Reinier De Ridder isn’t your typical UFC contender. While most fighters spend their time between training sessions with their family or pursuing various other interests, ‘The Dutch Knight’ treats patients, runs a physiotherapy practice, and keeps his mind sharp even when he’s not inside the cage. But why does that matter now? Because as he gears up to face Robert Whittaker at UFC on ABC 9 in Abu Dhabi, De Ridder believes his background as a physical therapist might be the one thing that saves his career, and maybe his brain.

In a new interview with SHAK MMA on YouTube, the former ONE double champion opened up about the toll MMA can take on the human body and why he’s always approached the sport with caution.

When asked by the host, Shakiel Mahjouri, about realizing the physical investment MMA demands, Reinier De Ridder replied, “That’s always been a thing on my mind. Maybe because of my education as a physical therapist and like my history in that, but it’s always been something that I’ve been very wary of. I don’t want to get hit in the head too much.”

It’s a rare mindset in a sport known for violent finishes and highlight-reel knockouts. According to a comprehensive study published in PubMed Central in 2022, professional MMA fighters are exposed to a significant amount of head trauma during competition.

The research analyzed 2,488 UFC fights and found that athletes received an average of 6.30 head strikes per minute, with 2.41 being significant. Head trauma was responsible for ending 31.6% of all bouts, making it the leading cause of knockouts, especially in male fights. These findings highlight the need for fighters to prioritize brain health and adopt preventive strategies, something Reinier De Ridder seems to have recognized early thanks to his clinical background.

As such, in the recent interview on YouTube, the Dutch fighter shared, “I try to work on my defense as much as possible. I try to stay safe in sparring. I try to stay safe in training in general. Yeah, it’s very limited, and it is for all of us, but it’s especially for the fighters, of course. ”

He’s no stranger to concussions, soft tissue wear, or the slow creep of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). And it’s why, even during his days as ONE’s middleweight and light heavyweight champ, he ran a gym and managed a full-time physiotherapy clinic with his partner in Breda. “A lot of guys just lie around playing video games all day,” De Ridder said back in 2019. “So I’d rather just be with patients instead of lying in bed.”

While he acknowledges that fighters all face risk, he’s made it a personal mission to minimize unnecessary damage. Yet, against Robert Whittaker, he might just throw caution to the wind in his attempt to continue his unbeaten UFC streak intact!

Robert Whittaker is put on alert as Reinier De Ridder reveals his game plan to ‘tire’ out the former champion

Reinier De Ridder isn’t walking into UFC on ABC 9 looking to point-fight his way to a decision. Instead, he wants to drown ‘The Reaper’ in pressure. While the former champion is no stranger to 5-round wars, ‘The Dutch Knight’ believes he has what it takes to test him.

Speaking to MMA Junkie, he confessed, “Nah (I won’t change my approach or pace) – I think that’s just kind of what I do. See if I can get him tired, then the both of us might be tired in the last couple rounds.”

That’s been the story of ‘The Dutch Knight’s UFC run so far. Three fights. Three dominant wins. All of them within 12 minutes. From Gerald Meerschaert to Bo Nickal, he’s turned every bout into a sprint that only he can handle.

Oddsmakers aren’t sold, though. Whittaker enters the main event as the betting favorite. De Ridder? Once again, the underdog. But that’s nothing new, as he shared, “They didn’t get it right last time, and they got it wrong this time.”

With a game plan rooted in relentless pace and a career built around self-preservation, he’s bringing a rare blend of brain and brawn to UFC on ABC 9. But whether his clinical discipline can withstand the firepower of Robert Whittaker remains to be seen!