UFC Signs Former Two-Division ONE Champion Reinier de Ridder for Vegas Debut

Reinier de Ridder, a former two-division champion in ONE Championship, is set to make his much-anticipated UFC debut against veteran Gerald Meerschaert. This fight will take place at the UFC Vegas 100 event on Saturday, November 9, at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Dutch mixed martial arts star recently parted ways with ONE Championship and has now signed a contract with the UFC. He will compete on the undercard of this significant Vegas event. De Ridder, who held the ONE Light Heavyweight and Middleweight titles, lost both belts to Anatoly Malykhin. At 34 years old, he last fought at UAE Warriors 51 in July, where he easily defeated Magomedmurad Khasaev.

Reinier De Ridder’s MMA Career and Record

Reinier De Ridder began his professional mixed martial arts journey in 2013. He won his first nine fights across various promotions before joining ONE Championship in 2019, quickly making his mark in the title race at the Singapore-based organization.

In 2020, De Ridder won the ONE middleweight title just four fights into his tenure with the promotion. He then moved up a weight class to capture the light heavyweight championship, becoming the third two-division champion in ONE Championship history. Throughout his 17-fight MMA career, known as “The Dutch Knight,” De Ridder has suffered only two losses, both against Malykhin. Out of his 15 victories, 13 have come by way of finish, including 4 knockouts and 11 submission wins.

Reinier De Ridder’s UFC Debut Opponent

For his debut in the UFC, De Ridder will face established submission specialist Gerald Meerschaert in a middleweight bout. Known as “GM3,” Meerschaert recently secured a come-from-behind submission victory over Edmen Shahbazyan, earning a Performance of the Night bonus for his effort last month.

Meerschaert has finished 35 of his 37 career victories, with 29 of those wins coming through submission. He currently ranks third all-time in UFC history for the most submission wins, boasting 11. He is now ready to welcome De Ridder, The Dutch Knight, to the UFC.

UFC Vegas 100 Fight Card (As It Stands)

• Middleweight Bout: Reinier de Ridder vs. Gerald Meerschaert
• Women’s Strawweight Bout: Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Denis Gomes
• Middleweight Bout: Mansur Abdul Malik vs. Duško Todorović
• Middleweight Bout: Tresean Gore vs. Antonio Tricoli
• Bantamweight Bout: Cody Garbrandt vs. Miles Johns
• Women’s Strawweight Bout: Luana Pinheiro vs. Gillian Robertson

Also Read: Differences Between Red, Orange, and Yellow Tennis Balls: How They Impact Gameplay