Reinier de Ridder is eager to run things back with Brendan Allen before future plans at light heavyweight.
Allen handed de Ridder (21-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) his first octagon loss in their UFC Fight Night 262 headliner this past October. Former two-division ONE Championship titleholder de Ridder was unable to continue after Round 4, resulting in his corner throwing in the towel.
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De Ridder has since undergone testing to figure out why his body broke down on him. He “1,000 percent” wants an opportunity to avenge his loss to Allen, an outcome he believes should have never happened.
“I think the way that first round went is how the entire fight should have gone,” de Ridder told Submission Radio. “Even though I had a full crash, no energy in my body, I was hardly able to move or put a leg or an arm up, I still would have finished him if I had five more seconds in that third round.
“I had him in the inverted triangle, just time ran out. I believe I beat this guy every night of the year except for that one. It’s on my mind. I tried to let go of it, I tried to be zen and not worry about it too much, but I need to get that one back.”
First, de Ridder will have to get past rising middleweight Caio Borralho (17-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) at UFC 326 on March 7 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 326: Reinier de Ridder needs to get Brendan Allen loss back
