The UFC’s middleweight division is quickly becoming the most volatile landscape in the promotion. With Dricus Du Plessis dethroned and Khamzat Chimaev crowned the new champion this past Saturday, the 185-pound weight class remains wide open and far from settled. In fact, the chaos isn’t slowing down.

Next month, the UFC heads to Paris for its annual event, where top contenders Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho will battle for positioning in the title picture. At the same time, the queue of hopeful challengers lining up for ‘Borz’ keeps growing longer. To add even more intrigue, just three days after Khamzat Chimaev’s win over Du Plessis, Dana White announced another pivotal matchup.

Hunter Campbell’s hidden message revealed by rising middleweight Anthony Hernandez

Reinier De Ridder vs. Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez, set to headline UFC Fight Night on October 18 at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena. The bout pits No. 6-ranked Hernandez against the 34-year-old De Ridder in what could be a title eliminator. The pairing caught many fans and analysts off guard, given the red-hot momentum of both fighters. De Ridder, who crossed over from ONE Championship last year, has already racked up three UFC fights in 2025, making his presence felt in record time.

 Anthony Hernandez has been just as active, competing twice this year — most recently on August 9 — and is now set to return on just 70 days’ notice in an effort to halt Reinier De Ridder’s surge. What stood out even more was how quickly the fight came together. Hunter Campbell and the UFC matchmakers moved swiftly to secure ‘Fluffy’ for the headliner. Speaking with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, Hernandez described just how fast they sealed the deal:

“You know, Monday I was getting a massage and I got the offer. They said, ‘I think this is an offer you don’t want to pass.’ And I said, ‘Okay, then run it. Sign the contract.’ And now we’re here, you know what I mean?” Pressed on who made the call, Anthony Hernandez revealed it was the UFC’s top matchmaker. “Matchmaker, yeah—Hunter. It’s like, all right, if this is what I gotta do, then let’s keep going. Like I said, man, if I gotta knock every motherf—er down till I get to the top, then so be it.”

At 31, Anthony Hernandez is operating at the height of his career. The surging middleweight is riding an eight-fight winning streak and has looked sharper with every outing. Earlier this month, he forced Roman Dolidze to tap at UFC Vegas 109, and back in February, he turned heads by dominating fellow contender Brendan Allen in Seattle.

Now, with a main-event slot booked against Reinier De Ridder at UFC Vancouver, ‘Fluffy’ steps into the biggest opportunity of his career. The winner will emerge as a legitimate title threat in a division reshaped overnight. And with Khamzat Chimaev already targeting ‘The Dutch Knight,’ the Vancouver clash could determine who truly earns the next shot at UFC gold.

Reigning champ Khamzat Chimaev targets Reinier De Ridder for future clash

Khamzat Chimaev may have seized the UFC middleweight crown, but the toughest part of his reign is only beginning. Now, as champion, holding the belt means running the gauntlet against a stacked field of contenders determined to take him out. Among those challengers, Reinier De Ridder has quickly emerged as a surging threat, even though Nassourdine Imavov currently sits closer to a title shot.

In fact, De Ridder’s rise has been rapid and undeniable. Less than a year into his UFC tenure, the former two-division ONE champion remains unbeaten and has already climbed to No. 5 in the rankings. Most recently, fresh off a statement win over Robert Whittaker in Abu Dhabi, ‘The Dutch Knight’ wasted no time in calling out ‘Borz’.

“I already faced the best American wrestler … I am curious to see how I can do against the best Caucasus wrestler,” De Ridder said, while also urging Dana White and the UFC brass to lock in a showdown at UFC 321. Soon after, the challenge drew a response from the champ. Khamzat Chimaev fired back on X with a blunt post: ‘RDR.’

De Ridder didn’t hesitate, replying with the iconic line: “Send location.” As a result, the back-and-forth has ignited intrigue. However, fans may need patience. Reports indicate Khamzat Chimaev plans to take 10–11 months off, pushing his next appearance to 2026.

In the meantime, the burning question is clear: can De Ridder, Imavov, and the rest of the division keep their momentum long enough to earn the shot at a champion who won’t be easy to catch? Stay tuned.