The highly anticipated clash between Top 10-ranked Middleweights Reinier de Ridder and Anthony Hernandez — scheduled for Oct. 18, 2025, inside Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada — has been scrapped due to an injury suffered by Hernandez.
Fortunately, the show will go on. The promotion announced today (Mon., Sept. 15, 2025) that de Ridder will remain on the card, now facing No. 11-ranked Brendan Allen in the evening’s new headliner.
For what it’s worth, former title challenger Paulo Costa was reportedly offered the fight against “RDR” but requested the fight to be three rounds. De Ridder declined, wanting five rounds, and that’s when Allen stepped in.
De Ridder (21-2) has been red-hot since entering the Octagon, and UFC Vancouver will mark his fourth appearance of 2025. The Dutch standout is coming off a decision win over former Middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker.
Allen (25-7), meanwhile, snapped a two-fight skid in his last outing by defeating heated rival Marvin Vettori in his home state of Louisiana. “All-In” was once on the verge of title contention with a seven-fight win streak in 2024, but back-to-back setbacks against Nassourdine Imavov and Hernandez derailed his run. Now, stepping in on short notice against de Ridder, he has the opportunity to reclaim his spot among the elite.
The stakes in Vancouver are massive. A dominant, flashy win will likely set de Ridder up for a crack at reigning champion Khamzat Chimaev in early 2026, while Allen could leapfrog much of the division with an upset, putting himself right back into the title picture.
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