicated.

According to De Ridder, “Costa was up first. We were in conversation with him first, but he put up too many stipulations. He wanted a catchweight, wanted three rounds instead of five. So we said, if you don’t want it, then you don’t get it.” That, it seems, was the breaking point. For De Ridder, a fighter who prides himself on discipline and challenge, Costa’s demands didn’t sit right.

But he didn’t stop there; his message for Costa was clear, and laced with a touch of frustration as he continued, “If you get an opportunity like that, don’t be an idiot. Just say yes and don’t put any stipulations there. He would’ve had a great chance to be back into title conversation, but he put all the stipulations there and we said we’ll move on and see if there’s somebody else who just wants to take the fight.”

It’s a rare peek behind the UFC curtain, a reminder that sometimes, the biggest fights aren’t lost in the cage, but at the negotiating table. As such, Reinier De Ridder’s road to UFC gold may have taken an unexpected turn, but it’s one he’s ready to walk without hesitation. Anthony Hernandez’s injury changed the script, Paulo Costa’s negotiations fell apart, yet fate handed him a new test, and De Ridder embraced it. Brendan Allen’s courage to step up may have saved UFC Vancouver, but it also gave ‘The Dutch Knight’ a chance to prove he thrives under pressure!