Reinier de Ridder went from beating a highly touted prospect in Bo Nickal to beating a former champion in Robert Whittaker in just four UFC fights. His stocks have dramatically risen in just over eight months. However, de Ridder struggled towards the end of his run in his former promotion, ONE Championship, where he’d struggle to get any fights at all.
Yes, Reinier de Ridder was a double champion at ONE Championship, but his relationship with the promotion soured towards the end. After fighting Anatoly Malykhin for the second time following a year-long wait for a fight, the Dutchman found himself on the sidelines once again. Due to the situation he was dealing with, de Ridder was of the impression that he might never get to compete under the ONE Championship banner.
“I was still, according to ONE Championship, on a contract with them. They had just parked me for over a year, and then gave me the rematch against [Anatoly] Malykhin, and then parked me again for a long period of time,” Reinier de Ridder told ESPN. “I was just in a position of not knowing if I was ever going to fight again for ONE Championship. In my mind, I was already free because they weren’t offering me fights at all.”
Well, it was then that he, along with his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, decided to compete somewhere else while still under contract with ONE Championship. And as you’d guess, the Dutchman knew that some legal complications awaited him. “Me and Ali worked out this plan of fighting for UAE Warriors, but we knew they were going to come with the lawyers and they were gonna come and sue us,” he further stated.
As expected, ONE Championship not only sued Reinier de Ridder but also the president of the promotion he was fighting in, UAE Warriors, Fouad Darwish. This promotion is owned by Palms Sports, which is worth around $300 million. So guess what? The president did not back down, and even helped de Ridder fend off Chatri Sityodtong’s promotion and enable him to make his decision to fight elsewhere, and that’s how he was able to make it to the UFC.
“The moment it got announced, they not only sued me, but they sued UAE Warriors and also the president Fouad Darwish… but they did not [back down]. They said, ‘We’re going to support you. Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out together,’” Reinier de Ridder added. “That really made me able to take this opportunity to get loose from ONE Championship, to leave them, and to fight for another organization. And that led to me fighting for the UFC.”
November 9, 2024, Las Vegas, Nv, Las Vegas, Nv, United States: Gerald Meerschaert and Reinier de Ridder meet in the octagon for a 3-round bout at UFC Apex for UFC Fight Night – Magny and Pirates on November 9, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV, United States. /PxImages Las Vegas, Nv United States – ZUMAp175 20241109_zsa_p175_376 Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
Well, Reinier de Ridder wasn’t the only one dealing with the lack of fights in his previous promotion. In fact, another promotion saw one of their most tenured fighters depart due to the same reason, and then he joined the UFC. Let’s take a look at that front.
An MMA veteran sat on the sidelines without a fight for a long time, much like Reinier de Ridder
During the late 2000s and early 2010s, Bellator emerged as a real alternative for fighters who could not get into the UFC. But over the years, it lost its shine and was later acquired by the PFL in 2023. But things did not improve as fighters scrambled to get fights. One of the veterans of Bellator, Patricio Pitbull, expressed his concerns about facing a situation similar to Reinier de Ridder before making his way into the UFC.
“I haven’t fought since [March 2024]. I wanted to fight [three times] this year, but I was told I’d have to wait until Dec. 31 and found out online my opponent would fight someone else. Then they had a replacement, I bring people over, spend more money with the camp, and there’s no fight,” Patricio Pitbull wrote on X. “They never just cancelled a show and said they had no idea when we would be booked. Even regional promotions have dates set for April of next year already!”
Well, both Reinier de Ridder and Patricio Pitbull are in a better position than they were in their previous promotions. Now, it will be interesting to see how their UFC career pans out when it’s all said and done. Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.
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