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Tag: UFC Vancouver

  • “This Bull**** Guy Give Up” – Khamzat Chimaev, Nassourdine Imavov, Marvin Vettori, And Other Fighters & Fans React To Brendan Allen Forcing Towel Throw In To Defeat Reinier De Ridder At UFC Vancouver

    “This Bull**** Guy Give Up” – Khamzat Chimaev, Nassourdine Imavov, Marvin Vettori, And Other Fighters & Fans React To Brendan Allen Forcing Towel Throw In To Defeat Reinier De Ridder At UFC Vancouver

    Despite taking this fight on short notice after an injury to Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez, Brendan Allen lived up to his promise to break Reinier De Ridder, forcing the corner of the two-division ONE champion to throw in the towel after four rounds to give him the win in the main event of UFC Vancouver.

    De Ridder looked to use his size early, quickly locking up Allen in a clinch battle seconds into the bout. RDR managed to land a takedown about a minute later, with de Ridder searching for an arm-triangle choke. When Allen defended that, de Ridder looked to transition to the back. RDR worked the rest of the first from the back, landing punches and searching for the rear-naked choke and a late armbar attempt.

    Allen looked to apply striking pressure to start the second round, but RDR quickly pinned him against the fence and scored a takedown. Halfway through the round, however, Allen managed to reverse the position, doing well with his striking from up top. De Ridder quickly brought the fight back to the ground in the third, getting right into top control on the back. Allen, however, again managed to reverse to top position, and by the end of the round, RDR appeared to be struggling to just get to his stool.

    Allen scored a takedown to start the fourth, though De Ridder tried to score a choke from the bottom. Allen’s relenting pressure was too much, and referee Jason Herzog warned RDR after the round he needed to get to his corner or risk losing the fight. In the corner, the cornermen of a spent RDR threw in the towel, giving Allen the TKO win.

    Brendan Allen Stops Reinier De Ridder At UFC Vancouver

    https://twitter.com/xJahstin/status/1979729078258401423
    https://twitter.com/xJahstin/status/1979732079593283841

    Allen has now won two straight and nine of 11, entering tonight off a unanimous decision win over Marvin Vettori at UFC 318.

    RDR was 4-0 in the UFC entering tonight, scoring finishes of Gerald Meerschaert, Kevin Holland, and Bo Nickal before a win over Robert Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi. This was his first loss since dropping the ONE middleweight title in March 2024.

  • “In Any Just World That’s A 28-28 Draw” – Fans And Fighters Criticize Decision To Not Dock Point As Mike Malott Gets Win Over Kevin Holland At UFC Vancouver

    “In Any Just World That’s A 28-28 Draw” – Fans And Fighters Criticize Decision To Not Dock Point As Mike Malott Gets Win Over Kevin Holland At UFC Vancouver

    In what might have been one of the more bizarre fights of recent time, Mike Malott pulled off perhaps the biggest win of his UFC career so far, defeating Kevin Holland in front of a native Canadian crowd in the co-main event of UFC Vancouver.

    After a quiet start, Holland managed to catch a kick from Malott and dropped him with a right hand. Malott, however, managed to grab a leg and sweep, getting on top with grappling pressure. Back on the feet, Malott landed a pair of accidental low blows on Holland in a short timespan, the latter being a knee to the groin that clearly hurt Holland. Holland took the full five minutes and continued despite appearing to still be in pain, but nothing significant was landed following that. Despite this and Drew Dober’s point deduction earlier in the evening, Malott was not deducted a point.

    After a bizarre sequence of events to check on Holland’s condition, Malott seemed to find success in the second round with technical striking, including a combination and knee to the body that appeared to hurt Holland. Holland seemed to not pour out as much as he should have in the third, and a slam takedown and an arm-triangle attempt helped to secure Malott the decision victory.

    Mike Malott Bests Kevin Holland At UFC Vancouver

    https://twitter.com/WhyGarth/status/1979722019982934216

    Malott has now won three straight and is now 6-1 in the UFC since his 2021 appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. He entered tonight off a knockout of Charles Radtke at UFC 315.

    Holland has now lost four of his last six, coming into tonight off a loss to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318.

  • “Levels To This Game” – Fans And Fighters React To Manon Fiorot Finishing Jasmine Jasudavicius In Quick Fashion At UFC Vancouver

    “Levels To This Game” – Fans And Fighters React To Manon Fiorot Finishing Jasmine Jasudavicius In Quick Fashion At UFC Vancouver

    Manon Fiorot took many in the MMA community by surprise with just how quickly she disposed of Jasmine Jasudavicius, needing just over a minute to score the victory at UFC Vancouver.

    Fiorot worked her jab early, landing flush on Jasudavicius from the very beginning. Fiorot landed a one-two about a minute into the fight, which rocked Jasudavicius. Fiorot then landed a pair of knees on the Canadian before raining down a barrage of blows that would force a referee’s stoppage.

    Manon Fiorot Makes Easy Work Of Canada’s Jasmine Jasudavicius At UFC Vancouver

    This was Fiorot’s first fight since unsuccessfully challenging Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC women’s flyweight championship at UFC 315 in May. That loss marked just the second of Fiorot’s career.

    Jasudavicius sees a five-fight win streak snapped with this defeat.

  • “Perfect” – Fans & Fighters React To Charles Jourdain Landing Flush Knee Before Locking Up Submission Of Davey Grant At UFC Vancouver

    “Perfect” – Fans & Fighters React To Charles Jourdain Landing Flush Knee Before Locking Up Submission Of Davey Grant At UFC Vancouver

    In front of a native Canadian crowd, Charles Jourdain scored another highlight finish, putting away Davey Grant at UFC Vancouver.

    Both men came out swinging from the opening bell, with Grant focused on leg kicks, while Jourdain fired back with sharp combinations. Grant looked for his signature flying knee, and after several explosive exchanges, he landed one.

    Jourdain then took advantage of a busted-up Grant and landed some strong ground-and-pound. He then locked up a guillotine to score the submission win.

    Charles Jourdain Submits Davey Grant At UFC Vancouver

    Jourdain has now won two straight and four of his last six, making it 2-0 with two submissions now at 135.

    This is just Grant’s second loss in six bouts.

  • “Should Never Be Allowed To Referee Again” – Fans & Fighters Blast Referee Dan Miragliotta For Making Kyle Nelson Go From First-Round Finish To Decision Win At UFC Vancouver

    “Should Never Be Allowed To Referee Again” – Fans & Fighters Blast Referee Dan Miragliotta For Making Kyle Nelson Go From First-Round Finish To Decision Win At UFC Vancouver

    Kyle Nelson came away with the win at UFC Vancouver, but it wasn’t the kind of victory that he could have gotten — and a simple mistake by referee Dan Miragliotta is to blame.

    Late in the first round, Nelson was controlling opponent Matt Frevola on the ground, and he executed ground-and-pound that appeared to earn him the finish. Referee Dan Miragliotta appeared to step in with three seconds left in the first round, and Nelson celebrated as if he had scored the win.

    Miragliotta, however, then informed Nelson that the fight was not over. Miragliotta appeared to claim he heard the horn that signaled the end of the round, but video replays on the UFC Vancouver broadcast seemed to show no sound of a horn.

    Nelson admitted his gas tank was a bit compromised following that, but he managed to outwork Frevola over the next 10 minutes to score the unanimous decision win.

    Referee Dan Miragliotta Criticized For Mistake That Robbed Kyle Nelson Of UFC Vancouver Finish

    Nelson has now won four of his last five, rebounding from a loss to Steve Garcia at UFC Vegas 97.

    After a three-fight win streak between 2022 and 2023, Frevola has now lost three straight.

  • VIDEO: Aori Qileng Flattens Cody Gibson In Mere Seconds At UFC Vancouver

    VIDEO: Aori Qileng Flattens Cody Gibson In Mere Seconds At UFC Vancouver

    Talk about not needing to break a sweat. Aori Qileng didn’t need much to get a win at UFC Vancouver, as he put away Cody Gibson in just 21 seconds during the preliminary card portion of the event.

    As Gibson tried to start out the fight with leg kicks, Qileng dropped him with a major right hand. He then landed a couple of ground-and-pounds shot before the referee stepped in and stopped the bout.

    Aori Qileng Makes Quick Work Of Cody Gibson At UFC Vancouver

    Qileng has consistently traded wins and losses in the Octagon since 2021, but this was perhaps his best performance yet.

    This marked Qileng’s first win defeating Johnny Munoz Jr. at UFC Vegas 80 in October 2023.

    Gibson has now lost two straight and four of his last six.

  • VIDEO: Yousri Belgaroui, Alex Pereira’s Training Partner And Former Glory Kickboxing Rival, Earns Solid TKO Of Azamat Bekoev In UFC Debut At UFC Vancouver

    VIDEO: Yousri Belgaroui, Alex Pereira’s Training Partner And Former Glory Kickboxing Rival, Earns Solid TKO Of Azamat Bekoev In UFC Debut At UFC Vancouver

    The UFC debut of former GLORY Kickboxing title challenger Yousri Belgaroui ends in major success, as he scored an upset of Azamat Bekoev during the UFC Vancouver prelims.

    Bekoev constantly tried to push the pace and pressure Belgaroui, but he paid the price for it. Belgaroui’s kickboxing experience was on full display as he delivered with his striking, which helped to open up a cut on the Russian’s head. Belgaroui dictated the pace in the first two rounds through his usage of his strikes, playing into the significant reach advantage he had.

    Belgaroui then needed less than a minute in the third round to pour on one more barrage of damaging strikes on an already drained Bekoev, earning the early third-round TKO victory in his UFC debut.

    Yousri Belgaroui Stops Azamat Bekoev In Octagon Debut At UFC Vancouver

    Belgaroui went 27-7 in kickboxing, unsuccessfully challenging for the GLORY middleweight title on three occasions, two of which have come against current UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Belgaroui also fell short in a GLORY Middleweight Tournament appearance, losing to former UFC middleweight king Israel Adesanya.

    Belgaroui competed in UAE Warriors and Levels Fight League, along with two appearances on Dana White’s Contender Series, before making his Octagon debut tonight.

    Bekoev, the former LFA middleweight champion, had won eight straight and nine of 10 entering tonight’s bout. Bekoev had won both his appearance in the UFC so far, knocking out Zachary Reese at UFC 311 and finishing Ryan Loder at UFC Des Moines in May.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Brendan Allen TKO’s Reinier de Ridder

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Brendan Allen TKO’s Reinier de Ridder

    UFC Fight Night took place tonight from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    In the main event, former two-division ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder took on Brendan Allen in a middleweight bout. In the co-main event, Kevin Holland faced off with Mike Malott in a welterweight matchup.

    UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card

    • Middleweight bout: Brendan Allen def. Reinier de Ridder via TKO: R4, 5.00
    • Welterweight bout: Mike Malott def. Kevin Holland via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Bantamweight bout: Aiemann Zahabi def. Marlon Vera via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
    • Women’s flyweight bout: Manon Fiorot def. Jasmine Jasudavicius via TKO: R1, 1.14
    • Bantamweight bout: Charles Jourdain def. Davey Grant via submission: R1, 3.05
    • Lightweight bout: Kyle Nelson def. Matt Frevola via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28×2)

    Preliminary Card

    • Women’s bantamweight bout: Melissa Croden def. Tainara Lisboa via TKO: R3, 4.32
    • Lightweight bout: Drew Dober def. Kyle Prepolec via TKO: R3, 1.16
    • Bantamweight bout: Aori Qileng def. Cody Gibson via KO: R1, 0.21
    • Flyweight bout: Bruno Silva def. HyunSung Park via submission: R3, 2.15
    • Middleweight bout: Djorden Santos def. Danny Barlow via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Women’s strawweight bout: Stephanie Luciano def. Ravena Oliveira via submission: R3, 2.50
    • Middleweight bout: Yousri Belgaroui def. Azamat Bekoev via TKO: R3, 0.55

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Melissa Croden def. Tainara Lisboa

    Yousri Belgaroui def. Azamat Bekoev

    Stephanie Luciano def. Ravena Oliveira

    Bruno Silva def. HyunSung Park

    Aori Qileng def. Cody Gibson

    Drew Dober def. Kyle Prepolec

    Main Card Highlights

    Kyle Nelson def. Matt Frevola

    Kyle Nelson got it done on the scorecards.

    Charles Jourdain def. Davey Grant

    In this bantamweight bout, Charles Jourdain submitted Davey Grant with a guillotine choke in round one.

    Manon Fiorot def. Jasmine Jasudavicius

    Manon Fiorot eared a first round TKO.

    Aiemann Zahabi def. Marlon Vera

    Aiemann Zahabi earned a split decision win.

    Mike Malott def. Kevin Holland

    In the main event, Mike Malott earned a unanimous decision win.

    Brendan Allen def. Reinier de Ridder

    In the main event, Brendan Allen earned a TKO a the end of round four after Reinier de Ridder couldn’t continue.

  • UFC Vancouver Betting Odds: Current Favorites For De Ridder vs. Allen And More

    UFC Vancouver Betting Odds: Current Favorites For De Ridder vs. Allen And More

    UFC Vancouver is almost here, and we here at MMA News are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.

    The card takes place from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Saturday, October 18. The main card portion of the event will start at 7PM ET/4PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 4PM ET/1PM PT.

    The main event will see a middleweight title eliminator featuring Reinier de Ridder and Brendan Allen.

    The co-main event will see welterweight action as Kevin Holland faces Mike Malott.

    The main card will also feature Marlon “Chito” Vera facing Aiemann Zahabi, Manon Fiorot fighting Jasmine Jasudavicius, Cody Gibson taking on Aori Qileng, and Kyle Nelson in action against Matt Frevola.

    UFC Vancouver: De Ridder vs. Allen Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vancouver as of October 17 at 9:15 pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Middleweight: Reinier de Ridder (-198) vs Brendan Allen (+164)
    • Welterweight: Kevin Holland (-105) vs Mike Malott (-115)
    • Bantamweight: Marlon Vera (+110) vs Aiemann Zahabi (-130)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Manon Fiorot (-230) vs Jasmine Jasudavicius (+190)
    • Bantamweight: Cody Gibson (-185) vs Aoriqileng (+154)
    • Lightweight: Kyle Nelson (+102) vs Matt Frevola (-122)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Bantamweight: Charles Jourdain (-180) vs Davey Grant (+150)
    • Flyweight: Bruno Silva (+200) vs HyunSung Park (-245)
    • Middleweight: Danny Barlow (-278) vs Djorden Santos (+225)
    • Lightweight: Kyle Prepolec (+300) vs Drew Dober (-380)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Stephanie Luciano (-298) vs Ravena Oliveira (+240)
    • Middleweight: Azamat Bekoev (-298) vs Yousri Belgaroui (+240)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Melissa Croden (-130) vs Tainara Lisboa (+110)
  • Watch Reinier de Ridder, Brendan Allen Face Off At UFC Vancouver Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    Watch Reinier de Ridder, Brendan Allen Face Off At UFC Vancouver Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    We’re a little less than 24 hours away from UFC Vancouver, and MMA News is here to bring you the video from the ceremonial weigh-ins for the card!

    UFC Vancouver takes place on October 18 from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

    In the main event, a No. 1 contender to middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev could be determined when Reinier de Ridder faces off with Brendan Allen. De Ridder, the former two-division ONE champion, is 4-0 in the UFC with finishes of Gerald Meerschaert, Kevin Holland, and Bo Nickal, as well as a split decision win over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi this past July. Allen, who fills in for an injured Anthony Hernandez, enters off his decision win over Marvin Vettori at UFC 318.

    The co-main event will see the previously mentioned Holland in action against Mike Malott. Holland came up short against Daniel Rodriguez his last time out at UFC 318. Malott, meanwhile, knocked out Charles Radtke at UFC 315.

    The main card also features a noteworthy bantamweight bout between Marlon “Chito” Vera and Aiemann Zahabi, a key women’s strawweight contenders’ bout between Manon Fiorot and Jasmine Jasudavicius, a bantamweight battle between Cody Gibson and Aori Qileng, and a lightweight fight featuring Kyle Nelson and Matt Frevola.

    All fighters have made weight, and all fights are good to go!

    The ceremonial weigh-ins present the last opportunity for opponents to face off before they meet inside the Octagon. Check them out below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel!

  • UFC Vancouver: Reinier De Ridder vs. Brendan Allen Weigh-In Results

    UFC Vancouver: Reinier De Ridder vs. Brendan Allen Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen — UFC Vancouver — takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results.

    This will be the seventh time in history that the Octagon touches down in the most populated city of British Columbia, Canada. The last time the UFC was in the Rogers Arena saw Amanda Nunes defeat Irene Aldana at UFC 289 to retain the women’s bantamweight title before retiring.

    The main event of UFC Vancouver will be a pivotal middleweight title eliminator, as former two-division ONE champion Reinier de Ridder takes on Brendan Allen. Allen fills in for an injured Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez.

    De Ridder comes into this contest off a narrow decision victory over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi this past July. He’s now 4-0 in the UFC following finishes of Gerald Meerschaert, Kevin Holland and Bo Nickal.

    Allen enters this contest off a win over Marvin Vettori at UFC 318 that same month, a bout that earned that card’s Fight of the Night honors.

    The aforementioned Holland will be competing in the UFC Vancouver co-main event, taking on Mike Malott. Holland enters this bout off a loss to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318. Malott enters off a knockout of Charles Radtke at UFC 315 in May.

    The main card also features a noteworthy bantamweight bout between Marlon “Chito” Vera and Aiemann Zahabi, a key women’s strawweight contenders’ bout between Manon Fiorot and Jasmine Jasudavicius, a bantamweight battle between Cody Gibson and Aori Qileng, and a lightweight fight featuring Kyle Nelson and Matt Frevola.

    UFC Fight Night: De Ridder vs. Allen Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: De Ridder vs. Allen takes place on Saturday, October 18, at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The main card begins at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT.

    See below for the official results of the official UFC Vancouver weigh-ins. You can view the weigh-ins in the video player above.

    Main Card:

    • Middleweight: Reinier de Ridder (186) vs Brendan Allen (186)
    • Welterweight: Kevin Holland (170.5) vs Mike Malott (171)
    • Bantamweight: Marlon Vera (136) vs Aiemann Zahabi (135.5)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Manon Fiorot (125.5) vs Jasmine Jasudavicius (125.5)
    • Bantamweight: Cody Gibson (136) vs Aoriqileng (135.5)
    • Lightweight: Kyle Nelson (155.5) vs Matt Frevola (155)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Bantamweight: Charles Jourdain (135.5) vs Davey Grant (136)
    • Flyweight: Bruno Silva (125.5) vs HyunSung Park (126)
    • Middleweight: Danny Barlow (185.5) vs Djorden Santos (185.5)
    • Lightweight: Kyle Prepolec (155.5) vs Drew Dober (155.5)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Stephanie Luciano (116) vs Ravena Oliveira (115.5)
    • Middleweight: Azamat Bekoev (185) vs Yousri Belgaroui (185.5)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Melissa Croden (136) vs Tainara Lisboa (135.5)
  • Reinier de Ridder Reveals Secret Training Partner: Robbie Lawler

    Reinier de Ridder Reveals Secret Training Partner: Robbie Lawler

    Reinier de Ridder has an ace up his sleeve in the form of a UFC Hall of Famer.

    Since making his Octagon debut in November 2024, ‘RDR’ has taken the UFC by storm, securing four straight wins, including a highlight-reel finish of Bo Nickal and a gritty split decision victory over ex-titleholder Robert Whittaker. Now, the Dutchman is gearing up for another tough test when he takes on Brendan Allen in the UFC Vancouver main event on Saturday, October 18.

    Determined to leave no stone unturned, de Ridder revealed during a recent interview that his team has brought in former welterweight king Robbie Lawler to help hone his skills.

    “Robbie [Lawler] is a big part of it as well at the moment,” de Ridder told MMA Junkie. “It’s nice to have that inside–all the knowledge that Robbie has in training is very useful, it’s very helpful… Technique-wise, he’s really helped me a lot. I think maybe personality-wise we’re pretty similar.”

    Will Allen Capitalize on His Golden Opportunity Against Reinier de Ridder?

    Originally, ‘RDR’ was scheduled to fight Anthony Hernandez in the evening’s headliner, before ‘Fluffy’ bowed out due to an injury. Instead it’ll be Allen stepping into the spotlight to take on the former two-division ONE world champion.

    ‘All In’ is fresh off a big win over Marvin Vettori in July, snapping a two-fight losing skid and keeping him within earshot of the middleweight top 10. With a win over de Ridder in The Great White North, Allen could skyrocket himself all the way into the top five, putting him potentially one big win away from his own shot at UFC gold.

    Of course, de Ridder will do everything he can to prevent that from happening, and bringing in a legend like ‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler is a pretty good start.

  • Anthony Hernandez Out Of UFC Vancouver, Reinier De Ridder To Now Face Brendan Allen In Headliner

    Anthony Hernandez Out Of UFC Vancouver, Reinier De Ridder To Now Face Brendan Allen In Headliner

    An exciting battle that could have potentially determined the first challenger to middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev is now off, as Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez has been forced out of UFC Vancouver due to injury.

    As a result, Reinier De Ridder will now face Brendan Allen in the main event of UFC Vancouver.

    The UFC confirmed the news in a social media post on Monday, September 15.

    Hernandez confirmed the news that evening with a statement on social media.

    UFC Vancouver To Now Be Headlined By Reinier De Ridder vs. Brendan Allen

    “I want to sincerely apologize to the UFC, to my opponent Reinier De Ridder, and to everyone who was looking forward to this matchup,” Hernandez said. “I also want to thank Brendan Allen for stepping up, it means a lot. To my fans, thank you for always tuning in, supporting me, and riding with me through everything. Right now my focus is on getting healthy so I can come back stronger than ever. When I return, I’ll be ready to make a statement.”

    The fight was, and still is, pivotal for the middleweight title scene. Hernandez vs. De Ridder was previously mentioned alongside Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho as potential title eliminators. The stakes appeared raise after Imavov’s lackluster win over Borralho at UFC Paris a couple of weeks ago.

    De Ridder, the former two-division ONE champion, is 4-0 in the UFC since arriving to the Octagon last fall. His Octagon record has included finishes of Gerald Meerschaert, Kevin Holland, and Bo Nickal, as well as a split decision victory over Robert Whittaker.

    Allen fought two months ago at UFC 318, scoring a decision over Marvin Vettori.

  • Anthony Hernandez Calls Reinier de Ridder ‘Just Another Fight’ Following UFC Vancouver Main Event Announcement

    Anthony Hernandez Calls Reinier de Ridder ‘Just Another Fight’ Following UFC Vancouver Main Event Announcement

    Anthony Hernandez seems unfazed by the threats Reinier de Ridder could present when they meet in the Octagon.

    Last week, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that Hernandez will face surging contender Reinier de Ridder in a high-stakes clash with major title implications headlining UFC Vancouver on October 18 at the Rogers Center in British Columbia, Canada.

    “Fluffy” holds the distinction of owning the longest winning streak in UFC middleweight history without yet receiving a title shot. While his sights are firmly set on newly crowned champion Khamzat Chimaev, Hernandez has accepted a fight with “RDR” to stay active and continue building his case for a title opportunity.

    Image: @ilovebamf/Instagram

    Anthony Hernandez On Facing Reinier de Ridder: ‘Big, Dangerous… But Just Another Fight’

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Anthony Hernandez shared his thoughts on his upcoming main event clash with Reinier de Ridder at UFC Vancouver. While he acknowledged de Ridder’s proven instincts inside the cage, “Fluffy” made it clear that he’s ready to adapt to anything the former ONE Championship two-division titleholder brings on fight night.

    “I think he’s big and he’s dangerous.” Hernandez said. “That’s about it. The rest of the homework my coaches will have for me. I’ll watch it with them when the time comes, but I don’t know, man, it’s just another fight the way I see it.”

    The 31-year-old Californian further exuded confidence, insisting he has the tools to nullify Khamzat Chimaev’s relentless wrestling, but emphasized that his sole focus remains on “RDR” for now.

    “There’s levels to this sh*t, man. There’s levels to this sh*t and I think I’m on that level. So eventually, when the fight comes, I’ll be ready for it. But it’s one fight at a time for me. Next in line is de Ridder, so it’s to strategize against him and just keep climbing the rankings.”

    Anthony Hernandez last competed at UFC Vegas 109 earlier this month, where he secured a fourth-round submission victory over Roman Dolidze, pushing his unbeaten streak to eight straight wins.

    “Fluffy” hasn’t tasted defeat since his setback against Kevin Holland in May 2020, racking up impressive finishes over the likes of Michel Pereira, Roman Kopylov, and Edmen Shahbazyan along the way.

    Anthony Fluffy Hernandez
    Image: UFC.com
  • Reinier de Ridder vs. Anthony Hernandez To Headline UFC Vancouver On October 18, Other Fights Announced

    Reinier de Ridder vs. Anthony Hernandez To Headline UFC Vancouver On October 18, Other Fights Announced

    Two men who recently made headway in the UFC middleweight title picture will gain another opportunity to inch even closer to a shot at Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC Vancouver main event.

    Renier de Ridder and Anthony Hernandez competed in the card’s main event, which goes down on October 18 at the Rogers Arena.

    UFC CEO & President Dana White officially confirmed this bout, as well as others, during an Instagram live stream.

    White also hinted that the winner who performs best between this fight and the Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho bout that takes place at UFC Paris on September 6 may be first in line to challenge Chimaev. Chimaev defeated Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title at UFC 319 this past Saturday.

    Reinier De Ridder vs. Anthony Hernandez To Headline UFC Vancouver, Marlon Vera vs. Aiemann Zahabi To Serve As Co-Main

    De Ridder, the former two-division champion in ONE Championship, is 4-0 in the UFC since making his promotional debut this past November. He has scored submissions over Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland, a TKO of Bo Nickal, and a split decision over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. The Whittaker fight took place just last month in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event.

    Hernandez has won eight straight and is 9-2 in the UFC. He fought just a couple of weeks ago in the UFC Vegas 109 main event, dominating Roman Dolidze en route to a fourth-round submission.

    The UFC Vancouver co-main event will see former bantamweight title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera taking on Aiemann Zahabi.

    Vera has lost two straight and three of his last four, having last fought in a loss to Deiveson Figueiredo at last year’s UFC Abu Dhabi Fight Night event. Zahabi, meanwhile, has won six straight and is 7-2 in the UFC. Zahabi fought in a featherweight bout at UFC 315, defeating former bantamweight king Jose Aldo, who retired from pro MMA a second time following the bout.

    The aforementioned Holland will also be competing at UFC Vancouver, facing Mike Malott. Holland is 3-3 in his last six, dropping a decision to Daniel Rodriguez in a wild fight at UFC 318 that Holland took on short notice. Malott is 12-2-1 in professional MMA, which includes a 5-1 UFC record since joining off a first-round finish on Dana White’s Contender Series. Malott most recently fought at UFC 315, knocking out Charles Radtke.

    An important women’s flyweight contest was also announced, as Manon Fiorot will take on Jasmine Jasudavicius. Fiorot unsuccessfully challenged Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight title at UFC 315 — a fight that snapped a 7-0 unbeaten run in the UFC and a 12-fight winning streak Fiorot had since dropping her pro MMA debut. Jasudavicius, meanwhile, has won five straight and seven of eight, submitting Jessica Andrade on that same UFC 315 card.