There’s a new name to watch on the UFC roster as the promotion announced it has signed former two-division ONE champion Reinier de Ridder.
One of the more notable free agent signings by the UFC in recent memory, the 34-year-old previously held the middleweight and light heavyweight belts in ONE, despite appearing in just nine fights under the banner.
De Ridder holds a 17-2 record in MMA and had won seven consecutive bouts in ONE before losing both his belts to Anatoly Malykhin in back-to-back contests.
Prior to fighting under ONE, the jiu-jitsu black belt had won nine consecutive fights to earn that contract.
Despite an unceremonious end to his ONE tenure, which included three losses in a row, “The Dutch Knight” enters his multi-fight UFC contract on a high note. De Ridder’s last professional fight came in July at a UAE Warriors event, earning a first-round TKO against Magomedmurad Khasaev.
All but one of his pro-MMA victories have come via early stoppage, racking up four knockouts and 11 submissions.
The UFC also wasted no time in setting up a fight for its newest fighter. De Ridder will be getting in the octagon on Nov. 9 for Fight Night 174 and his first opponent under the banner will be Gerald Meerschaert (37-17-0) in a middleweight (185 pounds) bout.
